Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Spencer
Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started photography in 2007, after I got a DSLR as a Christmas gift. What started out as just a hobby has turned into a full-time job that I love! I started out by photographing families, and as that side grew and I got increasingly busier, I decided to learn a new skill that would ultimately take my business to the next level. Learning how to use studio lights would open so many doors for me; including newborn photography. Newborn photography is a skill that I wanted to master; so I spent years and thousands of dollars taking classes, learning how to use studio light, and how to safely pose newborns. Once I started offering newborn portraits, my business took off almost immediately. This was a fairly new genre to photography, so offering something like this was so exciting. In 2020, I opened my photography studio, located in Cypress, where I offer newborn portraits, cake smashes and studio maternity sessions. My studio is full of everything any parent could ever want in their session; and if I don’t have it I can definitely get it!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Any photographer knows that newborn photography is a very touchy and intimate session. I am inches away from a newborn (usually only about 7 days old) when I am photographing them for about three hours. When Covid hit, I wasn’t sure if ANY family would ever hire a photographer – but especially a newborn photographer. Covid hit right after I built and opened my studio. I thought I made a huge mistake, but, luckily, no! After the initial lockdown ended, families booked me so much that I had a hard time keeping up with the amount of newborns that year.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in posed newborn photography. Posing a sleeping newborn is not easy, there is an art to keeping them comfortable and relaxed all while getting the perfect shot in camera. It took YEARS of practice, mistakes and growing to learn a workflow that works for pretty much every newborn that I photograph. It sounds odd, but having a good workflow makes all the difference! Every client gets the same quality of work with an exceptional variety in their gallery because of my workflow. I want my clients to have every pose possible with every variation possible while keeping their newborn safe, happy and sleepy.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important thing I have learned is patience. Every newborn is different, some sleep so sound that nothing disturbs them while others are very sensitive to touch. You have to be patience! Newborns and babies can not be rushed!
Pricing:
- Newborn portraits start at $675
- Cake smashes | $500
- Maternity portraits | $450
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jenniferspencerphotography.com/
- Instagram: @jenniferspencerphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/halandjen
Image Credits
All image credit to Jennifer Spencer Photography
