We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenn Petty and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jenn, can you tell us about an impactful book you’ve read and why you liked it or what impact it had on you?
Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari. Silly, right? I’ve always had a love for comedians and their books. After becoming a fan of Parks and Rec, that’s when I became a fan of Aziz and saw he had a book. It was an easy read as Aziz perfectly writes like he speaks, so it’s almost like you can hear him reading it to you. But it wasn’t a line of jokes back to back, instead he’s taking you on this journey to discover and understand romance over the decades and amongst different cultures. For example, people in the 40s and 50s often married people who lived on the same block or lived in the same city as them because their options / ways of meeting new people were limited compared to now where we have dating apps and the internet to meet people we otherwise would not otherwise encounter. He also talks about how dating apps have opened up ways for the LGBTQIA+ community to meet people in a safe space. Aziz also discussed how in Japan, men are too scared of asking women out for fear of rejection but women asking men out is considered unattractive, so there’s a struggle there currently. Compare that to Latin countries where a women is expected to turn a man down multiple times before saying “yes,” otherwise a quick “yes” is considered unattractive. Now for how this has impacted me…understanding the role that roman plays amongst generations, cultures, and subgroups helps me navigate these people when I interact with them as clients and on wedding days. Often you have the parents who most likely knew each other from childhood, met at college, or through friends. You’ll also interact with younger couples who met and fell in love online, sometimes that’s the couple getting married. And you’ll also meet people from many different cultures who have come together to celebrate. Understanding the role that romance plays in these different instances helps me navigate conversations and connect with people. It’s also encouraged me to sit back and watch how each couple expresses love differently. Some are super dramatic, serious, or stoic. Others are goofy, playful, and love to laugh. There’s no right or wrong way to love, but it’s my job to tease out that genuine, authentic love that each of my couples has and document it accordingly.
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.
My approach is experience-focused.
One of the biggest things for me is Customer Service. Many photographers forget that they’re still in the service industry. They brand themselves as “artists” and think that gives them the right to treat their clients poorly and throw fits when their clients don’t fully understand their “artistic vision.”
My approach is to see how I can serve my clients and how I can bring out their natural and genuine selves during their session. I tell each of my couples that there’s no right or wrong way to plan their wedding or book their session, it just needs to be right for them.
I’m also very big on open communication so I work to create a safe space where clients can convey any and all sensitive information to me, whether that’s family drama to be aware of on their wedding day or something as simple as angles/poses they don’t feel their best in so we adjust them so they feel like they should switch careers and go into modeling.
I want my couples to have the best experience possible. Photos aren’t just a product, they’re also a service. You could have the most beautiful photos in the world but if you had a terrible time during your session or didn’t fully click with your photographer, you might have a gorgeous gallery but you’re always going to remember how you felt in that moment and it changes the way you view those photos. So I focus on bringing out the silliness in my couples, allowing them to have fun at their session, tease out those natural laughs and body language, and genuinely have a good time together. That way, when my couples look back on their photos, they love the way they look and remember how great they felt during.
Client Experience is #1 for me
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Any friend of mine is someone who loves to stay active and also loves to eat!
Some places to enjoy in the area:
Attractions:
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Cannery Row
Alvarado Street (downtown)
Monterey Bay FC Game (if during the season)
Coffee:
Captain + Stoker
Counterpoint Coffee
Power Plant
Bakery:
Alta Bakery
Paris Bakery
Hiking:
Soberanes Trail at Garrapata in Big Sur
Andrew Molera in Big Sur
Inspiration Point in Carmel
Garland Ranch in Carmel Valley
Fort Ord Trail in Salinas
Wine:
Folktale Winery
Scheid Tasting Room
Hahn Tasting Room
Bernardus Tasting Room
Corral Wine Co
Breweries/Taphouses:
Alvarado Street Brewery
Dustbowl
Fieldwork
Brew-N-Krew Ale
Farmers Union
Restaurants:
Lucia at Barnardus Lodge
Dametra in Carmel
Heirloom Pizza in Monterey
Alvarado Street Brewery in Monterey or Carmel Plaza
The Bench in Pebble Beach
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is going to be quite the list! I never took any photography classes or anything since I didn’t want to turn something I loved into a homework assignment, so I’ve had many incredible people come into my life and help me along my journey.
1. My Parents for buying me my first ever point and shoot in 8th grade and then my first DSLR (Canon 80D) when I was a Sophomore in High School. They’ve supported and encouraged me from the very beginning. Just this year I got an inquiry where the bride said her cousin ran into my dad at a supply store and he mentioned me so she reached out. I’ve done their Engagement Session and their wedding is later this year. I can’t wait!
2. Three wedding professionals who have helped me the most are Rueben of Loose Tie Photography and Heather of Heather K Purdy Photography. Rueben took me under his wing in 2015 as his secondary and she shot over 15 weddings together. He taught me a lot of the basics but most importantly, he taught me how to go with the flow and anticipate the moments. Now Heather…she is a true artistic genius. She’s not only a friend but has helped me shape my mindset around customer service within this industry and also bullies me into believing in myself (yes, bullies). And I am so grateful for her for it. Lastly but certainly not least is Brian Leahy. We met as he was one of the keynote speakers at a WeddingPro conference in Salt Lake City, Utah and we ended up connecting and chatting. He’s answered many of my business questions over the years, helped point me in the right direction when switching to mirrorless gear, and been a source of encouragement throughout as well. There’s so many more people within the Wedding Industry who have been open and helpful to me but these three have no doubt had the greatest impact.
3. All of my clients, past, current, and future. All of my friends and family who booked me in the beginning years and showed me that I was worthy. I was talented, I was capable. Everyone who has invested money into my business by booking, those who have shared posts, those who have referred me to their friends and family, literally everyone within my community who supports me. I have an incredible community who are very big on word-of-mouth and I’m so grateful for them and the new people that this introduces me to. I’m able to live the life I do because of them.
4. My Team. Any- and everyone who has assisted (physically or virtually), second shot, associate shot with, or edited for me from the very beginning. I would not and could not do everything alone. It’s impossible. So I would be nothing without my supporting team of friends and family and everyone who has been there physically or virtually (or emotionally lol) throughout the journey.
Website: https://www.jelauphotography.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jelauphotography/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeLauPhotography/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jelauphotography
Image Credits
JeLau Photography