Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodi Plyler
Hi Jodi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I first opened my business after my son was born in 2011. I bought my first DSLR to catch his quick smiles and dove into learning all I could about photography. I started photographing babies of friends as well on my journey to learn, and by 2012, I decided to begin portfolio building under the name Tickled Blue Photography. From there, it turned into a full-blown business where I would go to clients’ homes to photograph their newborns or meet them on location to capture milestones or family shoots. Things took off for me around 2013 after my first workshop. I had more confidence and learned so much about light. For a brief period, I had a small studio space just outside of downtown in Avondale of West Ashley. I closed that space during the covid pandemic and found I could still offer studio style as a mobile shoot. After a rebrand to La Vie Creative Co last summer, I’m still doing what I love: photographing newborns in clients’ homes and families all over town, especially in our charming downtown area. There is no better backdrop than your home, where most of the memories are made, or my favorite spots downtown, where the backdrops are always unique.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I was lucky to get into photography before in-home newborn shoots were a popular option offered as much as they are now. At that time, there weren’t only a few photographers offering them in my area, and parents loved the convenience of a photographer coming to them and the connection that option allowed. It was also a time before Instagram became popular. I built my business old-fashioned, using flyers and print advertising. I dabbled in Facebook a little, and it helped me launch things initially, but most of my business came through word of mouth and flyers I would post up at coffee shops or any place I could find with a corkboard. Looking back, there have certainly been bumps in the road, but I’ve been blessed with wonderful clients who always made me want to keep going, even when it felt challenging or overwhelming.
Thanks for sharing that. Please tell us more about your work next.
I photograph newborns, families, and milestones candidly, so each shoot feels personal to the family I photograph. I love doing my shoots in clients’ homes for newborn shoots using areas such as a nursery they thoughtfully put together in anticipation of the new life they would bring into it. For family shoots, my favorite location is downtown. I love the variety of backdrops that give almost a storybook vibe while letting them interact with each other lovingly vs. a stiff, everyone-say-cheese style—my favorite shooting style, which I hope to be known for, is my in-home newborn photography. I love how each shoot is different and personal, depending on the phase of life the family is in. They’re so delicate and precious when it’s the firstborn but full of personality when it’s their 2nd or 3rd child. I also love to welcome the family pet in the photos as they add such a fun factor, and I’ve always been a dog lover. I’m most proud that after 12 years, I’m still going and doing what I love. I’ve never lost my love of popping that memory card into my computer after every shoot and bringing the photos to life. I still love getting sneak peeks ready and sharing a piece of each shoot the following day. Maybe that is what sets me apart because I know many photographers also don’t love the post-processing part of photography. It’s such a large part of the job, but compiling the gallery and all the photos I love is something I’ve always loved about the process. The whole story of the shoot coming together in one completed gallery and then getting to send it off to share is a proud moment for me.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My biggest supporters are my family. My husband has always supported my creative ideas and ventures. I love showing my kids the sneak peeks so they can see what I’ve been up to when I’m gone. Seeing their reactions to my shoots helps motivate me. My mom has always greatly supported anything I’ve dabbled into. Before photography, I sewed handmade dog collars and always said she was my biggest customer. I have a few clients who have created gallery walls from various shoots with me who have 3 or 4 kids now that I’ve done photos for over the years. Those are the clients that help drive me to keep going.
Pricing:
- Family $575 all inclusive
- Newborn $480 all inclusive
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.laviecreativeco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TickledBlue/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaVieCreativeCo
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfl_C3TE9p8ZfUyV61WqT1g
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/LaVieCreativeCo/
