Conversations with Jennifer Blalock

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Blalock.

Hi Jennifer, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Photography has been a passion of mine since I was old enough to work a Kodak disposable camera. Growing up in central Massachusetts, my Dad always had a camera in hand; whether it was a video camera or point-and-shoot camera, he was ready to grab a shot. I became so fascinated with the ability to capture a moment in time and could not wait until I filled up my film roll to run to the local CVS to see all the shots I had taken, most of which were of my dog lol. As I got older, my focus shifted towards my passion for waterskiing, which led me to go to school at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL, to ski for their team and get my degree in international business.

It was my first year at Rollins that I got my first iPhone, which also happened to be my first ever phone with a decent camera. I started taking photos of everything again. Whether it was adventuring with friends on the lake, out in the boat with my ski team, around Winter Park, the love for photography was sparked from within again. In my junior year at school, my boyfriend (who is now my husband!) knew my love for photography but lack of a camera and bought me my first DSLR camera, a Nikon D3300. I started taking photos of everything and anything in my free time and would have so much fun doing it.

After graduating, I immediately went to work for Chris-Craft Boats in Sarasota, FL and became their Digital Marketing Manager. As the boats were coming off the production line, there became a need to photograph each boat and their color combinations for the dealer network. Having a camera that I wasn’t getting to use too much and love to take photos of anything, I quickly volunteered for the task. Every day I would go and take photos of the boats, and with that, I got to know everyone on the production floor. I started taking different employees’ photos while they worked and then asking what their job entailed and getting to know their stories. The management team started noticing the quality of my photos and asked how I would feel photographing the model year line-up of the boats for their brochure. I nervously agreed, and when that first shoot came, I quickly realized I had found my true passion. That one shoot led to another, which led to the company buying me brand new camera equipment, and my knowledge and skills growing with each year.

Four years of working with Chris-Craft, I decided I needed to fulfill my true passion and give it my all to photograph full time. During my last weeks of work, I began promoting “Free Sunset Photos” with flyers around Sarasota, hoping to promote my new business. I had about ten families lined up, and after shooting them all with no real experience photographing families, I wasn’t having as much fun as I thought I was going to. I thought to myself, “What have I done?”, “Was this a mistake?”, “Why did I think I could do this?”. Regardless of the self-doubt, I listened to my biggest support system, my husband, my family, and my friends who told me I could do this; I just had to believe in myself and know that following my passion was the right decision.

About three months went by, and barely any clients were coming in. I started back on the job search feeling so defeated. One night I decided to go to East End Market with my mom and visited Bird Of Paradise, gluten and dairy-free restaurant in Audubon Park (now in NSB). They were hiring and I decided this could be such a fun part-time job without giving up my dreams of photography. I bartended and served there for about a year while working on my business simultaneously. With the help of my husband, family, friends, and Emily, my boss at the restaurant, my mindset began to change. While working there, I became the healthiest version of myself, I changed my mindset around entrepreneurship by reading at least a chapter a day, I invested in an amazing mentor, Sydney Marie, an incredibly talented Orlando photographer, and my business began to shift towards success. A month before the pandemic began, I was able to leave my part-time job and truly be a full-time photographer attracting like-minded clients.

Growing up in Massachusetts and now living in Orlando with my husband, my goal was to create a business that allowed me to travel between the two states. I now am able to say that I am a full-time wedding photographer equally split between New England and Florida and absolutely love this life I have built for myself. It may not have been a straight easy path getting to this point, but it was worth every second of the hard work.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have absolutely been obstacles getting to where I am at now, as I imagine there are with any business. Going completely full-time one month before the pandemic was definitely one that I immediately had to face. Having completely changed my mindset right before it all went down saved me from any feeling of doubt or fear. I continued my reading, practicing with my camera even though I only had my dogs and husband to practice on, and started journaling through it all. I used the time I had to work on my social media, plan for my future shoots even without knowing when they would take place, and continue to stay positive. The biggest obstacles to overcome are the thoughts you create in your own mind, so a strong belief system in yourself is the foundation for any success.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in documentary photography, capturing intimate weddings and adventurous couple sessions. My absolute goal is to capture my couples’ unique love story as it truly is while having an enjoyable, stress-free photo experience. Leaving my couples with timeless images that will forever transport them back to that moment in time makes me so proud to be in this profession.

My ability to quickly connect with my couples and understand how to pose them in a way that they will feel most comfortable is one of my strongest abilities. I leave no questions up in the air and always have a line of communication open for my wedding couples to help them through the planning process. My deep love for the environment has always influenced my art, and I am constantly trying new things to make my work unique to each couple. Whether you want to be fully immersed in the ocean, out on a boat, or on the side of a mountain for your big day, my camera and I will happily be beside you, ready to capture it all.

Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Couples can reach out to me through my website and follow me on Instagram @jenteephotography!

Contact Info:

• Email: jenteephotography@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.jenteephotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenteephotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenteephotography/?ref=py_c