Conversations with Jessica Crandall

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Crandall.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story is one that dates back to 2010, the year I received my first camera, a Nikon D5000 as a gift from my step father. Ever since that gift, taking photos was an outlet of happiness for me. I absolutely loved snapping pictures with a quick shutter speed, to see how time quite literally stands still. In college I always had a point and shoot camera with me out on the weekends and you can call those my years of practicing “action shots.” Pun intended, as I really only captured friends while we were out drinking. It wasn’t until 2014 that I wanted to start taking portraits of friends and that is truly when I started to figure out how to use my camera to my advantage. I upgraded to a Canon, and started doing small photoshoots with friends here and there. I enjoyed experimenting with different settings, poses, sunlight, and locations. However, I will say I was an extreme beginner. I had no formal training, it was all just through having fun. It wasn’t until 2020, the Covid lock-down, that I started to take it seriously. I want to give full credit to all the courses I took on CreativeLive and how much those helped me. I spent so much time studying all the courses that CreativeLive had to offer and my husband bought me a year subscription to their platform. I took “Photography for Beginners” and “Starting your own Photography Business” and various courses on posing as well. I absolutely loved learning through those video courses and found myself wanting to pursue photography further as a side-hustle. I started “Crandall with a Sea photography” and close friends/colleagues started asking me to take photos for them! Fast-forward a couple camera upgrades later and here I am, 4 years deep in the photography game and I can tell I’m getting better and better with each session. I currently don’t need to market myself as the referrals come in heavy. I have sessions just about every weekend that span from family portraits, new born family photography, couples, surprise engagements, and even weddings!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would say my biggest struggle along the way comes from the very prominent imposter syndrome. I always leave a photoshoot with anxiety that the photos will not turn out, or the client will not be happy, or I should’ve done this or that. It hits hard sometimes and leaves me feeling like I shouldn’t take on certain clients. I am such a people-pleaser that having an unhappy client would absolutely crush me. Throughout more and more sessions, I’m getting a little bit better and pushing those thoughts aside, but I would be lying if I said they aren’t there almost every time.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m actually a professional and licensed Architect by trade, so to say that I learned photography on my own says a lot about my personal drive and determination. I already put in a ton of hours as an architect but somehow I always will make time (afterhours) to edit photos and schedule photoshoots. It leaves me a little burnt out most days, but I love taking photos so much that I don’t mind it. I always leave a photoshoot with a huge smile on my face and most times my cheeks hurt from smiling so much during the photoshoot. What sets me apart from another photographer would be my creative eye for composition. As an architect, I strive for high-end design, aesthetically pleasing interiors, and ways to captivate a user. This overlaps with my passion for photography as I’m always looking for ways to frame a subject, or layer in through objects found on location. I am able to see views that architects design around, and use those to my advantage with photography. For example, while taking engagement photos of a stunning couple at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, I was able to use the architecture to my advantage and have the architectural elements guide your eye in the photographs.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I wish I was more of a risk-taker when it comes to taking on more with photography. When people ask why I don’t do it full-time, it is truly because I’m am scared to take that risk. What if I don’t get enough clients booked? What if I end up losing money? What happens when I don’t have steady income? I let those thoughts burden me and I don’t take the leap. I consistently leave it as a side-hustle because I know it’s safe and I’m able to still have my steady income from my week-day occupation. However, this is a detriment to my clients, as I feel as though I cannot give them more flexibility in open dates, as I only offer weekends. In addition, it’s a detriment to my family, as I now am no longer able to spend my weekends with them when I take on so many photoshoots.

Pricing:

• $450 Engagement Photoshoots
• $400 Family Portraits
• $350 New Born Portraits
• $350 Maternity Photoshoots
• $450 Parties and Events

Contact Info:

• Website: www.crandallwithasea.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crandall.with.a.sea/?hl=en
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-luber-crandall