Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Schroppe.
Hi Crystal, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I became a mom, my heart wanted so much to be able to capture beautiful photographs of my sweet, angelic little babies. My photography skills, however, were not quite equal to the gorgeous images I had in my head. This gap in my desire and my ability began to draw me down a path toward the day I opened my photography business.
I started my journey to conquer my lack of camera knowledge by reading books, studying blogs, and taking online classes. After countless hours of study, practice, and tweaking my process I became confident behind the camera and friends and family started asking me to take their photos.
In April of 2018, I officially opened my business – Jenna Grace Photography (more on the name of my business later). Within three years of opening, I was able to retire from my full time job teaching elementary school. Today, I am continually working to improve my skills and learn new things about photography. As a retired teacher, I believe you should never stop learning in your lifetime, especially when it comes to things you are passionate about.
I could not be more excited and proud to think of how far I have come since those days of underexposed, blurry pictures of my little wiggly, chubby babies.
My name is Crystal, so why open a business name Jenna Grace Photography? It all goes back to my two sweet girls, JENNA Makenzie and Haylie GRACE. Precious daughters. Sweet sisters.
Jenna Makenzie has a calm heart, a quiet spirit, a nurturing soul. She is musical, beautiful, kind, and giving.
Haylie Grace has a sparkly personality, an adventurous spirit, and a loving soul. She is hilarious, beautiful, compassionate, and creative.
Now that they are young women, I want them to see that they can achieve any goal they want. I want them to live a life of joy. I want them to learn that from me. I want them to see me reaching for my heart’s dream. They were the inspiration to finally see my dream become a reality. They gave me the courage to bring Jenna Grace Photography to life. They made me brave. They continue to give me joy and are still my inspiration.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle I faced at the beginning of my business was juggling a career as a full time elementary school teacher, opening a business, and being a wife and mother. It was a lot. I felt tired most of time. I am a bit of a perfectionist so there was the ever-present guilt that I was doing so much I couldn’t do any of it as well as I’d like.
Luckily, I am married to a man who gave me constant support and encouragement. I definitely couldn’t have done it without his help. From advice and encouragement to helping with the girls, even learning the basics of photography so he could second shoot weddings with me, he has always been there to make sure I was successful.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I started as a wedding photographer and did that for the first few years of my business. During COVID, I had to shift quickly into something more one-on-one. I began shooting more and more high school and college senior sessions and found that I absolutely LOVED it! This past year, I have completely transitioned from weddings to seniors and it has been wonderful! I still shoot the occasional bridal portrait, maternity session, and even do some branding work for other local entrepreneurs but working with seniors is definitely my passion!
One thing I am most proud of is how often I have moms come back to me to take senior portraits for younger siblings when it’s their turn to graduate. I have one family who I have photographed both the high school and college senior portraits for all of their children and their daughter’s wedding.
Another thing I always love is when one of my previous elementary school students reaches out to me to take their senior photos. What an honor (although it does make me feel old, sometimes)!
In addition to taking beautiful portraits for my seniors, my goal is to make them feel as confident and comfortable in front of the camera as possible. I offer my seniors a full senior session guide that includes information about what to expect, what to wear, hair and makeup tips, and how to prepare for their session. This information gives them confidence and makes them feel at ease during their session.
What matters most to you?
I want my seniors to feel beautiful in their photos. In the world of social media where young girls are constantly compared to an impossible standard of beauty, I want them to feel confident and comfortable. Most importantly, I want them to be themselves.
I always ask my seniors to bring things with them that represent who they are and where they’re going. I’ve photographed girls with musical instruments, sports equipment, state championship medals, and college banners. I’ve photographed them on stage in a theater, on lacrosse fields, in libraries and science labs, and on their college campus. They’ve worn dresses, jeans, uniforms, scrubs, and dancewear. I want them to feel authentically themselves and know that they have value other than their appearance.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jennagracephotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennagrace.photo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crystal.schroppe
