Meet Jazzmin Wilson | Photographer, Creative Director, & Organizer

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

Hi Jazzmin, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I never really thought of it as a business until more recently. Photography was just something I did that I enjoyed, and I was happy to make a little extra money here and there from it. I found the access and opportunities I got from it were ultimately more valuable. But as I got older and a little more wiser, I just realized I had to start thinking of it differently if I want to be able to do it more, and keep evolving. As my ideas get bigger, so does my budget, so I had to take a different approach to things.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I lived and grew up in California for the vast majority of my life. My father was the one who taught me photography from a very young age, and when I couldn’t find places to fit in, I just made them.

When I was in college I started a portfolio group dedicated to creative photography called Alt Error, and was the creative director for that for a few years. I learned a lot from the professionals that joined that group, later I started doing pin-up photography, as well as going to conventions and doing press coverage and cosplay portraits. Eventually, I grew my following the word of mouth.

My biggest challenges have honestly come from adapting to the culture and scene in atlanta. When I first got here, outside of Cosplay photography, I had a hard time clicking with people creatively. Once I found people I enjoyed working with, it lit a fire in me to just keep going. Now the people I work with are my regular source of inspiration.

So far, the biggest thing I’ve learned from my experiences working in Atlanta is that it pays to be brave and CONFIDENT. I felt, and still feel, out of place here a lot since I’ve only been here a few years. That feeling affected my confidence in approaching people for a long time, but once I started ignoring those negative feelings, more positive things started happening. And I started meeting more great people!

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?
When it comes to food, the first place I would take people is Mr Taco in Sandy springs. It’s technically outside of Atlanta, but it was the first place I found good Mexican food when I moved here. Also, it’s closer than Norcross and Gainesville, where all the other good Mexican food is.

My favorite spot in the city is Atlantic station. Going to a movie theater is one of my favorite pastimes, and the Regal theater there is really nice and it’s a go to spot for a lot of Cosplay movie outings. I also like the vendor markets they have in that area, as well as the holiday parades.

I also really like the Masquerade at the Underground! The masquerade is one of my favorite venues there. The tickets are affordable, the people that work there are nice, and they host a lot of metal bands, as well as more independent artists. The Masquerade also hosts silly raves, which I love, like the Shrek and the SpongeBob one.

For photography I really enjoy Cascade Park and Freedom Park. Both are really beautiful. They’re great for relaxing, walking, and taking pictures. Both parks are easier to park at compared to Piedmont park, too.

And one of my all-time favorite things in Atlanta is dragoncon. I was a yearly visitor before moving here, and it’s one of my favorite convention experiences every year. I liked it even more than San Diego Comic-Con.

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?
ATL Black Fae Fest definitely deserves the biggest shout out. When I first moved to atlanta, I had a really hard time finding fellow creatives to work with. I went to various Gatherings here and there, but I couldn’t seem to find my people. I met Janelle, one of the founders of ABFF, a few times before at fae-themed events, and she was always super sweet and I loved her energy and creativity. When I found out she was launching it, I approached her and said I wanted to help. She welcomed me with open arms, and we have been working great together ever since.

Website: https://www.jzdphotography.com

Instagram: @jzd_photography

Image Credits
Indigo Bang, Janelle Allayah, Natsume Summer, Aztec Speech, Marlon Cabrera,