Collective Element
Redmond
Redmond
My name is Jamie and I'm a Seattle-based portrait photographer. I love working with other artists who are looking for photos that are a genuine reflection of their personality and creativity. In my body of work, you'll find sunset headshots, senior pictures, couples sessions, moments with friends on train platforms in Chicago, and much more.
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What’s the secret to taking a great photograph?
Connecting with your subject. To me, the composition, setting, edits, etc. are all secondary to developing a real connection with the person or place you're shooting. Photographs can look appealing without emotional depth but depth is what makes them meaningful. Capturing a candid laugh or a moment of discovery comes from knowing your subject and truly being in the moment with them.
What questions might you ask a client when starting a new project?
What's your best case scenario for this project? How would you envision the photoshoot if you had no limits or restrictions? Budgets, timing, and setting can sometimes feel like a setback and I find that if I get down to the most important aspects a client is excited about, there are always creative ways we can make that dream come true. What kind of photoshoot would you want to do if you were completely happy with your appearance? What's a setting you would love to shoot in if there were no other people around to make it feel awkward? What dreamy inspiration photos do you wish you could replicate?
There are fundamental planning questions that can't be skipped over of course, but the reason for the shoot and the feeling the client wants to have achieved by the end of it are of paramount importance to me.
What do you love most about your job?
I love that I get excited about every project. I'm a people-oriented person and working with my clients to bring their visions to fruition gives me so much joy and energy. The process of finding creative solutions to roadblocks that will inevitably pop up fuels me. I feel deeply fulfilled by learning and growing with each new project. This is a job I chose for myself, and the empowerment I find in that is truly unparalleled.
What inspired you to start your own business?
After burning out rather quickly at my job in marketing that involved a lot of sitting and too many emails, I returned to my passion of photography with Collective Element in hopes that it would reignite my creative excitement and afford me more opportunities to have meaningful relationships with my clients that actually involved face-to-face connection and conversation. I find it's nearly impossible to have anything more substantial than "good rapport" with someone you only talk to via email. I'm empathetic by nature and this gives me the ability to be genuinely invested in a client's vision, and helping to make that a reality is remarkably more satisfying than pressing send on Gmail.
Why should our clients choose you?
Choosing a photographer whose portfolio matches the style you're looking for is fairly simple. I find the hard part of hiring any artist or service-provider is the uncertainty of what it's going to be like to work with that person. You can't exactly return a photography session or massage you didn't like on Amazon. My promise to all clients is prompt and forthright communication and delivery of services, as well as an empathetic and supportive shooting style.
This quote from one of my favorite clients pretty much sums it up:
"Jamie has the perfect balance of fun, supportive, and calming energy when shooting her subjects. I’ve never felt more confident than when Jamie is behind the lens, just talking with me."
Sara Pyne
