If beauty is as seen through the eye of the beholder, then Jennifer Bullock sees beauty focused from behind the lens of a Canon 50D. As she puts it, she was tired of paying for the “fast food” type of services she was getting when it came to having portraits done of her kids. So what did she do? She immersed herself in photography learning as much as possible in order to better capture and document the lives of her family and friends. It didn't take long for photography to become a serious hobby for Jennifer. And as it would turn out, she got much more than she bargained for. Not only had she found a way to tap into her own uniqueness and creativity, but she also found great satisfaction in interacting with and pleasing her subjects through her art. “I love seeing and capturing different stages and moments in peoples' lives simply through my viewfinder. I honestly believe I can see things differently from behind my camera that others cannot ordinarily see”, she says. In 2008, Jennifer Bullock started Jennifer Bullock Photography. Working mainly on location in Western Massachusetts, Jennifer is primarily a wedding and portrait photographer. She attributes the growth of her business to good old fashioned word of mouth along with some additional help from social networking forums such as Facebook. Jennifer generally works within 25 minutes of her home, but is willing to travel literally anywhere, keeping her fingers crossed in anticipation for her first "destination wedding" ! I was able to catch up with Jennifer to discuss her work and some of the more technical aspects of what it's like to be a professional photographer. Here's how it went...
20 Questions with New England Photographer, Jennifer Bullock
By: Jessica Layne
ATNE: How would you describe your style as a photographer?
JB: Modern, vibrant, soulful, unique…..artistically capturing life as personal art.
ATNE: Who are your influences?
JB: Mainly other current well known photographers – Jasmine Star, Stacy Reeves, Nichole Van and Baby As Art.
ATNE: Do you have a favorite photograph from another photographer that stands out in your mind? Why?
JB: Nichole Van does amazing work! The images she creates that stand out to me the most are the one’s she does outside, incorporating natural and artificial lighting (which I enjoy doing as well) and with one in particular, she captured this bride doing an amazing leap high in the air. I love that her subject was in the air wearing a beautiful white dress, late in the evening collaborating exquisite light! It’s brilliant!
ATNE: Why do you prefer on location vs. studio photography?
JB: I used to think that studio photography was the “it” way of photography. Simply because we always see so much of that with all of the quick photo services we see everywhere. And while I do still think there are some advantages to studio photography, and after my own experiments – I very quickly realized that it is not the style of photography for me. On rare occasion I may set up a portable studio, particularly just for newborns/babies. But it is only the natural lighting and environments that I am happiest to work in. For me, I see a “studio” far more beyond the inside of a room with faux backdrops and lighting. I see the world around me as my studio to be far more glorious, and that is what enables me to be more creative.
ATNE: What type of camera equipment do you use and why?
JB: I’m a Canon girl all the way. And I don’t use much. Just a camera body, one lens…..maybe two lenses at weddings, and a nifty speedlight flash I occasionally use that attaches to my camera. I really like to keep it pretty simple.
ATNE: Do you have a favorite camera accessory that you use?
JB: Probably just my speedlight.
ATNE: If you had to choose one lens’s, which would you choose and why?
JB: My 24-70L zoom lens all the way – for everything. I call it my bread and butter lens. It really is great for anything I generally need to photograph and the glass on it is great!
ATNE: Is there anything or anybody that you would love to photograph?
JB: Yes! I’d love to photograph an actual engagement proposal. I think a proposal is a very special and intense moment and I would love so much to capture that between two people. Also, I would love even MORE if I could photograph U2! Oh boy. What a dream come true that would be for me. Of course, never going to happen!
ATNE: How do you feel about being photographed?
JB: I’m very insecure and don’t like it so much. I’m ok if I do it myself or have my husband or daughter try to snap some shots for me. Otherwise, I’m just not too comfortable with it. I feel and look so much better behind the lens than in front of it.
ATNE: What are your feelings on digital photography?
JB: Incredible! I think we’re incredibly lucky to be in this digital age where we can get results so much quicker and process images easily from the comfort of our home….or anywhere if you’re editing on a laptop. And I personally think the quality of digital is just as good as film, if not better. I honestly didn’t take photography seriously with film at all, and that’s alright. I am very happy with digital.
ATNE: What types of software do you use..exp…Photoshop?
JB: Photoshop CS4.
ATNE: How much time do you spend photo editing photos to make them production ready?
JB: It depends on the session, how many sessions I’ve done in a month and the time that I have. Typically, it takes me about 4-7 days to put up a proofing gallery for clients to view and order their images. Less than four days to post a preview for them. But if I have several sessions back to back, I like to allow up to two weeks to have their proofing galleries ready, which still isnt’t too bad. The sooner the better of course so I do try to work as quickly as possible. The less sessions I accept in a month, the sooner the clients can view their proofing gallery.
ATNE: What albums do you supply your clients with? Do you design them yourself or outsource them?
JB: My lab offers various album designs that I can provide to my clients, but I do need to put them together myself and try to get as much input from my clients as possible. I currently offer beautiful Flush Mount albums and I am working on offering other types as well.
ATNE: Tell us about your funniest shoot?
JB: Not a shoot, but at a wedding. Long story short, I photographed a wedding during the winter on a very snowy, slick day. After the ceremony, it was time to drive over to the reception site. Except, my car would not move. I was pretty sure I was stuck in a snow bank. Well, after 30 or more minutes of trying to get my car to move and running quite late, the groom sent his groomsmen to help push me out……only to realize after so much hard work, me E-brake was on! Quiet embarrassing to say the least. So much for that “snow bank” excuse! But very funny now that I look back on it,
ATNE: How do you make your subjects feel relaxed?
JB: I talk with them….basically about every day things, or I ask questions to get to know them a little more. I try to be as real as possible with them and I encourage them to completely be themselves. I’m also pretty good at making myself look silly, whether cracking jokes about myself and simply doing something clumsy. I can generally get people to laugh at me, and in my book – that’s a great thing to my advantage!
ATNE: What is something you are still learning?
JB: Balance. Balancing my personal life with work. That itself takes a lot of work. Being home full time to raise my children, to home school them, to fit in enough quality time with each my kids and husband, altogether as a family, and then finally, fit in work. There needs to be a good balance in order for all of it to work out right, and I’m still working on that.
ATNE: What advise would you give consumers looking for a professional photographer?
JB: Look carefully at the quality and study their style. Make sure that the style of their photography you see is the style that will work for you. It wouldn’t be right to contact a photographer and hope for them to produce different results other than what you already see from their portfolios. For the photographer, that is their style of work, and it’s up to the consumer to shop around and find one that best suits their taste. Also, try not be alarmed by rates that you might feel are too much. You do get what you pay for, and when you invest a little more into a truly great photographer, you will get truly great results.
ATNE: What advice would you give individuals interested in a professional career in photography?
JB: Oh goodness, my advice could honestly be endless. But a couple of important things: Definitely understand how the business side of things work first. You may have the talent, but without the knowledge on how to properly run a business, that talent won’t do you any good. And don’t think the talent is all that you need. You do need to have a pleasant personality and great customer service skills. People are investing quite a bit of money with you, so be sure their experience with you is one that will make them feel confident that they have chosen the right photographer without regret. And lastly, do not short change yourself. Are you afraid you’re charging too much? Think again. If you’ve started all this out by learning everything you really need to know about the business stuff first, you should understand why. If you start out charging too low and continue to do so, it could be difficult to recover from. It could turn current and future clients off if they see you’ve drastically raised your rates. They’ve already expected to pay you much less, so why wouldn’t this turn them away? Also, are you actually covering all of your business costs…..even all of the little things, and earning a well profit? If not, then what exactly are you trying to accomplish from your business? Is having this as a business really the choice that you should even be making? Maybe it's best for you to stick with it as a hobby? I definitely need to be able to afford my business and profit from it. It would take the fun out of it if I didn’t. Plus, I am proud that I can contribute to my family. I do not rely on my business to support my family. I do not have to do this as a business. I choose to be in this business. But that doesn't mean that I should cut myself short. I provide a high quality product and service that deserves so much more than I originally thought. And quite honestly, I still have room for growth in this area. But just ask yourself. How do you want to be known? What type of crowd do you want to attract? Myself? I want to be known as a passionate and great quality photographer and attract consumers who value my work enough to invest at my rates. If they are looking to spend less and receive less than great quality work, or expect to negotiate, then I am not the photographer for them. Do not cut yourself short. Respect and value your work. Do the business math and charge what you feel you and your business really deserve.
ATNE: Tell me something that’s overrated?
JB: Dunkin Donuts coffee! Yep, I said it! Now, Starbucks……we could really use more of those.
ATNE: What else would you like readers to know about you and your business?
JB: I’m a very small, simple, yet hard working, personable, creative and professional business. I work alone, I do not have a studio and my style is definitely one that is not traditional. But with me, you can be relaxed, be completely yourself, and be pleased with a custom and artistic experience and results.
