Meet Jennifer Roark

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

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jennifer. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Photography has been my passion for 10 years! The first eight and a half years of my photography journey has mainly been to document my life, my family and friends, and volunteering at church. For years I photographed in dark auditoriums without flash and all kinds of events and I loved every second of it. In 2015, I started photographing a few weddings, engagement sessions, senior sessions for friends. My passion now is natural light photography! Flowy dresses, heartfelt stories, and golden hour make me swoon! My company Jen Lynn Studios officially began in June 2018.

What I love about photography is that it’s the closest mechanism for stopping time. Every time I look at a photo, I am instantly transported back to that moment and I remember every detail of what I was doing and how I felt. I want to give that same joy and experience to everyone I work with!

I love photographing people in all stages of life! Everything from weddings, to graduates, to family and working with young children. Over the years, it has been such a privilege to learn more about people’s lives and hear their story. I feel like I have a treasure trove of people’s milestone moments that I get to share and hold onto. Every time I meet someone new or start a new photo session, my mission is to uncover and highlight their greatness. I want to make each person look and feel their absolute best as well as share their story the beautiful way God made them.

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?
My biggest obstacle in life was myself. My passion for photography began when I was in high school but for years I thought that I wasn’t good enough to make it into a career. I thought that success and doing something you truly loved for only for the chosen few.

However, I now can stand confidently and say that success is for anyone who dares to believe in their dreams and are willing to fight for it through the hard times and good times. Here are the steps I went through to help process my own insecurities and eventually gained the confidence to start my own company:

1. Volunteering- I volunteered for my church. I photographed almost every Sunday service and special event for years. Through this community, I also learned from other photographers that were better and more experienced than me.

2. Leading Others- After five years of volunteering, I was asked to lead the photography team. Soon I was making schedules and training other people how to use a camera and learn all the skills that I spent years developing.

3. Getting the Tools- After years of hard work and growing in my skills, I finally upgraded to professional grade camera equipment. Now I can serve my clients and give them the highest quality images possible.

4. Taking the Leap- When I was a kid, I believed that the ideal career would be one where you wouldn’t have to take risks. That as long as you had enough money to support your family that you are living your best life. However, I now know that life is all about taking risks and pushing myself to be the best version of myself.

5. Continuing Education- This is definitely not a story of ‘and she started your business and made one million dollars her first year (wouldn’t it be nice if that were the case). Instead of making the initial leap is just the beginning. In order to grow, I continued to invest in education to know the best practices on how to improve my skills and be the best photographer I can be.

6. Time management- Though I started my photography business in the summer of 2018 it’s not my full time job… yet. I am also a first grade teacher so managing my time is incredibly important. I make a schedule at the beginning of the week to work at least 20 hours a week on photography. I find that I work best at libraries or coffee shops so instead of going straight home I go to my favorite spots after teaching and work on photography until about 8pm. I have at least one photo shoot every weekend so I am always connecting with clients, editing photos, and on social media.

I want to end by saying that taking the leap to do something you are passionate about is the hardest thing in the world. It requires more discipline, grit, and determination than I would have ever thought possible. It is a constant uphill battle that only gets steeper the higher you climb.

However, there is also nothing is more rewarding or helped me discover your full potential more than taking the next step in the midst of fear. It’s exciting and exhilarating and it makes me feel fully alive! It defines me and makes me a better person than you were the day before.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Jen Lynn Studios – what should we know?
Photography is my passion because it is a visual representation of my entire outlook on life: joyful, bright, warm, and timeless.

When I look at the world I see beauty and possibility. I see love and joy all around me. I see hope and a future. That’s what makes my photography unique. When people see my work they are transported to a place without hurt and division and to a place where they can see all the love and joy that this life can offer.

I photograph weddings, families, seniors, and children. When I meet new people I love to ask questions. I find out what people are passionate about and by so doing I find out where their greatness lies. I love that photography is more than just taking a pretty picture. I have the opportunity to make an impact on their lives. I am able to show people grace, love, and capture their memories that will be cherished for generations to come.

What are your plans for the future?
I have so many plans for the future. I plan on photographing more weddings, engagements, seniors, and family sessions this year. I am working every day to grow my photography business so that I can serve more people and capture their incredible moments.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jenlynnstudios.com/
• Email: jenlynnstudios@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jen_lynn_studios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenlynnstudios
• Other: https://jenlynnstudios.com/contact

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