Meet Jaylen Baker | Creative Freelancer: With the focus on Videography, Photography & Editing

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

Hi Jaylen, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Being an entrepreneur and freelancer is the epitome of taking risks, especially at the start. Whether you want to be a photographer, videographer, editor, or animator, you’ll need the proper equipment. Then comes the question of how to use it effectively. Doubts can creep in—am I good enough? Will others appreciate my work? What budget should I set?

The answer lies in investing time in yourself. Practice and play with whatever you have to become the best in your field. You don’t need top-of-the-line equipment to start; you need an open mind and consistency. With experience, you’ll naturally upgrade your gear as you become more comfortable and skilled.

Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, my biggest risk was not following my dreams of becoming one of the best creatives in the world. When I entered the professional world, my initial setback was lacking the right equipment. I was offered a job as a stills photographer, but my camera couldn’t meet the demands. While photographers acknowledged my talent, they also pointed out that I needed better equipment.

Starting with almost nothing, I faced a dilemma: sell my camera and continue with my current job or create my portfolio with the gear I had. I chose the latter, realizing that I’ve never played it safe. Moving to Atlanta, I reached out to friends for opportunities, offering free pictures in exchange for tags. I brought my camera everywhere, and eventually, people started noticing my refined work and began booking me.

Was I nervous? Absolutely. But I worked hard to get noticed and trusted my gut. As I got better, I invested more in my skills and equipment, setting higher budgets. At times, I felt like an imposter, wondering if I could make back the money I spent on gear. But the fear of giving up was greater than the fear of continuing.

Believing in myself and setting clear goals helped me see my future outcome. By vocalizing my aspirations, I turned them into reality. Thanks to these habits, my work improved, my name grew, and my opportunities expanded. Now, I constantly receive calls for various creative projects. I told myself to only upgrade my gear when it had paid for itself, and this mindset has been key to my success.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is always a story telling moment. Everything I do is intentional. The videos I edit the photos I take the videos I shoot I’m constantly coming up with a story. Creatively without limitations I mixed mix multimedia arts with vintage.

But I also have the ability to mimic or become an extension of my client’s ideas. If you have a vision, I can execute it by a visual or a conversation. I’ve spent my whole life doing creative things. Adapting on the spot is 2nd nature.

After being booked by so many big opportunities. I’m just proud to keep the momentum going and to constantly have my name grow I worked in Film, Live events, weddings, graduations, meeting people off the streets. I’ve worked with Tyler Perry, Stacey Abrams, Issa Rae, Quest Love, MLK III, Kim Fields, Nelly, Lucky Johnson and more.

Seeing work broadcasted or posted still gives me goosebumps from time to time but with constantly in the face of big names It’s hard to not normalize it. So, there isn’t a particular thing I’m most proud of. I guess I’m proud to say I get to exercise all of my skills. as I’ve Directed, Photograph, Video, Acted, Edited, graphics, motion graphics, animate and more. And im not proud cause oh I’m flexing I can do a lot I’m just happy to fulfil my own promise I made to myself as a kid. “I’m going to make a career on learning this that and 3rd and as an adult I’m doing it I guess in a way my past self-helped my future self while my future is helping my past I am able to grow in all directions cause I’ve invested the time when I had all the time in the world as a kid to learn it and now as an adult it’s just honing those abilities

I got to where I am because I’m a social butterfly starting in the film industry, I got lucky I called my mentor when I finished film school to nerd out with him but to my surprise he was locked in within the industry. This taught me a few things. it’s a big who you know world. Connect, connect, connect. start from the bottom if you have to and work your way up to what you want to do, just because you get into a position you necessarily don’t think you can do or want doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Do it master it love it but always promote what your passion truly is cause you want to be seen as that. I started as a P.A in the production office but my constant introduction pitch that everyone knew when meeting me was I kept saying” I want to be an editor”! While also showing my other creative abilities like photography.

eventually I stopped getting calls to be a P.A in the production office and started getting calls testing my creative abilities. You never know who you’ll meet. I’ve booked gigs just from a simple chat at the gym saying I’m a photographer. Not knowing they know big names too.

I think the biggest challenge was getting comfortable into a position where you no longer have someone guiding you to make sure you’re doing the right thing. As a P.A you always had this sense of if you fail someone nearby triple checked you, so your mess ups are unnoticeable to important people. Not to say there were any, but it was a peace of mind knowing I have a sense of back up. As I created my own business (Jaylen Baker Visuals LLC) and became more independent and stepped out of being a P.A and with my title are creative jobs. trust in my gut and experience teaches you how to get better and calmer over time.

Lessons I learned. Every journey will be different on learning how to adapt so I won’t highlight on that instead I’ll say the biggest thing I’ve learned is that you are not perfect. Everyone makes mistakes and sometimes you’ll have work that didn’t please your client, or you make mess up in the moment There maybe times you were booked and trying to prep to become over prepared in the moment you’ve realized you left some things at home. Accidents and down moments will come just understand is you tried your best and dive into the fallen moments. If someone didn’t like your work, ask how it could have been better. Sometimes bad work isn’t soley your fault but built on lack of communication, but you’ll never grow if you’re scared to fail if you afraid to tap into those failures and overcome them.

Another thing I learned is don’t focus on your strong suits only, acknowledging your weakness is one thing but diving into it is another. Master your weakness cause although you’ve may have been safe avoiding your weakness it will come a time where its challenged and just like we focus day to day to be the best version of ourselves same thing with your work. You focus on how I improve the negatives.

And lastly, I’ve mention this before, but my success has come from my social aspects, you want to have great work sure but connect, socialize have fun don’t be uptight. go to the bar, go to the park go anywhere I learned that you can be good at what you do all you want but at the end of the day if no one knows how good you are who’s going to book you. sure, you can apply for a job and hope to get in. But let’s say that same place you’ve applied to work for one of the people who’s in charge of hiring is at a social setting you went to and your ran into them and just had a random chat your chances of getting in is a lot higher than just simply applying without showing your face don’t make it about work but build a genuine connection cause at the end of the day who your work with is going to become a sort of a family If they love your personality they’ll love the extra sauce you can give by having amazing work and work ethics on top of it . Life is meant to enjoy.

my story involves a lot of sacrifices, a lot of change in mentality. A lot of learn from your mistakes. A lot of take in the information rather the task seems big or small everything is a learning lesson. Jaylen Baker Visuals LLC is a 1-man band that can do it all but Jaylen Baker Visuals will expand to something bigger in the future but for now I take pride in my name so Jaylen Baker will become known If anyone is looking for a bts Videographer / Photographer for event or headshot, digitals, editor for a short film, promo etc. I’m Your guy

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a i like to have fun doing activities type person.

Atlanta is a place that you literally can come up with anything you want.

I’ll make the scenario even compact I had 24 hours with them.

First in advance I’ll tell them to look on Eventbrite and see if there’s anything they want to do

Brunch
Being from Detroit we don’t have a Waffle House instead we have a Coney Island. So sometimes he choice maybe there based on tradition value. But if it was on experience, I’d say another broken egg or 5church. if not there’s always a restaurant or 2 that goes viral that I know they would just want the experience of going like Old Lady Gang

we’d digest and go to the beltline, check out piedmont park, Krog street tunnels and all the shops connected to the beltline. / Carnival connected to pounce city

activity at Activate /Beat the Bomb / Sandbox Vr

Eat again Mexican Lindo / The Border Mexican Restaurant / or try one of the many food halls we have Krog street market, Chattahoochee Food Works.

Break or Hiking /swimming

Dinner – The Vault Hidden in the Bank / iron age /

(This part depends on what day it is) whatever Eventbrite is going on – prob be stuck at whatever dinner spot and make that a vibe / 3rd spot / host a kickback game night / night swim / bound fire atl / skating /round one / underground / strip club / jeju sauna / High Arts First Fridays / black coffee / Mic Karaoke / underground atl / r&b night / deeper

waffle house

Sleep / Airport

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Overall, everyone I name trusted in me, but each person has also reformed me in different ways to become the best version of me that’s able to face the world on my own and constantly grow as I develop my own village to become bigger.

Ian Harris – My first mentor as he made it easy for me to let go of doubts and keep pushing forward

Patrick Dugger – He helped me learn how to be in the most intense situation but remain calm and relaxed and stay lighthearted jokester yet remain professional.

Seven Massey – Best friend who’s constantly told me I’m someone special and always pushed the light for me to improve even being my test subject as I experiment with new techniques while she also name drops me for better opportunities.

Destiny Love – Best friend who in our dreams we support each other hard, she’s also someone who’s believed in me and asked me in numerous of occasions to either help her or promoted me because she believed in the abilities in what I can do.

Cavlin Ashford – Mentor He’s a man of few words but when he says something to me it’s always a direction to guide me somewhere better and to improve, He leave me in deep thought on how to expand yet he gives me nuggets on getting better.

Nesha Lee & Mama Lee – My big sister from another mother and her mother they brought me in like family met me when I was only a P.A trusted in my creative abilities and constantly put me in the face of big names. I knew being far from home I have a home with them

Courtney Coprich – Really great friend who’s taught me so much as I professionally grow, she’s a creative director that let me know it’s possible to be a jack of all trades but yet do not become the master of none. Her teaching style her direction everything leaves my mind constantly adapting to impress the world.

Lola Kay – Constantly booking me in introducing me to people and bragging about my abilities even during the times I’m silent I couldn’t have grown without her help. She’s also challenged me with new skills expanding me even more.

James Few & Natalie Johnson – My Chosen Few Media Family as whatever direction I tell them I’m doing they trust in me and constantly booking me testing my abilities – improving them and supporting them.

Sara Plano & Ravin Ellis – My friends who constantly show support as I grow and thus, I lack doubt in myself

Tyren Frazier – A great friend who trusted in my editing abilities

Kim Fields – A friend that’s showed compassion trust, support and constantly challenges my jack of all trade abilities and booking me for them.

Chris Ingram – A great friend who enhances my videographer skills.

Erick Valle – My brother from another mother – In the freelance world you need all the support you can get, and this man unconditionally feeds me lots of love and support. We help each other grow.

Mom ( Juanitta Hill ) & Dad (Anthony Baker ) No matter where I am they’ve always supported me and reminded me to chase my dream.

Brianna Hall – My Sister – My Double – Any big opportunity I have she would travel to support; she would call me to make sure I’m still on my A game and always talks to me as if I’m the best in the game. I don’t need to remind myself to improve when I have her

Kyle Baker – My big brother

Austin Pope – My brother from another mother who’s always feeding me news updates about opportunities yet being my emotional support when needed in this tough world

Jordan Pauldin – Mentee / Little Sister – She’s been a great support also help enhances my future goal of when I’m done freelancing and becoming a professor to give back

Website: https://jaylenbakervisuals.com

Instagram: @LegititzJay @LegitJaySnaps

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaylen-baker-356141113/

Image Credits
The Photo of me shot by: Neel Sawant

Besides the photo of myself. All Photo and Video were captured by me however if you need information of people within the images or the project name from clients

Destiny Grad – Destiny Love

Blake Vintage /Prism – Blake Bolton

Troi1- Troi Shanei – Moneymayshow

Boxing – Peter Anastasio

Cosplay – CosplayYourWay or Princesstkcosplay

Quest Love Supreme or The Roots

MLK X WELLSTAR – Chosen Few Media x Wellstar