Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaymee Horn.
Jaymee, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started dreaming of doing photography as my “career” in High School when I won a California State photography competition. I loved the smell of the darkroom and all the crazy ways I could manipulate an image in a dark room. When I decided to start looking at colleges, I realized my hope for a photography career wasn’t as clear cut as many other paths. At the time (2002), college grads were qualified for being a shoot assistant or editing assistant or camera repair. Plus I was told over and over again money they’d make wasn’t enough to actually live on.
Anyways that didn’t discourage me from studying photography (along with other classes) and I would find random photography jobs here and there and would sell images in art shows. Eventually, I found a niche with taking band portraits. I’d get to spend Thursday-Saturday nights at small venues photographing shows. Then during the week, I’d take portrait images of the bands. So we’d get the fun, the needed, and the artsy in each package.
OK fast forward to me moving to San Francisco to attend a Discipleship Training School at YWAM. Right before I moved- all my camera equipment was stolen. Camera bodies, lenses, flashes, lighting stands, and film all gone… to be clear my whole car was stolen with the equipment inside. To me that was a sign to give up this expensive hobby since I already had it ingrained into me that I wasn’t ever going to make it into a career.
Flash forward years. I get married, work for an accounting firm, and have a daughter. When my daughter turned one, my husband had just moved back with us from Texas (the only place he could find work in his field) for a job that ended up being horrible. They over-promised and under-delivered in hours and pay, so we were surviving on 99 cent store food while making $300 less a month then needed to cover basic bills. So I decided to get work as a photographer. I sold everything that wasn’t nailed down to buy a very BASIC digital SLR camera… and a computer. (YES I didn’t even have a computer!) My in-laws bought me editing software and my parents bought me a new lens so that I’d be able to work.
I took a job with a photography company taking pictures of newborns at the local hospital. It didn’t last very long because I realized that the company essentially wanted me to take advantage of these new parents in their emotional state. At a minimum, the parents would pay about $800 for a Cd, a page of prints, and only 20 minutes of a session. I just couldn’t do it. Treating people like a paycheck only and not working “heart first” was horrible.
During that time, my cousin in law asked if I’d photograph her wedding. She said she trusted my creativity and talent, and after crying, I of course said yes! To get ready, I tagged along with an amazing photographer to learn the biz from her. She was amazing and so encouraging! She helped me navigate a wedding day and the editing process after. She worked for a company and I thought that it would be a great path to go because a company adds security. Well after interviewing with a couple, I realized that same pit in my stomach from the hospital company kept creeping back in. I felt like the companies wanted to charge as much as possible, pay me as little as possible, and didn’t actually care about quality of what was delivered.
So I decided to do business on my own, with my personality, my perception of business ethics, and my desire to build authentic relationships with my clients while providing a service that helps capture legacies. It wasn’t easy after that. Photographers are like every high school teen drama show you can imagine. I’ve had photographers tell me I’m too old, too young, too reserved, too bright, not artsy, too basic, and so on. I’ve had venues steal from me, and people hire me then ghost me.
However, I’ve met amazing people, developed lasting friendships. Found a few photographers I LOVE working with. And developed a network of vendors that I enjoy spending my long workdays with.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Well I described the obstacles of course lol. Advice: Everyone has an opinion of you, your life, and your work. They don’t matter. Find people who actually uplift you and keep them. A women we are naturally inclined to internalize everything. Take the time to let go of mistakes, reassess all the good things about you and move on.
Get a mentor! Now, this is such a hard thing. But find another female who is about five steps ahead of where you are and take her out to coffee and ask her advice. Don’t hesitate to ask specifics!! It doesn’t even have to be someone in the same business as what you want. If you’re starting a business charge what you’re worth, not what you feel you’re worth or whatever someone tells you you’re worth. Charge what you would tell your best friend to charge.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a photographer. I have three sides to my business that I’m going to gush about like a proud parent.
1) My legacy side. This is my wedding portraits, family portraits, maternity portraits and newborn portraits. I get to see so many couples walk through engagement, wedding, then maternity, and newborns. I ugly cry at those maternity sessions. I also keep in touch with my brides as much as I can. A few weeks ago, I actually had coffee with a bride who had been having a hard first year with her husband and we just sat while she mourned what she thought her life would be. And then we reminisced about all the reasons why her husband was the answer to all her prayers a year ago, and how magical their relationship journey is. It was wonderful to sit and help her through it! (They’re doing great by the way!)
2) My business portrait side. This is my headshot portraits, website, and social media packages for small businesses. I tailor a session around a persons’ business and photograph their products, take headshots, and then do specialized content filler images or social media background images. So the whole site/media platforms/ brochures/blogs all match up.
3) My background side. I have been able to mentor and help other business startups, other creatives, and other moms believe in themselves. I brand myself as a professional coffee drinker who also takes photos and I get so many coffee gifts always!!
Do you have a lesson or advice you’d like to share with young women just starting out?
Just start already! Your race isn’t going to look like anyone else’s and you can’t compare your start with someone else’s middle. You will NEVER feel ready or prepared or perfect enough to do what is in your heart to do. BUT there is something inside of you that the world NEEDS and won’t get it if you shut yourself down.
Pricing:
- Wedding Packages start $1500
- Entrepreneurial Packages Start at $500
Contact Info:
- Address: 12421 Blazing Star Ct Rancho Cucamonga
- Website: jaymeelynnphotography.com
- Phone: 9092291166
- Email: jaymee@jaymeelynnphotography.com
- Instagram: @jaymeelynnphotography
- Facebook: facebook.com/jaymeelynnphoto
Image Credit:
Ponte Winery, Reagan Library, Serendipity Gardens, Griffith Park Observatory, Hidden Hollow
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
