Meet Jessica Munoz of Jessica M. Photography in Arlington Heights

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Munoz.

Jessica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always been the creative type. When I was a kid, I sang a lot, I’ve written hundreds of poems, I enjoyed sketching and drawing, etc. I also enjoyed learning and tried to absorb as much knowledge as I could. To this day, I’m learning new things and challenging myself in many aspects of my life. I have a background in biological and chemical sciences and used to be a high school teacher, so I love being around kids and interacting with people in a meaningful way. These attributes are the building blocks that aligned for me to get into photography and start my own business. There’s the technical side of using the camera, the business side of being an entrepreneur, and the artistic element which I feel fits my personality well.

Years ago, as a new parent, I found myself taking thousands of photos in my baby’s first year. I think a lot of parents can relate to that excitement. I staged numerous photo sessions for her that first year and felt it was important to have all those precious memories documented. If we fast forward a few more years, the pictures of my beautiful daughter keep piling up but then I noticed something was missing… there were no photos of my husband and myself. I then got the idea to get a tripod and use the self-timer on my camera to also have pictures of my husband and I because those memories were important to me too.

I felt so in the zone planning out these sessions and composing photos. I realized I had an eye for seeing the picture in front of me before I even took it. This is when my mindset started changing from enthusiast to career path. I went on to train with a well-respected wedding photographer and decided to start my own business. The photos I took for myself gave me great joy, as I looked back on them fondly and I want to share that feeling with others through their photos. I want to capture the love and joy that you feel when you’re looking at your new wife or new baby, or during an important milestone in your life.

Today, I am truly honored to be photographing weddings, babies, families, and events. I look back on this business journey and am amazed by the wonderful clients I get to work with. I stay active in the community and have worked with several not-for-profit organizations. I have photographed events with thousands of people in attendance which has been an amazing and humbling accomplishment. The excitement and smiles people have over the photos I take for them is the reason why I do what I do.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think any business, in the beginning, has their share of hurdles given that everything is uncharted. I believe I take away valuable lessons from every experience I have had whether or not there were bumps in the road. Some of the struggles have been learning about the business side of photography. Photography is an art form so this was not something I was familiar with in the beginning and had to learn everything from scratch. I stay current with what is trending in both in the business world and in photography because they are evolving industries.

Please tell us about Jessica M. Photography.
Jessica M. Photography is owned and operated by yours truly. I am a photographer in Arlington Heights, IL and provide photography services throughout the Chicagoland area. I specialize in weddings, families, and events. My favorite thing about my business is that I am always looking to try new things. If a client has an idea or vision, I strive to make it a reality. I am open to photographing any and all types of photography at this point – from personal to commercial. I feel my versatility is one of the things that makes me unique from other photographers who limit the range of services they provide. I am most proud of the level of customer service I give to my clients. I am always striving to give my clients great photos AND an awesome experience.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My grandfather was a self-taught violin player. He inspired me not only to pursue science and teaching but I also wanted to learn to play the violin like him. One year I got it in my head that I was going to challenge myself to learn to play the violin during summer break from school. Over those 10 weeks, I rented a violin, took lessons, and practiced. I then had the ambitious idea to try out for the school orchestra at the beginning of the year because I wanted to join with my friend who had been playing for 8 years. I realized I was trying for this spot against kids who had much more experience than me but nonetheless I was willing to try. I am proud to say I was accepted into an orchestra and performed during school concerts. I’m sure I had to practice more than the kids who had been doing this for years. It wasn’t always easy because the music I was expected to perform was more advanced than what I started with only months before. I really like this memory because it is a good reminder to us all to get out there and make things happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jessicamphotography.net
• Email: jessica@jessicamphotography.net
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jessicam.photog
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jessicam.photography.IL
• Other: www.instagram.com/jessicam.photog_weddings

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