11/16/2018
To the next chapter in life…
Ten years ago I had an idea. I wanted to enter the world of professional photography. This idea wasn't entirely out of the blue since I had gravitated toward photography while attending St. Cloud State -- working for the school newspaper and photographing sports and other events.
After graduation, my Nikon D50 sat in the corner of my basement apartment. There was a moment when I wondered if I would ever pursue photography. At that time, I was a single dad working full-time selling paint — pursuing a passion didn't seem to be in the cards.
Then something happened... I met a girl named Hannah.
Hannah was that missing piece to the puzzle. She brought something I didn’t have...confidence. She urged me to jump into it, and for that I (we) am forever grateful.
With guidance and support, I jumped into the unknown — wedding photography.
With the help of some great fellow Minnesota wedding photographers, I was fortunate enough to learn the industry through shadowing opportunities and second shooting. I learned first-hand what it required to be a great wedding photographer. It’s not just understanding how to use a camera, it’s understanding how to work with people… often times during one of the most important (stressful) day of the couple's lives. I even renovated and opened a studio for a couple of years to make sure I didn't have any spare time on my hands.
And then there’s the whole running-the-business part of it. With lots of help from Hannah and a great accountant, I learned the basics of how run (legitimately) a small business. Although working full-time and running a business was a lot to juggle, it was also very satisfying. Oh yeah, and let's not forget we were raising four kids.
Now it’s time to move on from photography. I am officially closing my business to spend more time with family and focus on my career at DocuSign
Thank you to the 100+ couples that allowed me to document one of the most important days of their lives. There are so many wonderful people and couples I met over the past 10 years-most of whom I am connected with on Facebook. It’s so awesome to see snippets of their lives after the wedding!
Even though I will miss JWP, I’m incredibly excited for what the future holds. Photography, along with my wife and all of my wonderful clients, have made me a better person. And for that I will forever be thankful.
Cheers 🙂
Jim
Jim Woolsey Photography
