Today we’d like to introduce you to Jillie Denna.
Hi Jillie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I never thought I would be a wedding photographer and filmmaker full-time! I went to college and graduated in broadcast journalism with the intent of being a news producer. However, I realized that although I loved the back-end of news producing (aka the filming and editing), I did not like the high-pressure situation of working in a newsroom.
During my sophomore year of college, I filmed a friend’s wedding for free just to try it out. I absolutely loved it! I loved all the aspects from posing the couple to learning about their love stories, to the creativity in music selection, editing, and then of course seeing their happy faces and hearing their excited comments after watching the final film.
I was hooked ever since and although I filmed my first wedding back in 2018 during college, I ended up going full-time while still in my last year of school in 2020. I have now traveled to many different states across the country photographing and filming weddings and elopements! I have definitely found my passion.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Although I love what I do- it took a little while to get to a comfortable spot in my business. There were and continue to be challenged in every aspect of this job.
It took a lot of practice to get used to the camera I currently use and it even took a while to get used to the first camera I ever used that for beginners! However, I promise that practice makes perfect. I tried to shoot as often as I could (especially with friends and family) in the beginning. That helped me feel more comfortable charging clients and turning this fun hobby into a business.
As I improved in my ability to use my camera settings correctly, direct my couples better, and then eventually feel more comfortable with my ability to shoot a wedding or an engagement session, etc., I realized there were new struggles on the back-end of running a business that I was going to have to deal with. Once I started making money, I had to learn how to register for an LLC, calculate my quarterly sales tax, pay my yearly taxes, track my write-offs, create a business website, cultivate a positive client experience, and the list goes on!
The back-end of my business is always a bit of a challenge, but my goal is to keep learning, improving, and investing in myself and in my business so that I can better serve my clients at each shoot and at each wedding.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a photographer and filmmaker that specializes in all things couples. This includes engagement sessions, love story films, bridal/first look sessions, weddings, and elopements. I am based in Utah, yet I travel to beautiful destinations to film these large or intimate weddings in states like Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Indiana, Wisconsin, and more.
I feel lucky to be able to meet such amazing, in-love couples and create a gallery of photos, a film, and an overall experience for them that brings them so much joy and cultivates that forever nostalgic feeling of their favorite day- their wedding!
My goal is to keep that joyful feeling you experience on the day you say “I do” lasting forever each time you look back at your wedding photos or watch your wedding film.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I feel very lucky sometimes to be where I am today. Realistically, I know it took a lot of work to get to actually do something I love that pays the bills to take care of my family, but sometimes it feels too good to be true. Sometimes I stop and think, “What did I do to deserve to travel to these amazing cities and meet these amazing couples?”
Pricing:
- $300 – Starting Price for Love Story Film
- $300 – Starting Price for Engagement Session
- $300 – Starting Price for Bridal/First Look Session
- $300 – Starting Price for Bridal/First Look Film
- $2,300 – Starting Price for Wedding Film or Photos
Contact Info:
- Email: jilliesfilms@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.jilliesfilms.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilliesfilms/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jilliesfilms
- Other: https://vimeo.com/user98288004
Image Credits
The Foxy Flora, Latter-Day Bride, Jake Davis, Loren Davis, Edlin MUA, Tiffani Stufflebeam, Allan Ahanonu, Kbfloraldesigns, yesibeauti, beauty,bybrook, Andrew Jackson, Kyana Jackson, Kylie Andelin, Noah Andelin, Brooke Phelts, Chris Phelts, Guillem Parra, Morgan Olson, Star, Edji, Chloe Carraway, and Zane Carraway.
