Meet Jennifer Wilde | Personal Brand Photographer and Branding Strategist

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

Hi Jennifer, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve always been a creative, so I didn’t really make a choice to go “the artistic route” with my career, it was just in my DNA. However, I did start out in one creative field and then branch out into other creative adventures along my path.

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’d say I’m part coach, part artist, and part advocate in my work. “Personal Branding” is still a very misunderstood topic. Some people believe it’s something only celebrities need. Others believe that personal branding is inauthentic or bragging about yourself. And some think it’s a one-and-done task of getting some brand colors, a logo, and a pretty profile picture. But really, personal branding is about telling stories that authentically showcase your unique value, resonate with your ideal audience, and create meaningful connections with them, so they know you, like you, and trust you. (All 3 are required before anyone will buy from you.)

Your personal brand, at its simplest, is what other people think of you. And what many don’t understand is you have a personal brand whether you know it or not. And if you don’t control the narrative of your personal brand, everyone else will! My job is to make sure my clients make a good first impression, no matter where that first point of contact takes place.

What sets me apart from other photographers is my holistic approach to personal branding that goes beyond capturing beautiful images. I don’t do cookie cutter photoshoots with a paper backdrop and a laptop prop, with zero thought put into them. Before any photos are taken, a personalized story-telling strategy is created. I dig deep to understand my clients’ strengths, values, goals, and unique stories – what makes them them. Then together, we craft a photoshoot that tells the right stories to their ideal clients, clearly communicates their message, and makes them look (and more importantly FEEL) like the rockstar they are in their industry.

What I’m most proud of and excited about is witnessing the impact my work has on my clients’ lives and careers. It’s not just about taking stunning photographs; it’s about helping them discover and embrace their authentic selves and translating that into a powerful personal brand with branding imagery to match. I love empowering small business owners and entrepreneurs to confidently share their stories, connect with their audience, and achieve their professional goals. Helping someone create a better life for themselves is the best feeling in the world.

I took a long and winding path to get to where I am professionally today. I got my first camera when I was 11 and have been taking photos ever since, but I didn’t start shooting professionally until 2019. I was an art major in college, but dropped out and took a detour into a Radio career. The opportunity presented itself and I grabbed it like a mic at a rap battle! I thought I could always go back to school if Radio didn’t work out. And 33 years later, I’d say it did! But I was always an artist at heart and started to strongly feel that pull.

I have a friend who is a professional photographer and coach in NYC who encouraged me to get serious about my photography. He was a fan of the cell phone photos that I was posting on instagram and knew that I could create at a much higher level if I had better gear. So, he sent me a camera with a note saying, “Take real pictures, dammit!” and then he taught me how to use it. That’s all it took. I practiced shooting every single day before my radio show, and in the evenings after my show, I was watching videos about lighting, posing, body language, facial expression, editing, and anything and everything that I could learn about photography.

Then I discovered personal branding photography, which was still in its infancy, and everything about that genre spoke loudly to me. The skillset I had developed during my radio career seamlessly complemented the art of this new way of storytelling. I learned so much about creating a show that wins and sells (I’ve helped take several shows to number one) and how to be a public figure (which anyone on the internet can now be!) And now that I could create the imagery to go along with the stories, I was in business! So I took on a few clients and they started seeing results from elevating their first impression… the profile picture.

Doing a radio show during the pandemic is what pushed me to go full time with photography. I was exhausted from the constant intake and regurgitation of COVID facts and news, while also trying to keep my audiences entertained and comforted. I already had more photography clients than I could handle while also doing 6 radio shows a week, so I decided to take a leap and retire from the career that I’d loved my entire adult life and go full time with my brand new business. At 50 years old. During a pandemic. I was crazy. And it felt good. And terrifying.

If I thought learning photography was a challenge. Learning to run a business was that challenge times 1,000 and I’m still learning. I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you’re never really ready to do anything new. I love “getting ready”… I enjoy a beautiful planner with fresh new pages, smooth writing pens, colorful highlighters, making lists, mind-mapping, taking classes, taking courses, reading books, getting stuff together… but feeling ready to “put myself out there” is a feeling I have never ever felt. Of course, there are some things you have to get done before you can jump into certain situations, but often, I’ve been the only one holding myself back from just doing the thing because I didn’t feel comfortable yet. In the radio world, I moved across the country (terrified the whole time) to go on the air and talk to hundreds of thousands of strangers in a totally new city; but I wouldn’t let a post talking about my new business be released into the social media wild for fear that it wasn’t perfect. That I wasn’t perfect. That’s just silly! So, my advice to other business owners is: Take more leaps. Even when you’re afraid. That’s when growth happens. (And often you inspire others by your example!)

I want the world to know that my brand is built on a passion for empowering people to be seen, heard, celebrated, and hired! My success in radio was due to the transformative power of storytelling, but you don’t have to be a celebrity to have or tell captivating stories. When we fully own and express our unique selves, we have the power to connect, inspire, and create positive change. We attract the ones who need us to help them solve their problem. I want to inspire others to embrace their authenticity, share their stories, and connect with those who need the gifts they offer to the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m the worst at telling visitors about the city’s hotspots because I mostly like to hang out in the woods, So if I had a friend visiting, there would be lots of hikes in places like Garden of the Gods, Red Rocks, and Rocky Mountain National Park. And we’d (of course) take tons of photos of the landscapes, the animals, and them in all the places! (Gotta create those forever memories to print and hang on the walls!) Then perhaps we’d grab a soak in one of Colorado’s hot springs and maybe grab a burger on a patio with a view.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Success is never achieved in isolation and I’ve had so many people that have helped me in my career over the years. To my mentors – thank you for sharing your wisdom and providing me with invaluable advice, giving me a chance and hiring me, and singing my praises to others, which opened doors and created opportunities I couldn’t have even imagined. And to those who’ve become more than just acquaintances in my network, I’m immensely grateful for your belief in my potential to do something totally brand new (at 50!) and make a meaningful impact with my work. Your support fueled my determination to create a new career path and inspired me to keep going. I am so blessed to have crossed paths with so many wonderful souls who believe in me and remind me of how valuable I am.

Website: www.jenniferwildephotography.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenwilde

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jenwilde

Other: I also show and sell my nature art at jenwilde.com

Image Credits
Jennifer Wilde Photography (Jennifer Wilde’s Headshot by Charles Chessler Photography)