We had the good fortune of connecting with Jason Seward and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jason, how do you think about risk?
Calculated risk is necessary for growth. Looking back at my life and career, I can pinpoint decisions with varying levels of risk that have led me to where I am today. Being originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, I left everything behind in 2005 to move to South Korea to teach english. I remember distinctly looking out the window of the plane, looking down over the city of Seoul, and thinking this one decision would change the trajectory of my life in ways I could never imagine. That one decision led me to my wife Gloria, my current residency in the United States (since 2011), and the love for photography, picking up my first professional camera oversees to take nice photos of our vacations.
After immigrating to St. Louis, I started to use my professional camera to take pictures of abandoned churches, factories, and schools. Those images posted to Instagram led to my first inquiry for a bridal portrait session in some of the abandoned locations, and those images led to my first wedding in 2015. Since then, I have photographed over 100 weddings, and started Your Story Photo + Cinema Colorado after moving here in September 2021.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me apart from others in this industry is my person-centered approach and stillness, even on those wedding days where everything seems to be going wrong. One thing I hear time and again from my couples is how calm and easy going I am throughout the whole process, from our initial meeting through the last photo of the night on wedding day. Raining side ways? No problem! Ceremonial shoes stuck in a closet because the door handle broke off? Lets take the door off the hinges with a butter knife! Family drama jeopardizing the mood of the day? Let me run point on that! With a Masters in professional counseling and years working with at-risk youth, adults with mental health diagnoses, and survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation, I have a knack for making meaningful connections quick and trouble shooting even faster.

Building and maintaining a successful business is not for the impatient or faint at heart. Having started my photography career in Missouri and building up to photographing on average of 20 weddings a year through my own studio and associate photography gigs, it took about 2-3 years to get to that point. Building credibility so that couples have trust in your creative vision, and other vendors see you as accountable and consistent in order to provide referrals or associate opportunities takes time. The work outside of actually shooting is the most time consuming, Marketing, correspondence with new leads and current clients, and backend functions of the business are necessary but have been a struggle from time to time over the years. To overcome these challenges, the key is to be organized and develop work flows that automate some of the more tedious parts of the business so the focus can go back on the client experience and creativity.

My biggest lesson learned from being a part of this industry and having to build up my business again since relocating to Colorado, it is to take on an abundance over scarcity mindset. There is more than enough opportunities available, and if business owners fixate on scarcity, they miss out on the potential for great relationships and learning new skills along the way. Personally approaching the business through the abundance mindset, it provides feelings of positivity, excitement, and hopefulness, which align more with the emotions a new engagement and upcoming wedding would invoke for the couple reaching out for services.

The biggest focus of my brand is telling the story of my couples. From how they first met, getting to know their hobbies, what they do for work, how they got engaged, and their dreams for their engagement photos and wedding day, every detail matters in building the relationship that will ultimately lead to true-to-life images of their relationship with one another. I want the world to know that professional photos shouldn’t feel awkward and mechanical. Your professional photographer also shouldn’t be someone you have never met before showing up on wedding day. I support my couples from the initial email all the way through delivery of their final images and albums, making myself available as little or as much as they may need in between!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Having been here for less than a year, I am still getting out and seeing things for the first time throughout the state! I am huge into outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, camping and exploring the state and national parks. Being based in Colorado Springs, I would say we would go for a couple hikes in Cheyenne Mountain, grab some lunch at Pho-Nomenal, take a drive through the Garden of the Gods, and check out a few breweries, specifically Red Leg Brewing Company and Bristol at Ivywild School. We would take a few day trips to check out Denver and the surrounding area (RiNo, Meow Wolf, and Golden), Rocky Mountain National Park, and Black Canyon National Park in Gunnison.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Where I am today is the result of so many. First and foremost, a major shoutout to my wife, Gloria, for supporting my creative journey from the very beginning. Second, I would not be the photographer I am today with the mentorship and support of Jeremy and Melisa Keltner of Your Story Photo + Cinema in Missouri. Since 2017, they have provided me incredible opportunities to photograph amazing weddings through their studio, and provided me immeasurable knowledge of how to run a successful photography business while still being true to who I am as an individual. Finally, a shout out to Bailey Mohr of Beautiful Mess Photography for seeing something in me and taking a risk to have me as an assistant/second photographer in the very beginning.

Website: www.ysweddings.com

Instagram: yourstorycolorado

Facebook: @yourstorycolorado

Other: The Knot: Your Story Photo + Cinema

Image Credits
Jason Seward 1 – Image credit goes to Bailey Mohr/Beautiful Mess Photography Jason Seward 2 – Image credit goes to Emily Fanara/Fanara Photography Jason Seward 3-9 – Image credit goes to Your Story Photo + Cinema Colorado

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