Art & Life with Jessica Matheny

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

Jessica, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I was going to college to go into medicine actually when I first picked up a camera- Almost by accident; I was enrolled in a photojournalism class and immediately fell in love with photography! From then on, it became my number #1 favorite pastime and hobby for many years before actually pursuing it professionally.

When my daughter was born in 2014, I was definitely one of those photog-moms never without my camera to photograph my baby girl, and soon family and friends wanted pictures of their loved ones too which jump-started my business. It was almost like a “light-bulb” moment happened during that time- It had never occurred to me before that my career could be something that I love, adore, and enjoy so much. So it took me a lot longer than I wish to actually start pursuing photography professionally but ever since I’ve never looked back! I still can’t believe that I get to wake up every day so pumped and excited about what I do! My business, all the fellow creatives I’ve met, and clients I’ve had the pleasure of serving have been SUCH a huge blessing in my life.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’m now a full-time photographer specializing in wedding, engagement, and anniversary photography!

I have a particular love for bright, romantic, and timeless images- images you can look at with your grandchildren decades after your wedding day, and they still feel relatable and relevant in style. Images that can help you relive exactly how your wedding day looked and felt. Timeless.

I adore a naturally-lit wedding day, beautifully chosen and curated wedding details and flowers, and portraits with a touch of elegance and class without ever feeling stuffy.

I love paying special attention to details on a wedding day because I know that my brides have spent MONTHS choosing the perfect details for their special day. This is also one of the most creative and fun parts of a wedding day for me- you’ll find me styling the bridal details with flowers and ribbons and photographing them in a slightly editorial, fine-art style, which adds a whole lot of pretty to the final gallery!

When photographing my couples during their portraits, my main goal is to capture them in genuine and joyful moments of interaction together. My approach while I’m working is that my work is all about my couples and their love for each other is the most important thing, so my goal is always to show that love through their images. Whether it’s laughter or sharing a more quiet, intimate cuddle together- THAT’s what I love to bring out in my portraits.

Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
That’s a great question! While I can’t speak for other areas of art, I think photography particularly has become easier in some ways and more difficult in others in recent years.

Photography gear and education has definitely become more accessible and affordable for beginner photographers, so, in that sense, photography has become a lot easier in recent years. There are also so many more mentors, courses, and workshops available that you can invest in to learn and hone your craft and grow your business than there was even just a decade ago. Another positive is that the artistic mentality within the field of professional photography seems to have shifted slightly from a more competitive, dog-eat-dog mentality to a more community-over-competition mindset. I personally have been SO grateful for groups like The Rising Tide Society especially in the early years of starting my business- the sense of community I felt with other creatives while starting my business really spurred me on to keep going even though it felt overwhelming and impossible at times.

On the flip side of that, it’s almost like a double-edged sword- The huge amount of new interest in photography (because let’s be honest- being a photographer is super trendy right now! ;)) plus the influx of beginner photographers into the industry (because of the more affordable gear and more available education) can make it more difficult for professional photographers to sustain steady business with so much other competition who’s often offering their services for much less to gain the experience they need. So in that sense, photography has become more difficult. BUT I think this is where it’s key to bring your passion for your art to the table EVERY JOB you have, hone your craft and specific style and market to your ideal client. It might seem a little more difficult with more competition in the industry, but it’s by no means impossible!!

I think it’s awesome what Voyage Magazine does! Raising awareness for the arts and featuring art, artists or events that artists are a part of is pretty incredible and a huge help to us! 🙂

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I would love to connect on Instagram! You can follow along at @jessicacholephotography. Or if you’d like to see more work or get in touch, please visit my website: www.jessicachole.com.

Contact Info:

• Address: Based out of San Antonio, Tx but serving all of Texas!
• Website: www.jessicachole.com
• Email: info@jessicachole.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jessicacholephotography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jessicacholephotography

Image Credit:
Jessica Chole Photography

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.