Meet Jason McSherry | photographer

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

Hi Jason, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Doing something I enjoy was more important to me than making a certain amount at a job I didn’t like. I worked at a desk job for eight years and knew it wasn’t making me feel fulfilled. Photography was always something I just couldn’t get enough of. I wanted to learn everything I could about light, composition, and camera gear. That hasn’t changed and I’m still learning more about photography every day. I’ve been doing it professionally for eight years now and I’m still not tired of it.

So I have a passion for it, and passion alone won’t lead to success, but it certainly helps. I started getting more and more interest in my work and I knew it was something I could do full time. That’s not to say there hasn’t been growing pains, because there has. Knowing how to take great pictures alone does not lead to a successful business. I had a lot to learn about business and marketing, things I knew next to nothing about. So, it took a lot of research, a lot of reaching out to others and asking what has worked for them. I’m still learning more and more about marketing and what I want my brand to look like. It’s a process.

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 have done lots of different types of photography in my career. Weddings, Commercial assignments, portraits, landscapes, Timelapse. I have found that I enjoy photographing people the most, and that’s been my main focus for the last few years. I take pride in getting people talking during a photoshoot to make them feel at ease. I’m not afraid to do something kind of goofy to get a chuckle. That’s when you get the most authentic expressions. I think my background in working with people may set me apart.

Pursuing this has definitely not been easy. It can be scary to go out on a limb like that. I started slow, doing it as a side gig, and as that grew I felt I could focus on the photography business full time. Starting your own business really highlights pretty quickly what you’re not good at. In my case it’s been how to market myself. You can be the best photographer in the world, but if you don’t know how to market yourself, you won’t see the success you’re capable of. I didn’t realize this. All I knew was that I loved taking pictures. It’s taken a lot of research and trial and error to sort of find my way.

I want people to know that this is what I love to do and I’m passionate about it. I love the challenge of creating something beautiful and unique, and I’m learning new techniques every day. I love that it’s not something you can fully master. There’s always more to learn.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to City Park, a park that’s meant a lot to my wife and I as we lived right by it for several years and would find ourselves there almost daily. This is where I taught myself how to take pictures. I would take them to Tacos de Mexico on Santa Fe, an incredible no frills eatery of authentic Mexican food with amazing green chili. I would take them to Shells and Sauce on 12th for brunch, where they have the biggest breakfast burrito I’ve ever seen. I would take them to Rino to see the amazing murals. I would take them to Union Station and to a Rockies game. I’d take them to Red Rocks, and maybe for a hike in Evergreen. I would take them to Phoenician Kabob on Colfax. I’d also take them to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal and Wildlife to see the buffalo. I’d take them to Ester’s in Oneida park and follow that with ice cream from Dang right next door. Maybe bring a picnic to Cheesman park, and to the thrift shops on South Broadway.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife and family. They could see how passionate I was with photography and supported me pursuing it as a profession. I had never gone after anything like I had with taking pictures and it became clear this was what I needed to be doing in order to feel fulfilled. It’s been eight years since I took that jump and I just kind of never looked back. I still love it today just as much now, if not more. I love the challenge photography presents. Reading light, getting authentic expressions from my subjects, and learning new editing techniques are all things that can never be mastered. There’s always room to grow and get better, and that’s what I love about it.

Website: mcsherryphotography.com

Instagram: jlmchserry@gmail.com

Image Credits
Jason McSherry