Life and Work with Jenessy Bonfante

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenessy Bonfante.

Jenessy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Right now, I am sitting on my velvet blue sofa with my coffee on my side table. The TV is on, but just for background noise. I finally finished unpacking my suitcase from my last trip to Florida where I had my favorite photoshoot to-date. I shot holiday photos on the beach and it was the most inspired I have felt in a really long time. We shot right before sunset, so golden hour was in full effect. The soft gold sunlight fell in all the right places and made the holiday decorations we brought as props sparkle. I had my camera, and my two most favorite lenses with me that would help capture the mood I was going for with this photoshoot. That was all I needed, my camera and my two lenses. This is where I am today, traveling, photographing and documenting feelings, making moments feel like they can last forever, and sharing that with everyone who trusts me and my eye enough to do this for them.

Rewind to 2014, when I bought my first camera. I had NO idea what I was doing. I ordered this Nikon camera online with my first credit card and I was so excited when it arrived in the mail. I took pictures of everything, pictures that didn’t even make sense when I think about it now. I knew nothing about aperture, the lenses I even had, shutter, ISO, or even what I wanted to take pictures of. I worked at a fashion internship this same year and took my camera with me on days where we shot these eclectic looks for Instagram on the designer’s rooftop. I remember loving every second of it but being slightly disappointed with how the photos turned out: too much exposure, grainy, blurry. I put my camera down for a few years after this when iPhone cameras took over everyone’s life, and most of my photos were shot on iPhone after that.

Fast forward a bit to 2018. I sold my Nikon, bought a Sony Alpha 6000, I am going to Cuba, and my camera is with me. On this trip is where I felt my camera as a true extension of me. The photos I captured on this trip spoke to me in ways my other photos in the past never did. Hundreds of YouTube videos later, random photoshoots with friends and my boyfriend at the time (now husband), hundreds of google searches and articles later, I truly learned the functions and how to translate my vision through camera. Posting what I documented in Cuba on Instagram and Facebook led me to book not only my first gig but my first wedding ever.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh, man. It’s NEVER a smooth road. Especially in creative spaces. There are so many battles, internally and externally that I have had to get through to be where I am now. And even now, I don’t quite feel like I’m where I want to be. The biggest struggle I had and still somewhat face is worrying that people won’t understand my vision, and appreciate what I am capturing and sharing. In an age, now, of likes, shares, retweets, a click of a button for an artist or someone in the creative realm can really make you question your work. There is not one person out there who has a business, provides a service, or creates some kind of art that has never equated likes, shares or retweets to the value of their work. It’s just what is happening now. Many people and artists get over this, but some still struggle with it. My confidence to share even when I’m doubting my own work ties into this struggle and has been my biggest internal battle. My external battle is my day job — wishing I could pour the 8 hours I spend a day at work into my craft is my other struggle. But right now, my day job is funding my dream job so until my dream job becomes my day job, this will continue to be my biggest struggle along the way.

My advice for other women and young women starting their journey is to eliminate from your life those around you that hold you back. You will make space for the support and people that you need, and who value you. I couldn’t be where I am with my photography now if I didn’t have the right people around me motivating me, giving me feedback, and who actually care about me pursuing my passion. There are a lot of people who can careless, and you do NOT need those people around you when you have a passion you are trying to bring to life. And have fun. Have all the fun in the world with your passion, the joy it brings you will attract people to you and help grow your business alone. People love to relate to others, and if you have fun and show it, people will gravitate to you.

Please tell us about jenessykrystne photography.
I am a photographer. I specialize in making the tiniest moment feel like it can last forever by capturing the right mood, lighting and subject all with my camera. I am known for my curly hair, and my front gap in my teeth, but also for laying completely horizontally on the ground in the street for a shot to get the right angle for a photo.

As a brand, I am most proud of my growth over the last year. I am a 100% self-taught photographer. I built my website alone, created presets that I edit with alone, grew a client base and built their trust without any formal education in any of this. And that is what sets me apart. I feel like I have a natural eye for shots and capturing things so that also sets me apart, but teaching yourself an entirely new skill in a new field without formal training, with a full-time job is not easy. And the quality I have been able to produce and perfect is what sets me apart. Also, how comfortable I make my photo sessions! I feel like I become part of the family of whoever I am shooting and it feels great. I am your best friend and your biggest hype-man when I am taking your photos.

What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
Be fearless. Don’t make yourself small, or act modestly to accommodate the insecurities of other people.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jenessykrystne.com
• Email: jkrystnephotography@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenessy.krystne

Image Credit:
My personal photo was taken by Brianna Peña, @bee.serene on Instagram

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