Meet Jake Manente | Photographer

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

Hi Jake, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Coffee! Just kidding – In-person networking has definitely been the most pivotal component to my business. Connecting with my local community by telling and showing people what I do has been my easiest way to get clients. Having business cards printed out and ready is another big piece to this, so I could get in conversation with anybody at any time, and just throw out there that I’m a photographer and hand them a card. You might be surprised at how many people would enjoy your art, you just have to find them and tell them. It’s important not to be pushy; approach your interactions with genuine curiosity, but find a way to share what you do as much as you can. Another way to get your name out there is by conducting your business in public (if possible). I’ve had people come up to me in coffee shops before and ask about my photography while I was editing. I’ve also been out on shoots and had people come up and ask me about what I do, and having leads domino like this will make it much easier to transition into more consistent business. Lastly, when I was trying to get into a niche that I had no portfolio work for and didn’t know the right people, I’d start with small amounts of free work. People might not realize your potential or believe in you until they see what you can do for them. This isn’t recommended further down the road, as you can get taken advantage of, and knowing your worth is important as an artist. But, especially if you enjoy what you do, it’s not much of a burden to start with a little bit of free work to get your foot in the door (and help build up your portfolio!)

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I feel like being a jack-of-all-trades (Jake of all trades, if you will) is what sets me apart the most in this career path. Most photographers I know of (if not all) have their niches and will mostly stay in them. With so many different types of photography and the skillsets involved in each varying so widely, it’s easy to see why this is the case. Trying out many different areas of photography keeps it fresh and exciting for me, and it’s really fun to learn something new. I also pride myself as being a thorough person who can pick things up quickly, which are both important traits to be able to pull this off effectively. Of course, it’s never easy, but I was the type of kid who switched through many different hobbies growing up so I think it’s what works best for me to be sustainable. What has made this process much easier is online learning, I can’t express how helpful things like YouTube have been for me, hearing from professionals themselves, and for free! At first, it may seem daunting, but trying is the first step to success, and belief in yourself that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to is the way to climb over the inevitable hurdles of starting a business.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve actually already had a few friends visit me out here from back home in Connecticut, so I’ve got a pretty good idea of how to approach this. I’d plan about one thing a day, sometimes two if they’re shorter activities, but giving plenty of time so you’re not rushing is important. Taking them around to a variety of places is my favorite way to do it, such as – – hikes in the mountains and drives around popular wildlife areas are good to give them access to the nature
– some activities with my friends, like tubing down a river or going to a concert
– going to popular non-chain (or chains that are only available in this area) bars / restaurants so they can get a feel for what it’s like to be out in public and around people here
– not over-planning so there’s some downtime for games or just to chat and catch up with each other!
– maybe something new for you and them, so it feels less like a guided tour and you can both experience something new together

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to thank my friends and family for their support and encouragement, this wouldn’t have been possible otherwise! Especially Frankie Spontelli, who has been a huge help in mentoring me through this freelance photography career path.

Website: https://www.manentephotos.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manentephotos/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobmanente?trk=people-guest_people_search-card

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jake2man

Email: manentephotos@gmail.com