Conversations with Janais Earle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Janais Earle.

Hi Janais, 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’ve always been the girl with a camera since middle school. Like the cameras, you had to wind up and wait for the flash, I always had one on me. My mom always took so many pictures of my brothers and I growing up. I guess it rubbed off on me. I love capturing special moments and milestones. Sometimes photos are all you have left. In high school, I took a graphic designing class my last two years. Then I became more interested in photography and editing graphics. I had my son a year after I graduated I was 18.

I took him to a photography store in the mall for photos. I enjoyed it so much, and I happened to ask if they were hiring. They were, and I got the job! They went out of business and I started a new job but I wasn’t happy. I was going to college for business, but I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted to do. I just knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur and work for myself. About a year later, after I quit school, I decided to officially start my photography business. My dad and family surprised me with my first DSLR camera and I worked and did shoots on my free time. I started getting bookings and then it became a lot to handle a job, kids, and a new business. My mom was going through a lot of health issues, and I found out I was expecting baby #3. I took a leave of absence and eventually quit with no looking back! I never worked harder in my life. I used to think it would be great making my own hours, haha. I work day in and day out, but the difference is I am passionate about what I do and the service I provide. J. Serenity Photography just opened the doors to my very own studio in November of 2020. I’m coming up on six years in the photography world. I cannot wait for all of the new ventures and business opportunities having a studio of my own will continue to bring.

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?
It has most definitely been a rocky road thus far. When I was pregnant with my son, I was diagnosed with Vasovagal Syncope. Which pretty much means my blood pressure drops and I faint. This was a huge fear of mine and made things quite difficult. In the very beginning of starting my business, I thought I was having an episode at work (which was at the time the hospital). I was experiencing abdominal pains for a couple of weeks. My boss wheeled me to the ER and I was told I had a tumor in my intestine.

In a nutshell, it was something the Dr’s never seen. I was nicknamed “the special patient.” My case was presented to 14 hospitals and the Tumor board. All of the Dr’s except the one assigned to me believed it to be cancer. She went ahead and did the surgery and removed the mass, which turned out to be a Cavernous Hemangioma (mass of blood vessels). She saved my life. The mass could have ruptured at any moment. I would have internally bled out, unknowingly. I use that to fuel me to continue to achieve my goals. Thankfully, after that procedure, my fainting episodes weren’t happening as much. Soon after that, my mom began to struggle with her health. She also began to lose her vision. It’s so heartbreaking to watch someone go through that. My mom is such a big reason why pictures are so important to me. More so now than ever before. I just try to turn all of the negatives into a positive somehow and use it to keep pushing me in a forward direction.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a self-taught photographer and I specialize in Portraits, Headshots, Branding, Events, and Wedding Photography. Coming up on six years in business. I am mostly known for my maternity, newborn, and cake smash sessions. I am mostly proud of how far I have come. I was literally a girl with a camera, a dollar, and a dream. I wanted this so badly, and despite all of the obstacles along the way, I am doing what I love. I finally have my studio space and the possibilities are endless. What sets me apart is that I truly have a passion for what I do. I enjoy being able to create lasting memories for my clients. I give 100% to my clients. I want everyone to have a great experience when working with me. Also, to make them feel at ease behind the camera. We listen to music, we laugh, and we have fun!

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
This is a tough one. I think building lasting relationships with your clients plays a big role in success in any field of work. In photography, you want your clients to come back. I have a good amount of clients that book with me for every single special moment they are having. So with that said, I definitely believe that personality mixed with professionalism can take you a long way. I am a very transparent person and I take a lot of pride in what I do. I want to leave a good impression on each client I work with. Word of mouth is very real, and you want your clients to brag about you and your work!

Contact Info:

• Email: jserenityphotography@gmail.com
• Website: jserenityphotos.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/j.serenityphotography
• Facebook: Facebook.com/jserenityphotography

Image Credits:
J. Serenity Photography