Meet Jessie Eisenhart | Wedding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessie Eisenhart and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I always knew I needed to be my own boss. As a little girl I was super bossy & never exactly listened to anyone.. I still don’t LOL

I always loved documenting everything. I was that annoying friend that always took pictures of everyone & everything. As the years went on I some how I fell into the wedding photography business. I started as an assistant and worked my way up. I got a lot of no’s before I got a lot of yes’s. That pushed me to constantly keep getting better and work on my craft. Today, I run a super successful wedding photography business & I’m really grateful for that. I’m not where I want to be yet but I know I’m well on my way. My job is a perfect balance between making me & my clients extremely happy. I make my own schedule. I’m able to get up and travel the world whenever I want. It gives me complete freedom.. that’s what I always wanted. Something that really filled up my soul. Not everyone can say ‘ I love my job ” but thankfully I CAN. I truly love what I do for a living. I get to document one of the most important days in someones life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Since childhood, I have always marched to the beat of my own drum. I never wanted to be apart of the crowd. It was super important to me to be different and stand out. I have always had a different thought process than most people, even the way I see things are very different. Being a photographer allows me to show the world how I see things through my lens. My camera is my safe haven. It’s a barrier between me & the world. I’ve always observed humans.. from body language to mannerisms. I actually believe you can tell more about a human when they don’t speak. I don’t like posed photos, I never did. Most of my work is all candid. I like to truly capture the moment & all the emotions. Time moves extremely fast & life flies right before our eyes. Photos are our only way to go back & relive moments. It’s basically like freezing time.

My only advice to anyone building a business or following a dream is don’t give up. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF EVEN IF NOBODY ELSE DOES. If you want it bad enough, you will make it happen. Keep going, keep your head up & most importantly enjoy the ride. Stay true to you & never try and fit in. You were born an original for a reason. Let your light shine & never let anyone dim it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
To be honest, I don’t go out much so I’m not the best person to answer this question. LOL ! All of my focus & time goes into my career. Its what makes me most happy so I’m usually just working BUT if I had to give an answer I’d tell someone to walk around manhattan. The city never sleeps and theres always so much going on. The people are interesting, the street art, the bars, etc. You’re never bored & theres always something exciting right around the corner.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My success & drive stems straight from my parents. I had 2 of the best humans teach me everything I know.. from work ethic to just being a GOOD person.
My father passed away 10 months ago so making him proud is definitely a huge thing for me. Its been extremely hard for me the past year, but I took all my pain and turned it into power. I used it as fuel to keep me going & work even harder. My dad was my number 1 fan. He looked at me like I put the stars in the sky. Everything I do is for him & because of him. I will continue to live out his legacy & make him extremely proud. Faliure isn’t an option. I have so many goals & dreams and I will make every single one happen. My father raised a bull & because of him I know I can take on anything.

Website: www.jgephotos.com

Instagram: @jgephotos_