Meet Jennifer Cazares | Photographer and Entrepreneur

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

Hi Jennifer, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Growing up, when my grandpa would visit from Mexico, he would always pack a stack of photos and a disposable film camera. He would take so many candid pictures of our family here in the states and then, he would develop the film so that he could show his experiences to our family back in Mexico.

Before social media, this was how our family was able to stay connected even from miles apart. With each yearly visit, my grandpa would show me photos of my families’s milestones from Mexico such as an aunt getting married, a new baby cousin, or even a dog that they adopted. This inspired me to learn photography from the inside out!

In high school, I finally was able to explore this interest by taking a Photojournalism class and I fell in love! I learned the history, the different niches of photography, and very basics of working a DSLR camera. Most importantly, I realized that photography can be a meaningful tool to create and preserve memories with our loved ones.

I like to think of myself as a storyteller rather than an artist. With my photojournalist background, I prefer to direct my clients with prompts that are fun and easy to invoke movement in order to produce candid photos with authentic emotions rather than “stiff” posing. My favorite prompt to use with couples would be when they are wrapping their arms around each other, and I have someone whisper to the other their favorite fruit or vegetable in their best Cookie Monster voice. This prompt never fails to have both of them cracking up, including me.

As far as editing my photos, I set up my shot during golden hour/blue hour in order to pull out those “warm and fuzzy” tones. I feel that this style of editing best represents our feelings when we look back on happy memories.

Everyone has a story, no matter the age. It brings me such joy that I am able to capture my client’s milestones and celebrate their achievements with them so they are able to share them with their loved ones through photography.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Currently, I am a Lifestyle Portrait and Couple Photographer based Denton, TX and beyond. I also am a Freelance Photographer for Creative Partner Agency.

At first, I did not pursue photography as a career. My parents wanted me to study a career that they thought would bring financial stability like a doctor or something in finance. They did not consider photography to be a profitable path let alone, a “real” job.

With that in mind, I had no idea what to pursue. I had so many creative interests and it literally came down to a coin flip during orientation day when you had to declare your major. (heads- merchandising/tails- public relations) It landed on tails. I enjoyed the career path and eventually, I graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations minoring in Social Science and was apart of the Kappa Tau Alpha Honor Society.

I got my first “big girl” job at a nonprofit as a Digital Skills Specialist where I created material, promoted the program, and taught computer classes in both English and Spanish in underserving communities. I am grateful that I was able to empower every client with the digital skills that they needed in order to thrive in the workforce.

Fast forward to 2020, because of Covid, I was laid off, but it wasn’t long until I found a job as an Executive Assistant for a small activewear company. During this time, I felt like I was back at square one because my job was repetitive and not as fulfilling as my previous job.

In my down time, I was still taking pictures of my friends and family, but more as a hobby. My husband saw my work and said, “Why aren’t you doing this as a career?” At first, I was skeptical and felt that my photographs were not good enough for me to put a price tag on them and I let the idea pass me by.

The following week, my cousin needed someone to take photos of his proposal and he asked me to be the photographer. It was that day where I thought, “you know, why not?” I then created my website, re-edited my portfolio so that they all share a similar color palette, and revived my instagram account. I finally launched my business in August 2021 and honestly, I am so glad that I took a chance on me!

Being a photographer allows me to make genuine connections and instill confidence in my clients no matter the occasion. Some clients have never been in front of the camera and at first, they might feel a little vulnerable and shy, but I assure them that it is my job to create a safe environment that is fun and stress-free while they embrace who they authentically are. I always tell my clients to bring any props that will make their photos unique as well as bringing along friends and family to hype them up. At the end of each session, I like to gift my clients a Polaroid picture that they keep while I edit their photos.

As mentioned in the previous question, I capture moments through a photojournalist perspective. Meaning, producing candid photos with authentic emotions rather than ‘stiff” posing. I edit with a “warm and fuzzy” color palette in which to me, represents how happy memories are often portrayed. I pursued my Drone Pilot license and I hope to get into micro-weddings and intimate ceremonies in the near future.

It has not been all sunshine and daisies. With a full-time job, home life, starting a business, there were countless nights of ugly crying and burnout. Just when I was booking more sessions than I could handle, my employer decided to close the small business and I was laid off which honestly, was a blessing in disguise because I finally had room to breathe and focus on my business.

It is terrifying to take a risk when you have no safety net and no idea how to run a business from scratch. I had to learn and figure out things on my own. I joined photography groups on Facebook for support and It became a daily habit to watch YouTube videos and listen to podcasts related to the business. Some podcasts that helped me were “We Got You”, “BUILD AND BLOOM”, and “Hello CEO.” And for YouTube University, John Branch IV Photography, Julia Trotti, and Jessica Whitaker were my go-to YouTubers.

I love what I do and Iooking back, I am so glad that I took a leap of faith towards my passion. Later down the line, I want to be able to help and share my knowledge to entrepreneurs who are starting their career as a photographer.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in a quirky college town called Denton, TX. This place definitely has charm. The ideal of fun would be to spend the day at the square visiting unique shops such as Recycled Bookstore and the antique mall. Then, head on over to FreePlay, a DFW local arcade chain, and show our competitive side playing Dance Dance Revolution and some pinball (my favorite is the Jurassic Park one.) Some local options to eat would be either Rooster’s for burgers, tacos at Guanajuato’s or Thai Ocha for some Pad Thai.

I love to hike, especially with my dog Roscoe! Locally, my go-to places is Northlake’s Park where you can disc golf, Murrell Lake in Flower Mound, TX, and sort of a hidden gem, Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center. All of these locations are perfect for photos during golden hour! One of my favorite places around the DFW area would be Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose and Possum Kingdom State Park in Mineral Wells. I hope to one day venture through all of the state parks in Texas, especially Palo Duro, the second largest canyon in North America, and Big Bend National Park.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people to thank for helping me with this journey and so I will try to keep it short and sweet!

First and foremost, I would like to dedicate this to my husband. Throughout this whole journey, he has been so supportive of my dream. He is my “hype” guy cheering me on in the background and the reason that I took a chance on myself to start my photography business. Thank you for always believing in me and for continuously pushing me to do what makes me happy. I could not have asked for a better partner to go through life with.

My “Butterbee” gang who have had my back since we were kids! They are the sisters that I never had and I am so grateful for our friendship. I love them so much and I can’t wait to see our “girl boss” moves unfold!

My family from both my husband’s side and mine. The amount of love and support that I have received from them is unmeasurable! I have such an amazing support system and I appreciate all of their efforts they have done to help me get my name out there!

And a big shout out my clients whom I have had the pleasure in capturing their moment! They are the best and I am super happy that I got to be apart of their journey through photography. At the end of each session, I have bonded with all of my clients and wish them nothing but happiness and success with their future endeavors. They are my motivation to keep working on the business and I am humbled to be their photographer!

Website: https://www.jenlucerophoto.com/

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

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

Other: TikTok: @jenlucerophoto https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTdvScTAu/