The MNY Spotlight
Jessica Bellinger, Wedding Photographer
This week's Wedding Wednesday features Jessica Bellinger and her wedding photography! Jessica is a Miami-based photographer who is dedicated to her clients! "I want to be the person that makes your day easy and gives you amazing family heirlooms."
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
"Aside from being a full-time wedding photographer, I also own an online nail polish brand (@bessandcolor) that launched 6 months ago! The inspiration for the brand was heavily derived from film photography and my love of film."
How did you get into bridal photography?
"I was a stay-at-home mom when I started. I had no expectation of starting a business. I just picked up a camera because I was always passionate about art and wanted to try out all of its mediums! Photography ended up being the medium that I thrived in, and I couldn't stop. I was obsessed, and before I knew it, it became my full-time job."
What is your favorite shoot location?
"My favorite place for weddings is probably Sydoine Mansion in Mount Dora, or Vizcaya in Miami! Both are such beautiful venues. But my favorite place I have ever photographed at is at the Salt Flats in Utah. It's so unreal."
Are there any photographers or styles that inspire you?
"Someone who really inspires me with their creativity and portraits is Julia Cox (@darlingjulietphoto). She is a friend of mine and such an artist. Her work inspires me to try new and creative ideas. I'm also heavily inspired by film photography! I feel like every film photographer takes 3-5 shots in their career that are unreal and stunning. Collectively, those 'once in a lifetime' shots are what inspire me."
How would you describe your aesthetic?
"Vibrant, bright, and earthy. I feel like my work is very true-to-color and has an organic feel to it."
Any tips/tricks to achieve a professional and creative look?
"With photography, it's all about how much you love it! If you love it, the effort to learn becomes easy. I'm self-taught, so I always suggest looking to Google and YouTube! You can learn almost anything off the internet. Join a Facebook community and ask questions! Find a style you love the most and try new techniques to see what works best for you. I personally recommend using a 50mm lens. I rarely take it off my camera!"
Have you had many brides cancel or postpone their weddings?
"Yes, I had about 6-7 weddings postponed. I think for wedding photographers, it was a big wake-up call to have a backup plan in place, especially financially."
Any advice to other business owners on how to cope?
"Just remember: this is temporary!"
What's next for you?! What are you working on?
"What's next is to hopefully find a couple who wants to get married in Italy or Switzerland! It would be a dream to photograph there! I've been working non-stop growing my other company and launching my book on mindset in business soon! Stay tuned!"
Posted on July 29 2020
