Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Blass.
Jessica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I was in college, I was a music major. (I’ve always been a creative person!). Unfortunately by the time I was a senior, I was absolutely miserable, completely burnt out on my number one passion! I can’t sit still for too long, so I had to find a new creative outlet. I picked up a camera quite randomly, and started taking pictures of my friends for fun! At first it was just silly, but I realized quickly that I actually loved photographing people! I went to a college where most of my friends got married very quickly after graduating, and I had the opportunity to photograph some weddings early on in establishing my business. When I realized how passionate I was about photographing weddings, the transition to full-time wasn’t far off! I actually quit grad school after 3 months to pursue my business full time! That was in the fall of 2013, and here I am now!
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?
I’ve had two very different seasons in my business – the first 4 years, and the last 2 years! The first 4 years were surprisingly smooth, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to be thankful enough for how well the first half of my business went. Did I still grind and hustle and work sun up until sun down? Absolutely, but everything felt very smooth amidst the work.
The biggest struggle in my business was just before my own wedding in April 2016. My husband and I had just found out we were going to have to move (for his career) to Georgia, just south of Atlanta. Put aside the struggles this gave me for my business, it was a personal struggle as well! On top of our wedding, now we had to prepare for a giant move the day after our honeymoon! I was heartbroken about having to leave my friends and family. Once we got settled into our new apartment, it finally hit me how difficult it was going to be to generate business in a new state. I had no idea how to market to a new clientele and a completely new industry, and I felt very stuck! I didn’t know anyone, I didn’t have any connections, and I felt very lost in the summer of 2016! I was also mourning the possibility of losing the Texas chapter of my business. Overall, I was at a low in my business, and I had just gotten married!
After a few months of throwing a giant pity party for myself, I finally put on my big girl pants and built a new business model. I decided that while I would build my business in the Southeast, I would continue to accept weddings in Texas. I’m so glad I went in this direction – I love the DFW industry so much, it felt so silly to let go of it! Whenever people ask why I still do weddings in Texas so often but live in Atlanta, well, that’s where 90% of my inquiries still come from!
Please tell us about Jessica Gold Photography.
My business offers wedding photography for the adventurous, modern bride! Two things that make my business different from other wedding photographers is my love for natural light, and incorporating film photography into my business. I strive for a clean, natural look to my images, and film delivers that time and time again! When I pull out my big film camera at weddings, I occasionally get the weird look from people, but they’re always interested why I choose that medium over digital!
I believe what sets my business apart is my ability to connect with my clients on a personal level! I know not every business owner is comfortable getting so personal with their clients – everyone has their own method! But I truly thrive off of knowing my clients, and them knowing me! I feel that building a certain trust with my clients is only going to benefit us in the long wrong, and it’s very common for me to get happy hour often with my brides! That way whenever we come across a challenge in preparing for their wedding or even on their wedding day, most of my brides feel comfortable enough with me that they defer to my creative judgment, which not only relieves them of stress but gives me creative freedom!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I’ve always been the biggest Harry Potter fan, going on almost 20 years now! And when the first book came out, I believe I was 9 years old, I wanted to go as Harry Potter for Halloween! Not a princess, not the pink Power Ranger, but Harry Potter! This was before the movies came out, so my mom had to be creative how she made my costume. I looked like a little boy wizard, but seeing pictures of it reminds me of my dedication to a book series I loved (and still love) so much!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jessicagoldphotography.com
- Phone: 832-788-8899
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicagoldphoto/
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