It’s been a heck of a long time since I’ve updated this blog and to be honest, I don’t know who reads this anymore. I do know that some of my older blog posts have been surfacing in Google results and I’m not sure why. So, if you’ve landed on this site because of a Google search and you’re looking for a professional photographer, then perhaps this blog post will explain things to you.

In 2023, I went through a lot of burnout and self-reflection. My mental health was not great and things needed to change. I reflected on what I wanted from my business, what my ideal lifestyle would be, and how I would get to that point. I was getting burned out from doing the day-to-day work of marketing, constantly checking social media, feeling like I needed to be on top of all the trends and updates, and not feeling creatively inspired at all. I was starting to resent most of my work and how it would take up all of my mental energy.

Things needed to change.

I tend to create solutions for my own problems, and often, they’ll also be solutions for others. I started seeing speaker bios, creative professionals’ websites, and LinkedIn profile photos that were in sore need of an updated photo. Myself, I’m more into colorful, creative photography and I couldn’t seem to find a photographer that matched my vibe. I put a model call out for creative solopreneurs and ended up with what is now my personal branding photography services. I wanted to capture and document people as they went through their creative process, showcasing to others what they do and how they do it. My mentor told me that I was a high-context person. My photography tells stories. In a set, the photos give you an idea of what a person does without you reading their about page.

This is the kind of photography I was looking for and the kind I wanted to do for others.

All of my photo services used to be on this website, but WordPress isn’t the greatest for media-heavy pages. My website kept crashing. Plus, I’m still in specialty coffee, and the marketer in me knew that the website would be confusing for coffee people and creative professional clients. So, I created a new website on Pixieset, a company that provides several different solutions for photographers. This also meant that I had to build the site’s reputation from scratch, which took (and is taking) forever. I’ve tried as much as I can to put all over this site that my photo services are now elsewhere.

I am still working in coffee as a writer and photographer. I am no longer offering digital marketing consulting or related services. It’s not for me anymore, and that’s okay. I think a lot of solopreneurs, if they do this long enough, reach one of these turning points where you evaluate what you’re doing and if you’re still interested in it. It takes a lot to change something that was working, but I firmly believe that if you love what you do, the mental load will be lighter. If you resent it, the mental load will double. It’ll take over your life.

If you want to book me for photography services, all of my services and starting prices are listed on https://jennchen.photo.