Meet Susan Reyes of Susie Jean Photography in Chandler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Reyes.

Susan, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
A good camera does not a photographer make. One day my dad told me I had a knack for photography so he gave me his professional grade camera. I started to use that camera from then on and my pictures were a complete work of art. Just kidding. They were awful…so awful, that I avoided using that camera most of the time because I was afraid of failure. I learned that a good camera is only part of the equation, so I immersed myself in books, YouTube videos, tutorials, and local photographer groups. It was the first time in my life that I didn’t give up on myself because for the first time, it felt like I was doing what I was meant to do.

More and more people would ask me to take their photos and I was easily working 60 hours a week, on top of being a stay at home mom. My ex is in the military, so I a lot of the child rearing fell on me which I was thankful to be able to do. My relationship was very unhealthy, and to make a long story short, I knew that failure was not an option because I had my kids counting on me. I put everything I had into learning the craft, many tears were shed over a computer screen while everyone else slept when I couldn’t get something right. I literally jumped up and down for joy when a New York Times bestselling author wanted me to do a few of her romance novel covers. I felt like with enough work and dedication, the sky is the limit.

Eventually, we moved, as is common with the military life, and I had to start over and I was more determined than ever. We lived in Germany and despite being surrounded by incredible beauty and culture, things were falling apart. My marriage went from unhealthy for me, to unhealthy for my kids. After 15 years, I finally made the decision to take my three kids and move here to Arizona to be near family. My art was my escape, a testament to what persistence can accomplish, and a way to give my kids a better life.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Obstacles were a ‘plenty. However, a smooth sea never made a good sailor. Between balancing motherhood, frequent moves, deployments, my own type 1 diabetes, anxiety—it was a constant battle.

Please tell us about Susie Jean Photography.
I specialize in portraits that capture the essence of my subjects. I don’t like to tell anyone to smile; I rely on creating a comfortable atmosphere in which my subjects can freely show me who they are. I don’t batch edit photos, I go through each one and make them a piece of art because I want them to become family heirlooms. I also love to create wall art by focusing on details in nature that are often overlooked; I photograph flowers and local plants while out on hikes with my kids.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have told myself to follow what felt right, not what I thought I “should” do. Art felt right. I would also learned more about business before taking the plunge into selling my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.susiejean.com
• Phone: 480-787-8824
• Email: susie@susiejean.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/bysusiejean
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/photographybysusiejean

Image Credit:
Amanda DeLeon, Rebeca Lopez, Brittaney Edsall, Ellora Goins, Cora and Jacob Kimmen

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