Meet Kelly Jones | Photographer Kelly Jones Photo

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

Hi Kelly, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
A lot of people don’t realize there is a side to family photography that serves the client beyond the photo session. Our generation has been trained to expect a quick, DIY approach from the professional photography industry and when I started to see how other photographers were running their businesses serving their clients with products and design, I knew I wanted to be a part of that.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I specialize in family photography, it’s just what I love to shoot. I first picked up a camera in 2011 after I had my second child. I was craving beautiful images of him while he was little and I knew what I wanted to capture, but in searching locally for the perfect photographer I was coming up empty handed. My friend and co-worker who was sort of in the same place as I was really steered the ship forward for both us, it was her encouragement that really gave me that push to dive in. Once I bought a camera, one thing lead to another. We discovered online learning was coming to the forefront of the photography community, and at that time a lot of big names were starting to get large followings and teach the newcomers. It was a really interesting time to be a part of that community, and so many of the photographers I learned along side of back then are still going strong and their businesses and art evolved just as I did over the years. The community has changed a lot since then, but you still see a lot of these women supporting each other on social media today which I feel is a testament to the community over competition philosophy that is embraced by many.

In 2015 my family moved from Ohio to Florida and at that time I had been in business for 4 years, I decided it was a good time to make some changes since I was basically starting over from scratch. I had no clients and no friends when we got here, but I knew the beautiful beaches and the sunset were the perfect recipe for family beach sessions and a way to transition myself from Columbus.

I was really wanting to offer my clients more than just digital files when I came down here, I had been introduced to the concept of wall design and the growing trend of in person reveals shortly before we moved. Offering my clients beautiful finished pieces for their home was where I decided to shift my focus, and the response was overwhelming. There was a void in my marketplace for that sort of service, the beach scene was dominated by photographers strictly delivering digital files. Moving to what would be referred to as a luxury area, these families didn’t want a DIY approach, they wanted service, archival quality and beauty in what went into their homes. I was able to set myself apart by filling that void.

I am now seven years into being a full service family photographer, meaning I work with my clients from the time they reach out to me until the final product is delivered to ensure we are custom designing with the beautiful images we shoot. I have shipped products all over the United States. For clients with multiple homes or who book me when they are on vacation, we do a Zoom reveal after their session and everything is drop shipped. Clients who aren’t local will send me snap shots of their space and I am able to use my wall software just as an interior designer would to superimpose their photographic art on their walls. For local clients, we meet at their home and design on the spot. It has been amazing to see the photos from over the years that take our projects from conception to reality at the final install.

I can honestly say I am 100% self taught, and I am so proud of how far I have come in my business. This year I was featured in the Success section of Professional Photographer magazine and that was really a dream come true for me, a sort of validation that no matter where you come from you can make it if you work hard. I have no plans of slowing down anytime soon, and this year I look forward to expanding upon the custom nature of what I am able to do with my photos. This has been the most rewarding career that I could have imagined, it has allowed me to be a stay-at-home mom when I need to be, and also fulfill myself creatively while delivering precious memories to my clients. Seeing their faces the first time they see themselves with their loved ones is priceless.

What we do with our cameras matters, preserving our moments together, no matter how insignificant they may seem, matters. The true value of a photograph is not really appreciated until we realize that moment or that loved one is gone. Being aligned with families who understand that and treasure what we do together on the beach is the greatest gift.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many beautiful things to see and do in this part of Florida. Vizcaya is one of my absolute must-sees in Miami, I love spending the day there in the gardens and of course always take my camera. My absolute favorite place to eat is in Coconut Grove at Sapore Di Mare, which is conveniently located by Love Shack Fancy, one of my favorite shops. Further south, I’d drive to Islamorada to show them just how close we were to the amazing towns that make up the Keys. A stop at Lazy Days, Chef Michaels, and Square Grouper would be at the top of my list, but there are just so many here. Another day trip I would love to take would be to the Ringing Museum and St Armands Circle. In Naples, we would definitely shop at the Waterside Shops and then dine out on 5th Avenue South. My favorite restaurant on that gorgeous street is Cafe Milano. You definitely get a European vibe walking down the street at night with everyone dining al fresco and people just enjoying the ambiance of the avenue.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My friend Stacy is really the one person who I would say encouraged me the most in my journey, I can clearly remember the day she came into my office at work and was so excited to start learning how to shoot. She convinced me that I needed to do this with her, we would learn together. Both of us were young mothers working corporate jobs at the time, and here we are today both running successful photography businesses a decade later.

Website: https://www.kellyjonesphoto.com

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

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

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kelly-jones-photo-naples-photographer-naples

Image Credits
Stella Paschall – for image of Kelly only (Kelly is in first image white/red dress).