Meet Jena Enriquez | Photographer & Teacher

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

Hi Jena, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was 5 years old when I first started taking pictures with an old Ektralite 10 that I found around the house. My best friend and I quickly earned the rep as the “picture takers” of the neighborhood, setting up mini vogue sessions with anyone that was interested. Fast forward 30 years or so and here we are, still at it…a bit more skilled and working with cooler equipment, mind you.

When I look at old photos, I am transported back into a moment in time, with all its emotion and the experience that went with it…and even if just for a moment, time stands still. I have enjoyed being able to capture the experiences and emotions that go into these moments for my friends and family. As a photographer, I make it my mission to capture the true essence of those I photograph, so even for just a moment, time stands still for you and you can look back for years to come and remember the days…

I decided to start taking pictures “professionally” as my nieces and nephews were getting older and needed pictures for various events. They’d always have a few friends who couldn’t afford a photography session or good quality pictures and so I would step in without hesitation and set them up with their senior pics, then later in life-wedding shots, and a bit later- shots with the family/new baby.

While I have developed my skill throughout the years and set reasonably higher pricing for quality sessions and portraits given my skillset, I still have a heart for blessing people who otherwise couldn’t afford a session and enjoying capturing memories for them and their families. I’ve set up sessions for sports teams, dance studios, professional headshots, etc. to help out businesses and people in this wild ride of an economy/world that we are currently living.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have been a teacher for the past 12 years which keeps me busy on the weekdays. I am also a wife and mother to 8 children. My photography is currently a side passion/business that I commit to on weekends and some weekday evenings as I adventure through life attending the hundreds of events that my children are involved with each week. This year, I decided to begin the work of rolling out my official photography business, Prolific Perspective Photography. It has been fun and challenging. I am learning new things all the time and I’m excited to continue growing. I recently did a branding shoot that really piqued my interest in commercial work. My niche thus far has been children, families, headshots, sports/recreation, and events.

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.
I was blessed to start my adventuring at an early age when I moved with my best friend to San Diego at the ripe age of 15. Her family was amazing and there was definitely never a dull day or moment. We got to see the best of San Diego and some of the places that stood out in my memory include, downtown Little Italy-, Coronado Beach and the Hotel Del for the lighting of the Christmas Tree, Balboa Park the rich culture that surrounds the campus. La Jolla Shores and the beauty that encompasses that entire region. The waves are so soothing and warm in the summer! Liberty Station in Point Loma is amazing with so many interesting eateries and places to visit. And lets not forget about North County! Del Mar beach is my fave…and travel a bit more inland to get the cowboy’s dream of Ramona. Dancing at The Barn and enjoying live music every weekend, amazing food, and fun for the whole family. As the weather gets cooler, everyone needs to put Julian on their bucket list. There’s just no other place like it for fall/winter in San Diego. San Diego is literally the best city in the world in my humble opinion.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Marie Griffin-Simmons, fellow photographer and amazing heart who fosters children and infants for San Diego County and photographs with me on the side. mollygriffinsimmons@gmail.com

Website: prolificperspectivephotography.mypixieset.com

Instagram: @prolific_perspective