Meet Sarah Jackson | Photographer & Independent Contractor

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

Hi Sarah, what matters most to you?
The principle that matters the most to me is honesty. In any area of my life I really put honesty first. Who wants a dishonest friend? Who wants to do business with a dishonest person? Who wants to trust a dishonest person? Nobody. Photography has a lot to do with trust and the ability to be authentic. Have you ever tried to loosen up around a person who you were unsure of? It is not easy. In addition to that, personal growth requires authenticity and the ability to be honest with everyone, but most importantly yourself. How can I grow as a photographer if I cannot be honest about my own short comings? That being said, 2020 has been the biggest year of growth for me ever.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a lifestyle photographer. I have been focusing on families and children and I am planning to get more weddings in 2021. I am a generous person and I give huge galleries to my clients. I try to have my photo sessions be an adventure for the subjects and never a chore. I started out very into landscape photography and so I try to incorporate beautiful landscapes in my scenes whenever I can. I have a few go to poses, but mostly you will find my best loved images are the in between things that just happen organically. After a work accident where I injured my elbow, I had to figure out a job where I was doing less heavy lifting and repetition (like bartending) and so I decided to put more effort into my photography and treat it as less of a side job and more like my main career. I got a small settlement from my accident and invested it all into my photo business. I upgraded to a Canon 6D Mark II and got a 50mm f/1.2 lens. (Worth every penny 100x over if anyone was wondering if they should buy that lens.) I also took a class called The Vibrant Workshop (IG: Thevibrantworkshop). It was a 2 day workshop where I learned some game changers as far as camera settings, lighting, and editing. Kathleen Geiberger out of Palm Springs puts on that class and she is absolutely amazing. Her class elevated my game so much I was able to double my prices. Photography, and any type of art will come with critics. There are many different styles and many different clients who want different things. I have had other photographers write me private messages saying that my work is garbage. I have had other photographers write emails to me saying that my pricing is not right and my galleries are too big. You know what I learned? It is okay to do my own thing. After 3 years I have built an amazing client base and I am so happy with how far my work has come. I do not need to compare myself to others if I am truly happy doing what I am doing. Photography has taken me from being a woman who cared what others think, to being a woman confident in my ability and proud of the unique work I offer my clients.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend and I had a week in San Diego we would spend a lot of time in La Jolla. I just love the vibes of the neighborhoods there. All of the restaurants are amazing as are the sunsets. I enjoy going to small restaurants with locally sourced foods. I am a major foodie and I cannot stand chain restaurants with sub par food. Scoops La Jolla for something sweet! I always go for the cookies and cream ice cream. We would also spend time in Balboa Park looking at art and listening to music. My friends and I love to people watch. That is probably why my photo style tends to be journalistic. Last but not least we would go to the Birch Aquarium where I am a member. It is one of my favorite places with the tide pool garden and the view of Scripps Pier.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My photography journey, and now career, could not have been possible without the support of my husband Shaun. Not only did he gift me my first camera, a Canon Rebel T6, but he has always encouraged me. Three years later I am running all over Southern California with photo jobs, and he is there to do the laundry or to take care of our two awesome kids while I lock myself in the office for hours upon hours editing photos. He is also my technology guru and I am so thankful for him. Outside of all of that he is a wonderful person who has always made me want to be the best version of myself. Shaun is my partner, my cheerleader and my best friend for 14 years and counting.

Website: www.sarahnicolephoto.com
Instagram: sarah,nicole.photo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahNPhoto
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.nicole.photog
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sarah-nicole-photo-palm-desert?osq=sarah+nicole+photo

Image Credits
All photos are Sarah Nicole Photo (mine), Except the feature photo is from Tawni Adams Photography