Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Raia.
Hi Jenna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started Jenna Rae Photography in 2019, but my love for taking photos started long before I ever considered photography as a business. I was always the person taking pictures of everything on my phone. Whether my family was hiking, at Disney, celebrating a birthday, or just doing something ordinary together, I wanted to capture it. At the time, it was just my husband, my daughter and me, and I simply loved having photographs of our life and the memories we were making together.
My husband and daughter eventually bought me my first DSLR camera so I could take nicer photos instead of always using my phone. There was absolutely no plan for it to become a business—they just knew how much I loved taking pictures. Of course, once I had the camera, I quickly realized I actually had to learn how to use it!
That realization sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole. I started taking online photography classes from photographers whose work inspired me, participated in mentorships, and practiced constantly. Friends and family graciously let me photograph them while I learned and figured out my own style. The more I learned, the more I loved it, and eventually something that had started as a way to better document my own family’s memories grew into something I wanted to do for other people. In 2019, Jenna Rae Photography officially began.
I was also working as a nurse and raising my family, so I built my business little by little alongside the rest of my life. I started primarily photographing families, children, maternity and newborns, and over the years my business has continued to grow and evolve. I’ve now had the opportunity to photograph newborn babies, growing families, seniors, branding sessions, events, weddings and so many milestones in between.
One thing that hasn’t changed is why I love photography in the first place. I’ve always believed that photographs don’t just hold memories – they hold feelings. I want my clients to look at their photos years from now and remember what that season of their life felt like. That’s why some of my favorite images aren’t necessarily the perfectly posed ones. They’re the laughing, playing, cuddling, dancing and in-between moments when people are simply being themselves.
I’ve learned so much since starting my business in 2019, and I’m still constantly learning, practicing and evolving. It’s pretty special to look back and realize that something that started because I loved documenting my own family’s memories has grown into a business where I get to preserve those memories for other families, too.
Alright, 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?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to learn, and honestly, I learned it the hard way – is how important it is to create boundaries and find balance between my business and the rest of my life.
Especially in the beginning, I wanted to say yes to everything. I was trying to gain experience, learn as much as I could, build a portfolio and grow my business, so turning down a session felt almost impossible. I’m also a people pleaser at heart, which definitely didn’t help! If someone asked me to squeeze in a session or find room in my schedule, I wanted to make it work.
At the same time, I was working as a nurse, raising a family and trying to grow a photography business. And photography involves so much more time than the hour or two you’re actually behind the camera. There is communicating with clients, planning sessions, traveling, culling and editing galleries, delivering photos and managing all of the behind-the-scenes pieces of running a business. I eventually realized that constantly saying yes meant I was taking that time from somewhere else – usually myself or my family.
Learning to say no has probably been one of the hardest but most important parts of growing my business. I’ve had to learn that I can’t photograph everyone, I can’t always squeeze in one more session, and having boundaries doesn’t mean I care any less about my clients. In fact, learning those boundaries has made me a better business owner. I’m more intentional with my time, more present with the clients I do take on, and I’ve learned to value my own time and my family’s time as well.
I certainly don’t have the balance figured out perfectly, and I don’t think I ever will. But I’ve become MUCH better at recognizing my limits and understanding that growth isn’t always about doing more. Sometimes it’s about knowing when to say no. That lesson has allowed me to continue growing Jenna Rae Photography without losing the reason I loved photography in the first place.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is really centered around lifestyle photography, especially families, children, maternity and newborns. One thing I always say is that I embrace the chaos. I don’t expect kids to sit perfectly still and smile the whole time – and honestly, I don’t want them to! I’ll guide and pose my clients when they need it, but I also want families to play, laugh, snuggle and just be themselves, because those in-between moments are often my favorite photos.
Something that means so much to me is when clients tell me they actually had fun at their session. A lot of people come in nervous, maybe they’re uncomfortable in front of the camera or worried their kids won’t cooperate, so hearing that they had fun is such a great feeling. I want the experience itself to be a good memory too.
I’m also really proud of the relationships I’ve built with my clients. I have families who come back year after year, and getting to watch their kids and families grow through my camera is incredibly special.
I’ve always said that photographs don’t just hold memories – they hold feelings. I want my clients to look back years from now and not only remember what that season looked like, but what it felt like. That’s really what I hope to give them.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I think one thing I would tell anyone is just don’t be afraid to try something new, even if you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing at first. That’s basically how photography started for me. I got a camera because I loved taking pictures of my family, and then realized pretty quickly that I actually had to learn how to use it!
I took classes, practiced on friends, made plenty of mistakes and just kept learning as I went. There was never some big plan that said, “I’m going to turn this into a business.” It just grew into that over time.
I think sometimes we don’t try things because we think we need to already be good at them, or we need to know exactly where they’re going to lead. You really don’t. If there’s something you’re interested in, try it. Let yourself be bad at it for a while! Learn, practice and see what happens.
I never would’ve guessed when I picked up that first camera that I’d still be doing this seven years later and that it would become such a big part of my life. I’m just really glad I gave myself the chance to find out where it could go.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jennaraephotography.me
- Instagram: @_jennaraephotography
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/jennaraephotographyy
