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Jen Dziuvenis

The Power of a Picture

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We lost our beloved 11-year-old lab last year. She was an amazing dog who lived a great big life. She had shown little sign of slowing down in the ten years she had been a part of our family. Sometimes I didn’t believe she was a senior at all.

Then one night she didn’t want to eat dinner. A week later she was gone.

I’ll spare you the details of that week because, if you have lost a pet you love, you probably already understand the anguish. You know what it is like to have that rock drop on you from a thousand feet up and knock you off balance for weeks. You know how hard it is and how much it hurts.

I’m not here to talk to you about that. I’m here to talk to you about why I’m so damn happy that I busted out my camera in her last couple days. And why I will cherish these photos forever.

Maddie died in the middle of the night on our living room floor. The tumor that had been growing on her spleen ruptured and in a few hours she went from being her gorgeous, bouncy self to completely unable to walk. It was midnight and she was fading fast. Taking her to the vet would have meant carrying her to the car, driving her across town in the dark, and hauling her suddenly frail body into an animal hospital that she had never been to. I suspected she wouldn’t last very long and I didn’t want to stress her out more. So we stayed home and within an hour she was gone.

While her final decline was mercifully fast in the grand scheme of things, it was still hard to watch. This is a dog that spent her years climbing mountains and running through forests and suddenly, in a matter of an hour, she had lost control of her body. I crawled into bed after we lost her with the image of her struggle fresh in my mind. It wasn’t what I wanted to remember.

In the blur of the next morning I came across the picture above and realized it was the last one I took of her. It was just the day before she passed and she had been feeling great. When she curled up to take a nap in a sunny spot, one of her favorite things to do, I pulled out my camera to capture it.

She looks like a peaceful, sleeping angel in that picture. And this image has replaced the ones of her struggling. Because the reality is that while her last couple hours were tough, they don’t represent the reality of her final days. Her last week on earth was peaceful – and thanks in large part to this picture, this is how I remember them.

There’s a lot of reasons I love photography and it’s ability to help you shape the way you remember the past is certainly one of them. It can’t change the things that happened or bring back the dog that I loved. But it can impact the way I remember her final days. And for that I will be forever grateful.

Beyond the Law: My Unlikely Path to Professional Photography

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 Ten years ago, I was finishing my last year of law school, preparing for the bar exam, and looking forward to a stressful career sitting behind a desk, navigating the American legal system. If you had told me that nearly a decade later I’d be getting paid to follow adventurous couples into the backcountry or jetting off to Iceland to photograph an elopement, I would have told you that you were nuts.

But that’s where I am and I wanted to share a bit about how I got here.

As with many of the best changes in life, my move into the world of professional photography was brought on by some pretty extreme discomfort. My “real” job had been making me miserable for way too long when one day I hit a breaking point. I realized that the small amount of money I was taking home after I paid for our son’s daycare wasn’t worth the anxiety I was experiencing at work … and that continuing to do what I was doing was the definition of insanity.

That night I had a heart-to-heart with my family, drank a couple glasses of wine, and mustered up a heaping dose of courage. There may have been some tears. Turning in my resignation the following day was equal parts scary and liberating. I didn’t know what was next but I was damn sure that I needed to be doing something different.

Beyond the Law: My Unlikely Path to Professional Photography

All images by Jen Dziuvenis.

At that time I had been doing photography as a hobby for several years, mostly taking pictures of pretty landscapes and crazy cyclists ripping up trails in the mountains. Friends had asked me to take their family photos or suggested that I shoot their weddings and I had flatly refused. “That’s not really what I do …” were the words that came out of my mouth.

“No freaking way!” is what I said in my head.

Being a wedding photographer couldn’t have been farther off my radar. I didn’t especially enjoy going to weddings. Why would I want to photograph them?

Then one day, through the magic of social media, I stumbled on photographers who were doing stuff that I loved — work that spoke to my sense of adventure and search for authentic connection. People like Ben Sasso and Jordan Voth completely changed my idea of what wedding and portrait photography could be. Stiff, awkward poses were replaced with real emotion, undeniable human connection, and some of the most incredible landscapes on earth. A fire had been lit.

Beyond the Law: My Unlikely Path to Professional Photography

I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try my hand at photographing humans. I begged my friends to model for me and answered Craigslist ads looking for photographers. I connected with an online community of local photographers and did some second shooting at weddings. I agree when a friend offered to pay me to shoot her own wedding day.

I was scared as hell and full of doubt. I did it anyway.

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In a span of a few months photography went from an expensive hobby to a baby business that was bringing in enough money to convince me that this could actually be a thing. I booked a few weddings, doubled my rates, and booked some more. I invested in training and equipment. I landed my first international destination wedding. I had photos go wildly viral. For a very new business, I was having far more success than I had ever imagined was possible.

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That’s not to say that it’s been easy or that I’ve been able to turn this into a fulltime gig overnight. Even with quick success, it’s slow going and a huge percentage of what I make goes straight back into the business. I’m working harder than I ever have — and doing it for less money.

And yanno what? I’m loving every damn minute of it.

I had a regularly occurring meeting at my last job that caused me considerable anxiety. Every few weeks it would pop up on my schedule and I’d curse and cringe. I left it on my calendar when I quit that job as a constant reminder of why I left. That message still pops up every two weeks but now it doesn’t cause me angst. Now it makes me feel proud. It’s a reminder that I left that world behind, took control of my life, and am hustling like hell to pursue my passions.

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My Best Advice for New Photographers

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Editor’s Note: All images taken by the author.

I’ve been shooting for a long time but it was only recently that I made the jump from doing this for fun to doing this for work. The transition went far more smoothly than I expected — mostly because I’ve gotten a lot of really good advice from some really smart people. If you’re wondering how to make photography a business — not just a hobby — I know what you’re going through. I was there too… and it wasn’t all that long ago.

My Best Advice for New Photographers

I’m far from an expert on any of this stuff but I’ve learned some things along the way — and I wanted to share them with all of you. I’m not trying to sell you anything — this post doesn’t include a sales pitch or affiliate link. I’m just sharing the love because I’m 100% on the “community over competition” train.

So with all that in mind, here is my best advice for new photographers:

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Don’t be afraid to invest in your business.

Yes, I own a lot of bikes and camera gear but the reality is that I’m pretty freaking thrifty. I have a hard time parting with my money but pretty early on in this adventure I realized that if I wanted to be successful, it was going to cost me. Especially early on. I’ve enrolled in workshops (more on that later), upgraded equipment, paid for software, ordered samples, bought presets, and done all the boring things necessary for starting a business (hello liability insurance, registering an LLC, etc.)*. I’m not telling you to start throwing money around wildly (please don’t do that) but I am saying that you’re going to have to be OK with spending some cash.

*As a side note, if you’re wondering why photography is so expensive, this is why.

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Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself.

Shortly after I started taking this thing super seriously, a spot opened up in a popular, sold-out workshop. It was expensive and on the other side of the country. I sucked it up and registered anyway. It felt indulgent at the time but I am SO glad I did it. Yes, I learned a ton (OMG did I learn a ton!). It was a commitment of time, money, and energy, and once I had made it, I felt like there was no going back. I was all in. I’m hoping to make this an annual thing (I’m dusting off my passport for next year’s workshop!). I’ve also spent money on online classes, local workshops, and shootouts and I’ve never regretted any of it. You are not throwing money away. You are investing in yourself.

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Find your tribe.

I was going to title this “network” but, to be honest, it never really feels like networking to me. I’m an introvert (a very outgoing one, but an introvert nonetheless) and everything about “networking” kind of gives me hives. I initially found my tribe online (which was perfect for a quasi-hermit). I joined photography groups on Facebook, which led to other photography groups on Facebook. I learned stuff. I met people. I got clients. I got inspired. And oh yeah, I also made friends. Having people to go to for advice, critiques, and inspiration? It’s been invaluable. This leap would have been a lot slower and harder without getting help along the way.

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Find your niche.

Look you guys, there are a lot of freaking photographers out there — and a lot of them are very good. It’s competitive. You don’t want to compete on the quality of your photos alone (not because you’re not good but because A LOT of people are good) and you don’t want to compete only on price (the race to the bottom is one you don’t want to win) . You need to find what you’re good at and what you love and then foster the hell out of it. For me, I love photographing authentic connections between fun, adventurous people in the outdoors – and that is what all of my efforts are geared towards. And while you’re finding your niche? Make sure it’s authentic. Because clients are smart and can see right through it when it’s not. Be you – even if “you” is someone who is pretty informal, is obsessed with dogs, and really loves “that’s what she said” jokes. (Hi, I’m Jen. Have we met?) Your clients will appreciate who you are and the ones who don’t are not your clients.

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Shoot with other photographers.

I don’t think this can be said enough. SHOOT WITH OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS. Do it at workshops. Second shoot at weddings. Sign up for shootouts. Meet up with randos you met online and go take pictures of each other. Shooting with other people was super intimidating for me at first. To be honest, I was sort of terrified. But now I realize the value in it and I do it every chance I get. You will learn SO MUCH about how to shoot, how to pose, and how to connect with your clients. You will learn how you like to shoot … and how you don’t. And all of it will be helpful.

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Be prepared to work your ass off.

I used to have a regular 9-5 job. I sat at my desk, put in my hours, and at the end of the day I’d go home and not work again until I went back in the next morning. That’s not the case anymore. If you follow me on social media you see that I spend a lot of time outside during normal “working” hours — hiking, mountain biking, hanging out with my kid and my dogs — but don’t let that fool you. I work way harder now than I ever did before — I just do it at different times of the day, on different days of the week, and on my own schedule. I heard someone say that you have to work 16 hours for yourself for every 8 hours you worked for someone else. It’s true — and it takes a boatload of discipline. But don’t let that scare you because it’s also super satisfying.

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Be good at being uncomfortable.

You guys, I was so anxious before my first paid shoot. The day leading up to it was pretty much ruled by fear and anxiety. I was scared. And while the nerves have subsided a good amount, they are still there. If you get nervous before a shoot I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone. I still get nervous (although much less so now) every single time. And ya know what? I’m OK with that, mostly because I believe the nerves actually help. They keep you on your toes. They keep you constantly pushing to be better. They mean that you care. I’ve heard photographers who I look up to who have been doing this for years say that they’re still terrified every single time. Maybe it will get better. Maybe it won’t. Either way, it doesn’t really matter. So ya know what? Embrace it. Be good at being uncomfortable — learn how to deal with fear. And yes, this applies to way more than just photography.

I hope this was helpful to someone out there in internet land. What did I miss? What advice do you have? And if you’re new and trying to make the leap, tell me what your biggest struggle is. Maybe we can help. We’re all in this together, y’all. Leave your comments below!

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Author pictured above.