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

Hi Jen, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Perseverance, authenticity and relatability… These three factors are what have made my business into what it is today. I used to be so worried about what other people thought of me and would try and follow in their exact foot steps as if they were the master mind of all things “perfect” when it came to being a business owner. I learned quickly that owning a business is hard and it will only be enjoyable and easy if you stay true to yourself. I try every day to be better than my last session, my last encounter, my last post. I strive to be fiercely authentic and creatively unique in every session I do – the more unheard of or unusual something is, the more I want to do it. I am always searching for the “wow factor”… I focus on myself and what I can improve on and have learned to take constructive criticism to better my brand. In these 8 years, I have been through business struggles and even failed at another business to get where I am now. What once seemed like rock bottom has been my biggest blessing as I am now enjoying my photography business more than I ever did my previous endeavor. I learned to stay true to my personality and not try to hide my heart and my intentions. In doing so, I have made stronger relationships with my clients and feel like they have become comfortable in knowing who the real me is.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a Photographer who specializes in Birth, Maternity, Couples and Family. I think what sets me apart is that I am an unconventional photographer when it comes to posing. I don’t ever want my clients to come to their session ready to stare my lens right in the eye and say “cheese”. I want to document love, intimate kisses, tight embraces, chaos, compassion, nurturing mamas, playful dads, wild little ones and cheesy couples. I love movement in photography and imperfections. I became a photographer because a friend asked me to document her birth 6 years ago. After giving it some thought, I took a few photography courses and accepted the offer. Getting to where I am today was not easy and it still isn’t, but it is always satisfying and rewarding. I have learned to take criticism with a grain of salt, never be too hard on yourself, do not envy anyone else, stay true to yourself, you will not be everyones cup of tea, but when you learn your worth and do what you love most you genuinely be happy. I want the world to know that anyone can own a business, but it takes the most authentic version of yourself to be successful!

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I was born and raised in Columbus and while some may beg to differ, it is a city growing in culture. If you were to visit here, you cannot leave without going to some of our local restaurants: Jarfly, Nonic, Vertigo Fusion Kitchen, Salt Cellar, The Loft, The Cannon Brew Pub, Bmerrells (best wings in town). One of the best places to be in Columbus is down town where old meets new… There are historic building, newly renovated historic life, entertainment, art, food, drinks, and my favorite, two candy stores!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shout out list is not simple, as so many people have played a role in my success today… My husband (Bradley Hunt) is my most humbling fan. To the world, he tells everyone I am hands down the most flawless, talented photographer in town and they need my artistic ability in their life. To me, he always cheers me on, humbles me when I need it, provides constructive criticism to make me the best version of myself and assists me when he knows I need the help. My mom (Brenda Franklin) is the first person I called when I told her at 21 that I no longer wanted to be a server or work part time jobs and that I wanted to own a business. She never questioned or doubted me; instead just said “You should do it!”. She has shared my work relentlessly and even when I know I can be better, she thinks I am the best at my craft. My Papa (Gary Pierce) bought me my first equipment to help me start my original company. Him and his fiance (Darlene Abbatessa) share my work with everyone they know and sing my praises regularly to their friends. My family (immediate and distant – Daniel Franklin, Linda Swain, Becky Reeves, Jackie Kamman, Gary R Pierce) has shared my work all the way to Alabama, Florida, New York and Canada just to show their support for me. My best friends are my biggest fans and loudest hype team – Melanie Kennedy, Hillary Fairchild, Jazmine White, Amber Bradshaw, Kaitlyn Guthrie, Tiffany Sanders, Courtney Norrell, Malia Beane. They share my work tirelessly and always recommend me without hesitation. I have photographed every important event in their life and that is something I am extremely proud of. It is awesome to be recognized by strangers, but it is immensely gratifying when they support me. My fellow photographers in my town… They uplift me, show support through social media, recommend me and we have healthy competitive friendships and its amazing. While all of these people have been a positive light in my career, I would not be here today if a local competitor didn’t publicly shame my first business 4 years ago on the news; and I say that with the most respectful intentions. Success does not always come easy and some times you have to fail to succeed. If those once malicious acts were never done to me, I would have never closed that chapter in my life to fulfill my dream of being a full time photographer. From 2014, I was only doing photography as a side gig, since taking on this adventure full time in 2017, I have been featured in nationally recognized magazines, multiple social media platforms and companies have used my photos to advertise, and I have been selected as my city’s “Favorite Photographer” 2 years in a row. I owe it to all of these people for my success and I am happy to have a platform to recognize all of their efforts.

Website: www.jenpiercepics,com
Instagram: instagram.com/jenpiercephotography
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jenpiercephotos