Check Out Jennifer Blazis’ Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Blazis.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
As a child, I was always drawing and painting and experimenting with making things. My sister endured years of sharing a room with my half-completed creative pursuits scattered in piles around the room. Although painting was my first artistic love, when I discovered photography, I enjoyed the satisfaction of creating something beautiful in a moment and freezing time. My mom has always been an avid photo-taker, so I would steal her camera often and take an entire roll of photographs of my pets. My poor dog often suffered the indignity of being dressed in wigs and pearls for the sake of my art.

I’ve been taking portraits of people since high school and took photography classes in high school and college alongside my fine art and journalism studies. After I had my first child, my focus naturally turned to family photography.

I homeschooled my four children for 11 years and continued to grow and learn photography throughout, while also selling crocheted goods on Etsy. I was also doing portraits, but mostly for friends and family. In 2017, I registered my photography business. I’ve realized that I’m always happy behind my camera, connecting with families and helping them connect with one another. Although I’m an introvert, I love people, and getting to know them is just as fun for me as taking their photos. Learning the business side of things has helped me gain valuable skills and overcome challenges. I’ve grown a lot through the process.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a bumpy road full of overwhelm and discouragement trying to juggle all the business learning with some health challenges and a series of difficult years in my family. My mom went through cancer and survived, we nearly lost three other family members, and one of my children was going through some health challenges. The pandemic came on the heels of all of that and I continued to struggle with neurological issues and pain. There were seasons when I just needed to step away for months at a time.

I began the process of closing my business a year ago, but my family moved to a home near open space and trails, and our kids are now attending school full-time, so I’ve had a season of rest and recharge. I decided to about-face and try again. I’m getting my feet back under me, and am focusing on creating custom albums and wall art for families and just encouraging them to print. I’m an artist at heart, and my passion is creating tangible and meaningful artwork, so I aim to focus on that moving forward.

After going through some near-losses with loved ones, photographs mean more to me than ever, and I know they do to the families I serve, too. Having photos of them around us reminds us of what’s important, that we have one another. What I do as a photographer matters, especially when those photographs, and the memories attached to them, are all we have left. It’s important. That motivation keeps me moving forward.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a family photographer, from maternity through all of life’s stages, including high school seniors. I especially love creating milestone sessions to celebrate the little in-between special things. They’re creative collaborations for babies, kids, tweens, teens, anniversaries, and other meaningful life events. Extended-family sessions are also growing in popularity, and they’re so special and fun for me.

I love seeing how large family groups interact and capture that little moment of connection. I know it’s really vulnerable to step in front of a camera, so I do whatever I can to help people relax, play, and enjoy being together.

My new passion is creating custom albums that tell the whole story, and adding handwritten letters or meaningful wording to them. I also love to help families design home galleries and artwork, and I’m taking steps to make that process easier for them.

Pricing:

• Starts at $300

Contact Info:

• Email: hello@jenniferblazis.com
• Website: www.jenniferblazis.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferblazisphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferblazisphoto

Image Credits
Headshot photographed by Rosa Petralia