Today we’d like to introduce you to Jocelyn Collins.
Jocelyn, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always, as long as I can remember, loved photos… taking them, admiring them and collecting them. I think it was always in the back of my mind that I’d love to have a “big girl camera” someday and maybe do something with it, but I had no idea what that was. After my first child was born, I felt a pull to document her as she was and to try and freeze time as much as I could… I believe that’s where the passion started. When I got that first “big girl camera”, I really didn’t have any idea what to do with it or where it would lead… I read countless tutorials from Pinterest and online and started picking the brains of anyone willing to share. In 2016, I took my first workshop with Ace Fanning and Coleen Hodges, who are both incredible teachers, and that really changed things for me. Fast forward three years, and I finally felt like I was finding my voice… shooting for me, my eye, my heart, rather than shooting what I thought others wanted to see. (Don’t get me wrong… that’s not always easy as an enneagram 2!). In 2018, I started creating films in addition to still images, which is a welcome challenge and one that I’m loving so very much. I’ve been so fortunate to find a clientele who appreciates my vision too, and I am so so so thankful for every single one of them.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Absolutely not. I struggle every single day with comparing myself to every other artist, questioning myself and my work, and balancing life, motherhood and my business. Oh, and burnout is legit. Occasionally, I get too busy “working” and I forget where this all started, which knocks me off track every time. Once I remind myself of that and start documenting my own people again, I’m refreshed and all in. One of my biggest challenges is narrowing down my “expertise”, if you will… I love capturing love, plain and simple, and that encompasses a whole heck of a lot.
Please tell us about Jocelyn Collins Photography.
I like to consider myself not only a photographer but a storyteller. I aim to document real, raw, authentic moments, feelings and emotion via both still images and video. As I eluded to in a previous question, I love to document love, which happens to occur in a large array of “specialties”. My favorite moments and connections to document are Births, anything surrounding Motherhood, Families, Newborns and most recently, Weddings. I hope to add Elopements to that list very soon.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I really don’t know that I would do anything differently. Although it’s taken me a while to find my “voice”, and I’ve had moments that haven’t always been easy, it’s all gotten me to where I am, which is a pretty good spot to be. 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jocelyncollinsphotography.com
- Email: jocelyncollinsphotography@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jocelyncollinsphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jocelyncollinsphotography
Image Credit:
Coleen Hodges (personal photo)
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