Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Shrestha.
Hi Jennifer, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My story is quite simple really. I grew between the plains of Nebraska and the mountains of Nepal. Being the product of a cross-cultural marriage allowed me to grow up on both sides of the globe and see many parts of the world starting at a young age. No matter where I lived I was surrounded by animals, My mother who had grown up on a ranch in western Nebraska made sure this was an essential part of life.
With that being said, I am a fourth-generation equestrian and so horses were just a part of everyday life on our ranch. Not only did I understand the value of a good horse early in my childhood, but the passion for understanding them came naturally. I didn’t see the horse as just an animal but rather a symbol of empowerment and life values.
When I became a photographer I knew that I had to turn my camera toward these animals, otherwise, I didn’t want to be a photographer. I didn’t know right away that being an equine photographer was actually a profession, but I knew that I had a passion for them more than anything else I photographed. So my story to becoming an equine photographer really began with passion and a drive to share with others how horses made me feel. And it grew from that point.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Starting a business of your own is never a smooth road. Honestly, there were many and still are challenges that I work through on a regular basis. One of the biggest struggles was understanding how to not only be a photographer but also the business owner. This took a mass amount of research from understanding local demographics to the average cost of living, and calculating startup costs, promotional fees, networking, while still keeping current clients happy. Running your own business is extremely hard work and you do have to make sacrifices because you have to be held accountable for making a living for yourself and possibly a family. So being a good photographer was really a tiny percent of a much larger picture to creating a sustainable profitable business. And this goes back to why passion is so important. If you don’t love it, what’s going to keep you going when it gets hard? Nothing. So in my opinion, you have to love what you do because its so much harder than people realize.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about SunDance Photography?
SunDance Photography caters exclusively to the equine industry worldwide. When I initially started this business, I focused more on retail images. Photographs of young women and their horses seemed to be the sweet spot, however as I started to dive further into the business my passion grew to expanding the business into catering to equine editorial and product companies.
SunDance Photography now focuses on creating not only retail images but also creating editorial and product photography for this specific niche. We are currently working toward launching a large stock library straight from our website where professional equine brands and publications can come to find fresh high-quality photographs that will benefit their brand or business. This not only creates trust and a positive relationship, but it also allows the equine industry to come to a single place rather than having to surf through other stock sights for the right image that fits their brand.
I think one the biggest things that sets my work apart from other equine photographers in the industry is my attention to detail and knowledge of horses. Often, we are stronger in one area than the other, however, in this particular industry, you really can’t be. I find understanding my subject is just as essential and important as understanding the art form of taking photographs. One of the biggest differences between photographing horses verses people are the channels in which we use to communicate. There is also a matter of safety when working with a two-plus ton animal, especially in environments foreign to it. By being aware of how horses think and react allows me to plan ahead and take necessary precautions. This allows me to still craft creative images, but with a level of assurance. If I know both the rider and/or horse feels safe, they become relaxed allowing to focus on creating great shots.
I think what I’m most proud of brand-wise is that I’ve actually created a brand. When I started this endeavor, it was more of a cathartic process for me than it was a business. However, with time, research, education, and networking I have been able to slowly create a name for myself that promises excellence.
What makes you happy?
There’s a lot out there that makes me happy but on thing that makes me pretty happy is working with horses outside of photographing them. I own 7 horses and run a small family-friendly equine training and boarding facility. Whether it’s a well-trained horse or one that is starting from scratch, I enjoy the challenges they offer, but also the reward. This also includes the joy of teaching and mentoring other equestrians to help them achieve their goals with their horses. Outside of getting to surround myself with my passion, this also provides me purpose. I find that many of us are searching for purpose, and I believe we all have a reason to be on this earth. Helping others in our own unique way or skill set brings purpose and essentially happiness. I enjoy watching and learning from horses and the wonderful community of people they provide. They also teach me more about myself every day.
Another thing that make me happy is being completely surrounded by nature. Being bonded to nature and to the land is something that has always brought me peace and a sense of belonging. I’m a sucker for anything way out yonder that allows me to decompress away from the business of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sundancephotography.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sundance.photos/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sundance.equinephotography/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundance-photography-equine-images/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sundance_photos
