For me, pictures have always been about more than just a moment frozen in time. Time moves so fast, and we often lose people before we're ready to say goodbye. The memories we hold in our hearts can start to fade, but a picture is a way to hold onto them. It brings me back, just like the sound of a specific song, love notes from Dave, my father’s hands that worked so hard, or the smell of my Grandpa’s Copenhagen.
A picture brings back the little things that my mind can no longer hold onto—how tiny Colby once was, Kynslee’s favorite pink pants, the way Ava’s eyes could stop you in your tracks, and Boedy’s joyful silliness and adventurous spirit. I’ve never once regretted taking a picture, and for me, that’s where it all began.
Growing up, my Dad only referred to me by the nickname Jae Ann, and I passed that name on to both my girls—Kynslee Ann & Ava Jae. It seemed so fitting to me to bring it full circle and give this business a name with a whole lot of heart behind it.
Jae Ann Photography is built on the foundation of telling stories and embracing the joy in every moment. Behind the camera, I am my truest self, and this business is so much more than just me. It’s the wall that my dad and I built together, the door from my best friend Sandy Bebo, and the stenciled floor my mom trusted me to bring to life.
But long before any of this, it’s every person who believed in me, every voice that told me I could do it, even when I wasn’t sure I could. Sometimes, we need someone else to see the greatness in us before we can see it ourselves.
