Jason Sinn shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Jason, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Each day is different with this job, and that’s honestly what I love most about it. On some days I’ll be shooting a 10 hour production, on others I’m marketing and attending meetings, and on another I’ll be editing. There’s also the mountain of in-betweens for running a proper business. Meeting client demand is always the biggest priority though, so my daily, and even weekly workflow will reflect that.
The one thing that always stays regular with me each day is that when it’s time to clock-out I do my best to put work aside and focus on my personal happiness and positivity. I spend a lot of my free time hiking, relaxing at coffeehouses, reading fantasy books, or hanging out with my wife. A healthy work-life balance is really important in order to stay creative and keep up with the spontaneity.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a Commercial and Advertising Photographer in Denver, CO. This year is actually my business’s 10 year anniversary! I started shooting professionally back in 2015 when I was fresh out of photo school and since then I’ve worked with numerous marketing agencies, brands, companies, magazines, and more. I shoot a very wide variety of content, ranging from portraits, to food, beverages and products. My many niches might sound like a lot, but for me they’ve been a blessing because they keep my skills sharp and my work adventurous.
If I had to pick something that I think makes my brand unique, it’s my absolute obsession with lighting. I strive to be bold and original with my imagery, and after many years of training and serious experimentation I’ve designed a style that blends many modern, sleek, commercially viable aesthetics with a distinct edge, confidence and nerve.
I also take a lot of pride in being a true partner for my clients. Although I’m an artist by trade, I don’t follow the stereotypical introverted persona and instead have a fiery knack for business. I love being the person that my clients can call to help turn their dreams into reality and thoroughly enjoy the challenge of maximizing a project’s potential. It’s always special to connect with a production team and work together to create something great. Some of the best people that I’ve ever met work in this industry.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
I have two mentors that I owe a lot of thanks to. The first person is Paul Estabrook, who was my portfolio and marketing instructor at photo school. He was the first person that saw my photography and said “You can do this for a living!” That encouragement lifted me up from a shaky place where I didn’t know what I wanted to do or knew where I was going. Even 14 years later I still cherish that confidence he instilled in me. Paul taught me to be expressive and unapologetic with my work, but to be selective and priority-focused. That last bit in particular, prioritization, is super important if you want to succeed in this business.
The second person is a good friend of mine, Gordon Lazzarone, who is a superb Commercial Photographer and someone that I apprenticed for for about a year. Gordon took my passion for lighting and put it into overdrive. He taught me how to consider lighting at both a more emotional and technical scale. He encouraged me to actively shape light to tell a story. As I said earlier, my lighting is a key ingredient to my brand and it’s all thanks to him that it evolved in the first place.
Gordon also showed me – A really nervous beginner at the time – just how to relax and laugh more. He’s always had a genuine warmth and positivity about him, and as I keep going in my career I’ve come to embrace that kind of energy. Despite all the accolades and accomplishments, it’s the simple joys that keep you going.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I’m way too passionate about this job so there was never a time where I almost gave up, but there were definitely some tough times. Starting my business was probably the most stressful. At that time I had no money, no reputation, and I needed to build a solid client base – which now in hindsight takes about 5 years. I was working a regular day job and managing my small business at night, and on some days I worked double shifts for both. My anxiety was through the roof and it was rare that I would ever get a good night’s sleep, but on the bright side, after that foundation was built everything became much easier.
Another challenge was when COVID-19 hit. Back then I was shooting a lot of corporate headshots, musician portraits and editorial material for magazines, and in an instant all three of those revenue streams vanished. I was so shocked and scared for my future, but after a little reflection, I realized it was a rare opportunity to have an open schedule and rebuild. I thought a lot about which industries would be resilient to another economic downturn if it ever happened again, and for the next year I built three food, beverage, and product portfolios. That choice, that pivot, was the best decision that I ever made.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
During my first few years I was really naive about social media. Maybe it’s just part of being an artist, but we all crave validation for our work and social media seems to be such a quick, easy way to scratch that itch. The likes, comments, and engagement are addicting and when you’re really young and new to the industry, it inflates your ego and fools you into believing that all of that attention will somehow turn into contracts.
The reality is that the people who really move the industry – the people who make the decision to hire you – are a very small group. They’re not hunting on social media for their commercial photographers or caring about daily trends or what’s popular. What they’re doing is combing through professional channels – marketing agencies, photo agencies, pinpointed google searches and magazines. They’re only interested in the most experienced and proven professionals out there.
Before I came to realize all that, I stagnated my own career because I was too focused on making photos for engagement and not for what a client would actually need. I was shooting self-indulgent fine art, and sure it got a lot of public attention, but it didn’t equal commercial work or advertising. Nowadays I’ve taken a huge step back from social media and don’t take it as seriously. It’s more fun to treat it like a little distraction for about 20 to 30 minutes a week.
What’s really important for drawing commercial clients is how your website is designed and if the portfolios they come across are relevant to them. You also have to focus on your SEO, marketing and networking. You can’t just throw your best photos out on social media – into such a giant, indiscriminate audience – and hope that it randomly gets caught or goes viral. That’s just risking your career off of a ridiculously rare chance. Your livelihood, your rent, your bills, they can’t depend on that. You need to play the long game and build a foundation.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I genuinely love my job and think I’m doing what I was born to do. In fact, it was before I found photography that I felt like I was only doing what I was told. At that time I was drifting and didn’t know myself. I had no goals and my life felt so uninspired and boring.
After I picked up a camera though, I had this creative and ambitious whirlwind burst out of me that I never knew was there. The world became so much clearer, energized, colorful, and inspiring. I was also able to connect with and appreciate people at a far deeper level. All of these sensations are elements that I still weave into my work and I’m deeply thankful that so many people have trusted in that vision and have allowed me to continue that journey.
Overall, photography has been the gift that keeps on giving and I’m happy to say I’m living my dream job.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jasonsinnphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonsinnphoto
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonsinnphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasonsinnphotography
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jason-sinn-photography-highlands-ranch
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/jasonsinn
Image Credits
Michelle S. Big Samir, Diana B., Jacob Pike, Adam Freisem
