“If you’re an entrepreneur
and you’re a professional, you don’t have time to just sit and do nothing. You should
be out doing things for your business.”- Joy Pinkney Davis
Truer words could not have
been spoken by this week’s Phind out Phriday entrepreneur, Joy Pinkney-Davis of
Just Joy Photography. I don’t think I have interviewed an entrepreneur that I
didn’t think was on their grind, but Joy gives new meaning to grinding. If she
is not in the studio she works at part time, she is at some one’s home, place
of business, or an outdoor location with her camera and photography equipment
in tow. When I say her interview has been three months in the making, it has. And
that’s because, she has been out “doing things” for her business- Just Joy Photography.
Phreedum: Tell me about how
you took your passion for photography and turned it into Just Joy Photography?
JPD: It started when I was a
sophomore in college. I started a part time job at a photography studio nearby.
I just needed something to help pay the rent. It wasn’t really an interest of
mine initially although I love art, especially painting and writing. In fact I
was enrolled in school as an English major with a poetry concentration. Working
at the studio exposed me to a new form of art that I really enjoyed and wanted
to learn more about. Eventually I saved money enough money, bought a decent
camera, and started practicing my skills on friends. In February 2011 I
officially opened Just Joy Photography and turned the passion and practice into
a profession.
Phreedum: You mentioned you
love art, especially painting and writing, so why photography?
JPD: To be honest, I really
enjoy capturing happiness. I get to catch something that happened in a second
and translate it into a form of art that maintains that momentary feeling
forever. I also get to work with children a lot which I love. I don’t just take
pictures of children but they are my absolute favorite.
Phreedum: Who are you in 5
words?
JPD: Creative, daring,
eccentric (I like a lot of different things and I love color), patient, weird.
Phreedum: What has been a
highlight for you with Just Joy Photography?
JPD: I would have to say it
was when I did my first wedding this past June. Weddings are really different
compared to in studio photography where you can control a lot of elements like
lighting for example. It was also my first wedding so I was really anxious
about doing a good job and capturing the couple’s big day. Looking back I think
it was a great challenge and they were really pleased with my work.
Phreedum: What would you
consider one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned so far?
JPD: Everything. Wait,
can I say that?
We laugh.
Phreedum: Sure. Why not?
JPD: Okay. So yeah,
everything. Photography wasn’t something I always did or wanted to do. My
initial exposure was a part time job in a photo studio where everything was new
and everything was automatic. I bought my first camera, took it home, and it
was like “Okay how do I work this?” Each day I would get on Youtube and look
for videos that talked about things like lighting, focus, exposure, etc.
This whole process has been one big ol’ lesson that if I am really honest is
still being taught. I am still learning things.
Phreedum: You were recently
married. How was it for you to have to trust someone else to photograph
your special moment when you're usually the one doing that for
people?
She laughs.
JPD: To be honest, the
photography was the only thing that brought out the Bridezilla in me. I gave a
lot of “guidance” to the photographer. Granted, the photographer was a fellow
coworker from the photography studio and a friend. It was hard to trust her but
she really did a great job and my husband and I have great pictures of our
wedding.
Phreedum: For
some entrepreneurs maintaining a business and a romantic relationship
is hard, so much so, they forgo the relationship. How have you been able to
grow your business and relationship?
JPD: I still work at the
photography studio part time and then I do my own shoots. When I do my own
shoots I will often bring my husband along with me as much as possible. I think
it’s helped him really understand my work and respect it even more. Plus, we
still get time in together. Now, that’s not to say that he and I don’t spend
time together when I’m not doing shoots, we do. I think in terms of being
creative with our time especially when I have a hectic week, having him be a
part of the shoots has been really great for both of us.
Phreedum: Who or what motivates
and inspires you?
JPD: My husband. When I
am nervous about a shoot, which is every shoot because it’s a new client with
new expectations, he really calms me and reminds me of how good I am. In
addition to my husband, Facebook photographers motivate me.
Phreedum: What do you mean by "Facebook" photographers?
JPD: A lot of times people
will get professional pictures taken and post them on Facebook. What they
usually end up posting are super cheesy over edited pictures. The pictures use
too much soft lighting or every picture has that circle around the image. It’s
just too much and doesn’t look natural. So, it just motivates me to not produce
those types of pictures for my clients.
Phreedum: How does Just
Joy Photography change the lives of others?
JPD: I think the biggest way
Just Joy Photography changes the lives of others is that I capture people’s
special moments. I take a moment in time and capture it for a lifetime. I also
like to think that I do this at a monetarily feasible rate. I work within the
monetary means of my clients and provide quality work.
Phreedum: What do you think
people under estimate about being an entrepreneur?
JPD: Time. People think if
you have your own business you can create your own hours and work whenever you
feel like it. In reality you work even when you don’t feel like it. When I am
not at a shoot, I am editing pictures and making sure my clients get
perfection.
Phreedum: What has been the
best advice you have received as an entrepreneur?
JPD: My cousin told me to
just be honest with my clients. I think I have held on to that and try really
hard to do that with my clients. I don’t cut corners in terms of the products I
use to take the pictures and produce them. I also don’t charge clients for the
sake of charging them. I try to be honest and fair as an entrepreneur.
Phreedum: What is one piece
of advice you would give the Joy of 10 years ago?
JPD: Go for what will make you
happy not the money. Growing up I was all about being a doctor, helping people,
and making money. Then there was a point where as I thought about it more I
didn’t really want to do it. I went with what made me happy which initially was
writing. Later, what made me even happier was photography. I think it just took
me a while to let go of the whole being a doctor and feeling comfortable with
doing something that I liked even if it wasn’t a profession which guaranteed
decent money.
Phreedum: What advice would
you give to other budding photographers?
JPD: Get off auto. Go
to manual. Be in control. It’s easy to let the camera be on auto and have it do
the work, but you’re not really learning and you’re not really in control.
Also, please buy quality glass. By glass I mean lenses. My camera cost almost
$3,000.00 and I have lenses that costs anywhere from $300.oo to $800.00. It
makes a huge difference. You have to invest in you craft.
Phreedum: Last question. If
Just Joy Photography was a reality TV show,
which reality TV show would it be and why?
JPD: I think it would be
similar to "The Real World." There would be me, other photographers, and we would
just do a variety of different shoots, with different people, for different
causes (ad campaigns, fundraising campaigns, weddings, model shoots, etc.), and
in different locations.
For more information about Just Joy Photography visit www.justjoyphotography.weebly.
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