Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Dao.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in Alief, the southwest side of Houston, and I was always drawn to taking pictures, whether being in the picture or being the one to take a picture. My earliest memory related to photography was when I wanted to be model and went to a couple of scouting agencies. I love the idea of bringing a vision to life and having a way of holding memories in place. During high school, my English teacher recruited me to be part of the newspaper team and that was where I learned about editing and Photoshop which led to minor projects like designing a cover for my friend’s mixtape album to printed posters and party flyers. I love pictures and although I love it, I did not have many growing up, especially from my childhood.
It wasn’t until I was 20 when my daughter was born. I wanted to make sure she have pictures and memories to look back on from birth to adulthood, every step of the way. So that was when I got more into taking pictures and recording videos on my iPhone. When I was 23, I had my son. The same year for Christmas, my Mom and stepdad gifted me my first DSLR camera; a Canon EOS Sl1. I was very excited and I found myself reading the manual and then practicing whatever it was that I read. A lot of my early practice were on my kids, typical lol. When we go to the park, I brought my camera. At home, I’ll set up play photoshoots and backdrops.
I remember my first time stepping out and offering mini photoshoots for Mother’s Day 2014. Surprisingly, I had a good amount of ladies book but then again I was only offering the mini session for $20! LOL. From there, I held a few more sessions just to practice and get some kind of experience under my belt. The following year a friend from church volunteered me to shoot our church (Hope City) first Easter hunt and I went for it. It was a different experience for a beginning photographer like myself at the time but little did I know that was God setting me up for something far more greater than what I could imagine.
I found out that Hope City have a photography team and someone suggested that I join, and I did. Being part of the team at that time was beyond phenomenal! I met other amazing and professional photographers from all kind of different photography background and experience. Honestly, that was where MY skills set grew the most. We helped each other learn so much and shared knowledge, skills, opportunities, you name it. I stayed with the team for a solid two years and outside of the church, I continue to build my clienteles through references and networking. I continue to have photoshoots and started shooting events. It was like the more I worked and was making my brand known, the more exposure I was getting.
I am going on year 6 with my photography. I have met numerous of people, shot numerous events, big and little, I ventured out into other fields of photography (weddings, studio, concerts, real estate, branding, websites, fitness calendars, etc.) and I have also made a signature season known for my brand, my infamous Christmas minis! My latest and biggest achievement thus far was my first time shooting in the media pitt for James Harden’s Charity weekend. I literally had just landed back in Houston from a vacation and got a text from my close friend and drove straight to the venue. Concert photography has been “GOALS” for two years now and on my first media pass I got to shoot amazing artists like Travis Scott, Meek Mill, 21 Savage, YG, and Houston natives Slim Thug and Maxo Kream.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road at all. There were many highs but with the highs comes the lows. During the lows I have experienced creative block, lost my adrenaline along with my motivation. No one was booking and there wasn’t any work to do. There were many times where I wanted to give up and was convincing myself that what I wanted to achieve was not for me. (Obviously, the devil is a huge liar!)
Please tell us about Jessica Dao Photography.
I am a photographer and founder of Jessica Dao Photography. I specialize in almost everything; family portraits, headshots, events, weddings, bridal/engagements, concerts, real estate, fitness, branding, lifestyle. Aside from my corporate career and being a Mom to two young children, people know me as a photographer and that alone is what I am proud of as a business. I am mostly proud of my work and how far I’ve came within the last six years. When I first started, I remember I wanted to be known for my work first so therefore, my identity as far as a social media profile or broadcasting my face came last. It meant more to me to know that my work was being admired and appreciated first and foremost. But it was a matter of time before people started to see a face to put behind the work, lol.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood was the freedom I had as a child. How things were carefree and full of fun! We played outside whether it was hot or storming, we rode our bikes, walked around to the different neighborhoods in the area to play with friends, we were all physically active and all we wanted to do was go outside and play!
Pricing:
- Fall Special. 20% off sessions (excluding weddings) until December 1st.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jessicadaophotography.com
- Email: jessicadaophotography@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jessicadaophotography_
Image Credit:
Jessica Dao Photography
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