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Q&A with JLJ
I live and work in Charleston, SC. My work takes me all over the greater Charleston area - from Summerville to Isle of Palms!
When I'm not in Charleston, I am in my hometown in the Northern Chicago suburbs. You can usually find me in the prairie state for a few weeks around Christmas (and sometimes in the summer)!
While I’m very comfortable covering large, high-energy events, my work is rooted in documenting public life - protests, community actions, and nonprofit gatherings where storytelling and social impact take center stage. Weddings are a unique and highly specialized field within photography. They require a distinct approach, workflow, and set of expectations that differ from the kind of documentary coverage I focus on.
There are many incredibly talented photographers who dedicate their careers specifically to weddings, and I believe couples are best served by someone who specializes in that craft. Rather than divide my focus, I choose to concentrate on the work I do best - capturing meaningful moments in movements, missions, and communities.
Editing includes any/all of the following:
Color correction
Lighting correction
Minor blemish removal (removing stains etc.)
Image orientation adjustments
Please note - I believe that every person is beautiful in their own skin and that my job as a photographer is to create space where you can be your most authentic self. I generally follow a "5-minute rule" when it comes to editing.
If something can be fixed in 5 minutes, I will edit it out.
Lipstick on teeth
Flyaway hair
Surprise guests in the background
Stains
There are some other things that I am willing to remove if it is requested.
Acne
Sweat stains
Bruises/injuries
However, I generally avoid altering anything that would take more than 5 minutes to change - the things that make you uniquely you! Things I will never touch without an explicit request:
Tattoos
Birthmarks / freckles / scars / wrinkles
Weight
Braces
Glasses / medical devices
That being said, my primary goal is for you to feel seen and safe in front of my camera. While intentional posing can help accentuate the things you love and hide the things you don't, if there are certain things that you do/do not want in your photos, please let me know. I'm more than happy to chat and discuss the best course of action!
A contract protects both you and me! Signing a contract assures all parties are on the same page as to what is expected from any given photography session. It also holds both you and me accountable for those expectations.
It provides answers to many questions you may have (such as who maintains the rights to the pictures once they are purchased), and protects me from any liability that could result from a session-gone-wrong.
At this time, I exclusively operate as what we call a 'natural light photographer'. This means that I shoot primarily outdoors in whatever light is provided by the sun. Due to this, as you browse my online galleries, you will notice that 90% of my photos were taken outdoors.
The other 10% are taken inside under the same circumstances. If you hire me for an event that will take place indoors, I will utlize whatever light comes in through windows and from interior lighting in the building. (One bounce flash will be used in extreme circumstances i.e. an idoor event on a dark/stormy day).
I do not own my own indoor studio space.
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