The theme Dream or Dreamy was chosen by Claire of Wilhelmina Photography. When it comes to Dreamy Jennifer of Jennifer Wilhite Photography is a master. The images she creates continue to amaze and we are so pleased to be able to feature her as our highlighted artist. I took a bit of time to connect with Jennifer and learn a little bit more about her.
Tell us a bit about yourself? and Are you a hobbyist or a pro?
I am a pro but I only work part time. I am pretty busy with my three kids and they come first. I only take limited client sessions but I also love to collaborate with other photographers with styled shoots.
I just love a straight on portrait. This image was taken in the daytime and there was no snow. It was a fun challenge for me to change that.
Tell us a bit about your photography gear. What is the lens do you not have but you desire to have the most?
I shoot with a Canon 5DMarkIII. Primarily I shoot with my 70-200 2.8 but that is usually only for sessions. My 24-70 2.8 lives on my camera for everyday or studio work. The lens I currently have my eye on is the 135 2.0 prime. That will probably be my next lens.
This image is who I am as an artist. This is what I love to create. The world of a child is so full of whimsy, imagination and innocence.
How did your journey to be a photographer happen?
I have always loved photography and art. I was always taking pictures. My journey to become pro was more of an end to my first career as a professional horse trainer. Due to injury and circumstance I decided to retire. I went through a bit of a depression until my mother-in-law mentioned how much I love photography and suggested I pursue that avenue as a new career. It was as though I had a light bulb moment and realized that I still had passion and drive I just needed to realize that it did not have to be with horses.
This image means so much to me. I love to sew and the dress in the sewing machine is a dress that I made for my daughter. The thread I used in the image (even though you really can’t see it) is from my grandmothers sewing box. I dreamt up this image and devised an entire shoot around it. I knew this image is special to me but what really cements that it is one of my very favorites is how it seems to have touched others. I have received so many messages from people who love to sew and how this image touched their hearts.
Who inspires you?
I am truly inspired by everyone. There are aspects of so many peoples work that I think…Wow! I love seeing so much work in my feed everyday. It is almost relaxing for me to just scroll through and take in all the beauty.
– I love this image because of the story it tells. It is so simple but I feel like it can say so much. I also love anything vintage.
What advice would you share to the aspirants in this field?
To never compare yourself to another. We are all on our own journey. Also that it is ok to fail, it does not mean you are a failure. It is probably one of the hardest things to do, to fail, but without it you can not improve.
– I chose this because it so represents my son. He loves animals and they love him. I laid in mud and perhaps some deer poop to get this shot. It was so worth it!
One thing that you have learnt as a photographer over the years?
To not compare myself to others. I used to do that all the time and always felt that I was not good enough. It drove me into such a creative block and I was so depressed about it. I had to step back from the competitions and just find me again. I had to learn to love my work again.
This image is from a series I did inspired by the story of Romeo & Juliet. It is one of my absolute favorite styled sessions I have done. I love Shakespeare and I love telling stories in my work. Also, I had worked with these kids before and are an absolute dream to work with.
If you are looking for inspiration you can find Jennifer on Facebook or on her web page. Go give her a like and see her beautiful work in your feed. Don’t forget to check out her Romeo and Juliet theme photo’s they are stunning.
Share Six has the theme Artifical Light for the next 9 days. Join us on our Facebook page or our Instagram (#sharesix_artificiallight) page and share your images for the theme.
We go live on the 6th of August with the new theme.
