We had the good fortune of connecting with Jill DuFrane and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jill, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk is a necessity in my life and business. It can have many meanings, but in my life specifically, the risk my family takes is moving and starting over… a lot!
I have been a photographer for 5 years professionally and this will be the third time I will be building my business up from scratch.
Working for yourself is a risk in itself, but starting over with zero relationships and a completely different market to try and navigate, that is a risk I will take on proudly.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I always find it so cringy to talk about myself and my work. But, that’s what you have to do when you own a business!
I always try to talk about the things that make me stand out from the crowd of family photographers, and the thing that consistently comes up is that sessions are fun and easy! My Instagram bio says ‘stress free sessions’ for a reason. I want my clients to have a great experience from beginning to end. I feel like this is key in creating amazing photos for people to cherish forever.
As creatives, we are constantly growing and learning. So, where I am today in my career is going to change all the time. Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s really hard. That’s one of the most challenging things about owning a creative business (and being a people pleaser), the tremendous high and lows. If you can learn to navigate the emotions of the roller coaster, you can get through anything!
If I could choose one thing for people to know about me and my brand, it would be that my passion comes from making people happy. There is truly nothing better than having an amazing session followed by a stunning album delivered and then having the client absolutely gush about how amazing I made them feel and look. It’s the best feeling of all time.
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.
Oh gosh, I’m the worst person to ask about this! We move all the time, so I not hip to all the things in our new town.
We’re up in the Keweenaw Peninsula of the U.P. in Michigan, the winters are pretty and long and great for winter outdoor things like skiing and snowmobiling if you’re into that kind of thing. And the summers are just stunning! There are sand beaches, big rocks, Lake Superior, waterfalls, trails… it’s pretty unbelievable!
If I had someone coming to spend the day with me, I would start going to Calumet to my fav breakfast spot, Cafe Rosetta. Then I would drive the 45 minutes it take to get to the end of the world! Otherwise known as Copper Harbor, MI. There’s tons of hiking to do up there and a pretty unbelievable view at the top of Brockway Mountain. I would probably pack a picnic for lunch and then dinner at The Fitzgerald if we can get a reservation.
There are so many more things I want to see in our area this summer. I have such a huge list, I doubt I’ll be able to get to them all!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Well, it’s hard for me to not credit my family for absolutely every success in my life. They are everything to me. But, my journey into photography has been filled with ups and downs, and the only way I have gotten through it is by having a solid community of like minded creatives. To have friends to talk to that completely understand and have been through similar situations is what carries you through the tough days. And those same people are there to celebrate the amazing moments with you as well. Find your tribe!
Website: www.jdufranephotography.com
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/j_dufranephotography
Facebook: www.facebook.com/j.dufranephotography