Meet Janice Rumsey | Professional Photographer and Artist

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

Hi Janice, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was gifted my wedding photography business, from someone who decided that he knew better what I should be doing, than I did. I’m serious when I say it was a gift, because I don’t know that I would have taken that leap without his encouragement. When I graduated from university with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, with a minor in Creative Photography, my intention was for a lifelong career as a teacher. I come from a long line of teachers and my very artistically talented Great Aunt, who encouraged and supported my art interests, claimed I could never make a living as an artist, that it should be a side hobby, and that I should become a teacher for the stability. So, that is what I did. I shot photography and painted murals by word of mouth on weekends and school breaks, and the rest of the year I worked full-time as a public middle school teacher.
My first year teaching, I met John Davis, a father of one of my students, and a professional photographer with his own business. In chit-chatting with him at back-to-school night he decided I needed to work for him as his second for his wedding photography business. He was a one-man-show and one of only 3 photographers in the Temecula Valley in the early 90’s. He was turning work away – he was so busy – and would train me in wedding photography. Wow! That sounds fun, and why not? Still only weekends and school breaks, so it seemed perfect.
Well, I LOVED IT! And still do. I LOVE WHAT I DO and still sometimes find it hard to believe this is what I get to do for a living. About 10 years into our partnership and friendship John lost a battle with cancer, but he had already encouraged me to venture out on my own. He had taught me everything he knew and he felt I could stand on my own in the industry. Plus, photography was changing. Film was on its way out and digital photography was on the rise. Here I am, 20 years later, with my own business, working full-time as a professional photographer. Who knew? Well, John knew, apparently. And I still do paint a mural now and then.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have had wonderful parents who supported whatever was important to me. My mother has saved my artwork from as early as my first drawing when I was about 2 years old. I always had crayons, markers and paper at my disposal and my dad made me a toddler-sized “drafting table” out of cinderblock and plywood. My mom & dad let me finger paint regularly, in the kitchen. Do you know how messy that is? According to my parents, I was always drawing. As I mentioned, I had a great aunt who was a talented painter. She seemed to see an ability in me when I was pretty young, and encouraged and fostered that ability with art supplies when I got to stay with her for a weekends during my childhood. She was my art mentor in many ways.
I had a 4th grade teacher, Mr. Bringhurst, who was also an oil painter. He encouraged me. He set me up in the multipurpose room, with canvas and oil paints, and this is what I did when the rest of the class were making macaroni necklaces or something like that.
By the time I hit high school and told my parents I wanted a camera, together with my grandparents, they got me one.
I know that my childhood, the people in it, were gifts. I’ve been son lucky, in so many ways.
How could I let them down, and not become an artist of somekind.
I only wish my Great Aunt Dolly could have lived to see me leave my teaching career and actually make a living creating art.

Risk is something I embrace continually. How can you grow in your profession without risk? Leaving the teaching profession was a risk, but when I was younger and working so hard in school to become a teacher, I’m sure I developed tunnel vision. When John suggested wedding photography I realized that maybe I had lost perspective and might not have a clue what I may be qualified to do if I were to think outside the box. This happened again when a friend who owned a daycare asked if I could paint a mural in her lobby. I said, “probably” and then did it. Which let to more mural work. I think these leaps could have been considered risks.
When a client says, “Can you…?” I say yes. Almost always. I am a person photographer. I love shooting people. Portraits, high school seniors, headshots, lifestyle, and weddings with all the fun, chaos, happiness and ready for anything atmosphere that goes along with it. But recently, I was approached by an industrial HVAC business wanting an on call, on contract photographer to be sent out on to work sites to photograph their work in progress on construction sites. People working on occasion, but mostly just duct, electrical, vents, beauty shots of finished work, etc. So, I of course said yes. It’s different, it’s things instead of people, it’s a new, non-pristine environment that I have not somehow orchestrated. And I get to wear a hardhat and florescent safety vest! I’ve been on contract with them for 2 years now. It’s a change of pace in between photography that I already know love to do. A variety of other requests that I’ve had and jumped at the chance to photograph were a wedding on a lighthouse cliff (windy!), a surprise engagement shoot in the middle of the Colorado River on a speedboat, add a t-rex to a wedding party, a hike to a wedding in an aspen grove in the mountains of California, an elderly dog and his owner when she had to make the decision to finally say goodbye, a gymnast in action, and I could go on. Variety keeps life interesting, and again, sometimes someone has an idea that never crossed my mind.

With this, I’ve learned to trust my gut and believe in myself. Then that decision turned into taking the leap to make a living and a career out of my artistic and creativity abilities. And with that comes the struggle to drown-out the naysayers. My brand and my story are ultimately about authenticity. I try to avoid trends in photography. I want my work and my personality to stand on their own. During a wedding consultation I encourage my potential clients to interview multiple photographers. There is a photographer for everyone, and my style and interaction with my clients should be something they love. If not, there is a photographer out there who does have the style they need. And I’m okay with that. Because, I want to be remembered as a woman of my word. If I said I could and would do something, I like to believe I met the expectation. I want my art and my photography to be timeless and classic at the same time. To capture a moment that doesn’t look dated someday but can be passed on among generations. I hope to be remembered as someone who made others feel good about themselves. I want my business, work ethic, and photography to reflect a life that my children can emulate and be proud of. Truly, my art aside, I want my children to feel supported in their dreams as much as I was. And that would be the ultimate legacy.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have had wonderful parents who supported whatever was important to me. My mother has saved my artwork from as early as my first drawing when I was about 2 years old. I always had crayons, markers and paper at my disposal and my dad made me a toddler-sized “drafting table” out of cinderblock and plywood. My mom & dad let me finger paint regularly, in the kitchen. Do you know how messy that is? According to my parents, I was always drawing. As I mentioned, I had a great aunt who was a talented painter. She seemed to see an ability in me when I was pretty young, and encouraged and fostered that ability with art supplies when I got to stay with her for a weekends during my childhood. She was my art mentor in many ways.
I had a 4th grade teacher, Mr. Bringhurst, who was also an oil painter. He encouraged me. He set me up in the multipurpose room, with canvas and oil paints, and this is what I did when the rest of the class were making macaroni necklaces or something like that.
By the time I hit high school and told my parents I wanted a camera, together with my grandparents, they got me one.
I know that my childhood, the people in it, were gifts. I’ve been son lucky, in so many ways.
How could I let them down, and not become an artist of somekind.
I only wish my Great Aunt Dolly could have lived to see me leave my teaching career and actually make a living creating art.

Website: www.janicerumseyphoto.com

Instagram: @janicerumseyphoto @janicerumsey.portraits

Facebook: Janice Rumsey Photography

Image Credits
Headshot and walking photo of me are Robert Bruns, zone6images All other images are copyright Janice Rumsey Photography