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

Hi Jacquelynn, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I definitely didn’t grow up thinking I would ever own and run my own business, and when I look back at the stepping stones and building blocks that I had to assemble in order to get here, I also am not sure I could have planned it to happen the way it worked out. But now that I am here, I think back to the influences I had over the years and how I was truly surrounded by entrepreneurs in my family – enterprising individuals who were always doing a side hustle or ran their own businesses. So clearly it had some influence over me. But did I know that professional portrait and wedding photography was what I would end up doing – and loving? No! In fact my degrees are in Biology (Bachelor’s) and Public Health (Master’s).

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me apart from others? I think many creatives struggle with this question because it’s easy for me to see, but hard for me to explain. I’ve gotten better at quantifying it over the years, and I think it comes down to a laundry list of things: Lighting, posing, attention to detail, creating a fun and comfortable experience, expectation setting, and post-session customer service. Of these, the most important are the lighting and posing. For light – you can see there is a quality of light to my images that is consistent (or beautifully inconsistent in some cases) based on the session type. I have mastered, truly, how to use light, how to find light, and how to create light and how to use the absence of light in photos. You cannot have photography without light, and you cannot have a beautiful image if you don’t understand how light works, how to use it, how to break the rules to use it differently. So everything I do starts with light. I do not just use natural light. I have trained myself to use off-camera light, ambient light, and harsh or soft natural light. I am not limited by time of day, weather, or setting (though I still have preferences and recommendations for what works best!).

Second, my style set me apart for sure. It’s the one thing that has not altered much (other than improving) over the years. I capture true-to-life colors (though I trend warm and vibrant) and don’t over-edit photos. This is the style that has stood the test of time and it’s also where my heart is, so that won’t change

I think how I pose is another skill that makes me noticeable – my clients are well-posed, but not uncomfortable or stuffy. I am not a “candid only” photographer. Many clients think they want candid images, and I try to capture a few, but in the end I have found, (for those who hire me) that candids end up not being the ones they choose. When a photographer shoots an image with no instruction, no direction, and just lets the situation unfold naturally (aka candid), there are roadblocks that we run into that can only be avoided if you first at least set the stage, choose the flattering angle, and put the client in the best light. So I always start there, candid or posed. And do I try to get everyone looking at the camera and smiling? Heck yes. Because most clients actually want that ultimately (or the moms and grandmoms do). So I have spent years learning how to naturally instruct on posing so that it feels effortless and looks great.

What you am I most proud of or excited about? Very early in my career someone from WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) took a chance on me (a new photographer at the time) and gave me the tools I needed to make my way to become an instructor of boudoir photography for their annual conference. I taught at that conference for 10 years until COVID changed things. But ultimately I knew this would be something I would always look back on and be grateful for and I do look forward to teaching photography in the future at conferences and in small workshops.

How did I get to where I am today professionally? I had a great support system as I built my business – first on the side, then 3/4 time, then ultimately full-time. It’s now been almost 13 years since I made the decision to go into photography full time and I have not only never regretted it, I literally have increased my client base and annual income every year, year over year. I work really hard at what I do and it has not been easy at times. I am always thinking about next year, or what’s next, or what can I do differently or better in my marketing, in my tools, in my software. Through the years I have had mentors, a business coach, attended workshops and conferences, and learned from my peers in order to help me solve problems that I couldn’t on my own, and no it has not always been easy, but it’s always been worth it.

What are the lessons I’ve learned along the way? To never stop running the business. As a creative, learning the business side of being a photographer was the hardest part – the finances, the marketing, the web design, the social media, the pricing for profit, the sales, the having to be responsible for my own investments and health care and so many things. I am an owner, a photographer, a customer service rep, and a studio manager. So I have to do everything, or outsource what I know that I shouldn’t be spending my time on. So alllll of that – that’s the hard part. Photography is the easy part lol!

What do I want the world to know about me or my brand and story? That I am proud of the fact that I am a profitable six-figure woman-owned photography business and that I have absolutely no formal education in either photography or business. So you can do anything you put your mind to, as cheesy and cliched as it sounds. Also, I am so grateful that I get to wake up every day and do this thing that I love and that what I create has the ability to make others happy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Tucson is the heart of the desert Southwest and when anyone comes to visit me I take them on a drive through Saguaro National Park East and West, also a drive up Mt. Lemmon to Windy Point and Summerhaven, hiking in Sabino Canyon, and if there’s time Catalina State Park.

For food and fun, I love our downtown. Congress Street or 4th Ave are go-tos for breweries, restaurants, and just buzzy nightlife and music. I am a fan of rooftop bars, and my current favorite is Moonstone on the top of the Graduate hotel but I also like the hidden gem in the Citizen Hotel and the Owl Club and Tough Luck Club speakeasies.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

My new husband and best friend and best assistant Jason Barrett

My loyal clients who trust me year after year to capture their most important joys and sometimes tears

Tabitha with the Divine Sophia – business coach

BNI – a global networking organization that I have been a part of for 9 years in Tucson and through it have learned networking skills and how to be part of a team

Website: www.photographybyjacquelynn.com

Instagram: @photographybyjacquelynn

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/photography-by-jacquelynn-buck

Twitter: jacquelynnPH0TO

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photographybyjacquelynnbuck

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/photography-by-jacquelynn-tucson

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeEc8NEbmL-C_PINAjUtKNQ/featured

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