Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Kenney.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up in a creative family, I felt the influence of the arts early on. I was inspired by music, movies, theater, art, and photography. It came as no surprise that I became a hairstylist after high school. Working in the beauty industry was fulfilling and eye-opening. I loved it. It was only after I had the opportunity to style hair for a runway show and a couple of photo shoots that I began to develop a second love… photography. I picked up my base model Nikon and kit lens and began to shoot in my spare time. That side hobby became a passion and something that enabled me to capture the world around me in my own personal way.
Going a little deeper, I realized that creating portraits was a way to connect with people and show them how exquisite they were through someone else’s eyes. We are all so hard on ourselves. Our hair, our nose, our bodies, are always being scrutinized and meticulously examined under a very unforgiving microscope. I struggle with this myself. I was always viewed, in my own mind, as the funny, chubby friend that was “one of the guys” and not really the one that had heads turning. It was after a few photo sessions (with gorgeous people) that I noticed EVERYONE feels insecurity. This is not a shocking statement but it was to me at the time. Everyone had something to complain about or something they wanted to “de-emphasize.” I would reassure them and tell them all the things that I loved about them. I could see their demeanor change and, by the end of the session, they would be viewing images on the back of my camera and smiling. “That can’t be me,” they would say. “Wow, you made me look so great.” It had nothing to do with me, of course. Each of those clients was already beautiful. They were already worthy and loved. Photo shoots became more meaningful from then on out.
As I processed the images in PhotoShop, I would think to myself… what are the features or traits that I would change personally? Why was it so easy for me to encourage and show kindness to others but it was so difficult to show myself the same courtesy? I am still learning and growing (always) but I have become a lot more forgiving and gracious when I look in the mirror. I try to focus more on accepting myself as I was created and strive to become the best version of myself. It’s not enough to learn a lesson and keep it to yourself. Sharing is caring, right?! I wanted to spread the love and thought, who could use a dose of self-confidence and encouragement? High school seniors! It was a lightbulb/”ah-ha” moment if you will. High school girls are exposed to all this pressure to be “perfect.” In our social media world of #thighgaps and trading in a currency of “likes” and “followers,” it’s no wonder that insecurities are heightened. So, I teamed up with my friend and talented makeup artist, Alison and we came up with an experience that would make girls feel beautiful and confident while creating wonderful keepsakes for their parents. All our senior portraits start with hair and makeup and end with a gorgeous photo shoot that will hopefully end with more than fabulous images, but a boost in spirit. This is our 7th year and going strong. We are loving every minute and are so grateful for each of these girls. They are genuine, talented, smart, and world-changers. I have learned more from them they have learned from me at this point.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I have a theory about the road of life. If you have ever been hiking, you will notice that the roads with the most challenges, change in elevation, and surprise turns, often result in the best view. It takes hard work and commitment to succeed. If it was easy, everyone would do it, right? Well, my journey in this business has been no different. When I became a photographer, I wanted to create images, not sit at my computer all day, research taxes, marketing strategies, and bookkeeping. That is a huge part of running your own business though and I learned the hard way. I was overworked and underpaid and stressed to the max. I came to the realization that I either needed to stop charging for my work and keep photography as a hobby or dive into all the nitty-gritty, put my big girl pants on and create a real business. You can guess what my decision was. I knew I wanted to make a career out of this and made the adjustments. I took online business classes and learned to overcome my limitations. I don’t have a college degree, I didn’t have experience in business development or management, but I did have the ability to learn. You can be the most creative, talented, extraordinary photographer on the planet but if you don’t learn how to run a business, you will create some big issues when it comes to getting paid for your work. My advice to young women who are considering a career in a creative field is to gather some basic business skills early on. It is important to know where you want your business to go and how to get there. Set small, actionable goals that will help you move forward in a productive way. If you are like me and don’t love the back end of running a business, try to outsource or automate your workflow so you can focus on creative things… the things you do love.
For example: If you adore taking portraits but hate editing them afterwards, hire a retoucher to do this for you (and charge your client a bit more to compensate for the cost). This really frees you up to live your best life and also helps give your clients the best customer service because you are there for them instead of stressing over all the things on your to-do list. There are countless websites, blogs, and YouTube channels to teach you how to become a better photographer and I encourage you to dive into all of that but nothing replaces real-life practice. Get outside, look at the sunlight and what it’s doing during at different times of the day. Find a friend or model, learn how to interact with them, and capture something! Do this over and over again until you feel confident and know that the quality of your results is consistent. Lastly, and importantly, know your why. Why are you doing this big, exciting, scary, thing that is photography? No one can answer that for you which makes your journey truly unique.
Please tell us about Juneberry Photo.
As I stated before, I specialize in boutique style high school senior portraits. I offer an all-inclusive experience for each of my senior girls that includes professional hair and makeup services as well as a fun, beautiful photo shoot on location. I am most known for my sun-filled images, unique locations, and editing style. I believe that my business is set apart due to the fact that I only take a limited amount of seniors a year in order to give each client their time to shine. I love getting to know my girls and take as much time as needed to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera. Sessions have definitely gone well past sunset because we just didn’t want to stop. If you ever hear me say “ok, just one more,” it’s a bald-faced lie! I will usually follow that up with at least five more shots. When it comes to post-processing, I use a specific technique on the skin to create a glowing, polished look while retaining the skin’s natural texture to avoid an over-processing look. This really circles back to my mission statement which is to celebrate these girls for who they are. We aren’t trying to make you look like someone else, just the best version of you. My go-to explanation regarding this is that if it is temporary, I will remove it (ex: acne, red spots), but if it is a part of you, it stays.
I am most proud of my relationship with the people I meet along the way. The girls and families that have come into my life through this business are truly a blessing. It is not unusual for me to meet up with a past senior and catch up over coffee or go to lunch with one of the moms that I connected with. I definitely feel a sense of pride as I see my senior girls go on to graduate college, get engaged, married, or do amazing things for their community. It’s a joy to look back on old images and reminisce about the real, human connections that were made on that day. If I can be a small part of someone’s life and influence them in a positive way, that makes this all incredibly rewarding.
Who have you been inspired by?
Wow! There are so many women that have inspired me. How long is this section? Haha.
I will begin with my very first life coach… my mom, Kathy. She is one of the most selfless, generous, people I know. She worked so hard to give my brother and me a full life and I am forever grateful to her. We grew up in an area that didn’t have the best school district so our parents decided that the best way to give us a quality education was in private school. Being a middle-class household, it was pretty tight financially, so my mom worked as an aide at our school in order to afford our tuition. Never did I hear a single complaint from this beautiful woman as she sacrificed her own wants and desires and gave to us. She now shares her magnanimous heart with my children and they love her more than words. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention my Nani (grandmother), Fran and my Aunt Margie. Each of these women has taught me so much about strength and independence. Nani, all 4 foot 11 inches of her, is a spicy, confident, women with a laugh that fills your heart and a style that elicits a multitude of compliments when she enters a room. I have learned so much about what it means to be motivated by faith and the value of hard work from her. My Aunt Margie is most definitely her mother’s daughter (remember that Nani lady?). She is fun, vivacious and has a deep love for family. When someone needs a word of advice, a hand to hold at the hospital, or a special party planner, call her. She fiercely looks over her loved ones and puts her marriage on high priority. They have overcome adversity and have created a life that they are truly proud of. I really do feel that I have learned important lessons from every woman that has come into my life (friends, family, teachers, co-workers, etc.). Some have taught me that not everyone is worth giving your mental energy to and that boundaries are necessary. Others have un-earthed toxic traits in me that needed to be reconciled, and some gave me unconditional, reckless encouragement that uplifted me; but all have played a pivotal part in my life and I am grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.juneberryphoto.com
- Phone: 760-580-6286
- Email: jessiekenney@rocketmail.com
- Instagram: @juneberryphoto
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/juneberryphoto
Image Credit:
Jessie Kenney of Juneberry Photo
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