Today we’d like to introduce you to Joezy Nelson
Hi Joezy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Ever since I was a young girl growing up in a small town in South Carolina, I loved taking photos of God’s beautiful creation, which inevitably includes the people He created. It started off with low quality flip phone photos of the sunrise while riding in the car on my way to school. I loved the feeling of getting to encapsulate beautiful moments that took my breath away, with just a snap of a photo. Then when I graduated high school, my dad bought me my first really nice camera with two lenses, and I used it to take photos of family and friends for fun.
I moved to North Carolina two months before my 18th birthday to go to ministry school. Several years later, after graduating, I decided to step out and turn my photography hobby into a business with the hopes of taking it anywhere I went, whether to a different location, or through the seasons of life, like being a mother at home. With the help of another dear Photographer friend, I dipped my toes in the water and got my first professional experience in 2016.
I didn’t grow up with very much, compared to some. I had what I needed and was blessed in different ways, but the rest taught me the value of family and what was truly most important in life. Some days I struggle to feel like this is real, because I never imagined owning my own business as a young girl. I have battled a lot of “imposter syndrome” since stepping into my business. Dreams like this just didn’t seem like an obtainable reality growing up. For someone else, yes, but not so much for myself. As I continued to step out though, God opened more and more doors, showing me His ability to make all things possible. With the encouragement and support of my husband, in-laws, friends, and family, I was able to gain more and more experience and confidence to get to where I am today. While I still have more growth ahead of me, I am so happy for having grown to where I am today.
As a wife and mom of two now, my days are filled and blessed with life. I have sacrificed a lot of time and even sleep to put my best work into my photography and customer service. It means more to me than just simply taking pictures. I truly care about my work, and know that it has purpose. After losing several close family members all within the last 8 years, including all three of my siblings, I understand, more now than ever, how precious life is, and how special and important it is to photograph precious moments and milestones for my clients with their loved ones. The moments I capture are not just for my clients to enjoy, but for generations to come. So that they will be able to look back on and remember the life and love that has come before them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No it has not. While I have felt incredibly blessed along the way with connections and open doors, nothing worth fighting for comes easy. When starting out in anything, you have the tension between where you are and where you want to be, and then there is the factor of “how do I get from point A to point B”. Learning to take good photos in any setting, and edit them in my chosen style, has taken time and experience. I have had to be patient and faithful with my own process of growth (even through difficult seasons of loss), and be intentional every day to put in the hard work. I’ve had to be ok with going at my own pace, and not comparing myself too much to others. But as the years have passed by, I am now able to look back and see where those everyday disciplines lead me to grow as an artist and business person in huge ways. And I know it will continue to.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a photographer. I do mostly weddings and engagements. I love getting to know my couples on a personal level, hearing their story, and then photographing their love in a way that best represents them. I don’t just want to go into a session directing only poses. I also love to give prompts that give natural responses where my couples can enjoy having fun and expressing themselves. I would say what sets me apart is that when you hire me as a photographer, you get my unique perspective of your wedding day/session. I look for the beauty and intimacy within the in-between moments, and seek to photograph details and moments from a perspective that expresses life and emotion. I don’t like to leave anything out. I want to be able to document your story in an artistic and unique way that moves your heart when you look back on your photos. I also value sincerity of heart. I want to serve my couples on their wedding day in a sincere and caring way that helps take the stress off so they can enjoy being in the moment.
How do you think about happiness?
One thing that makes me happy is seeing my clients come into a session nervous, only for them to completely relax and have fun in a way they didn’t expect to when being photographed. I love having fun. Time is precious, and we shouldn’t waste it by not finding joy in the everyday moments.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://joezydanellephotography.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: Joezy Danelle Photography
- Facebook: Joezy Danelle Photography
Image Credits
Joezy Danelle Photography
