Your name: Jessica Lynne Smith

Workshop: week 2

If you have a nickname, what is it? My mom used to call me lady bug when I was a little girl. As I have grown older, she dropped the bug and just calls me lady.

Are you single, married, have children? I have been married for just over two years. No children yet…

What state do you live in ? I live in Utah.

What do you spend way too much of your time doing? Reading photography blogs, looking at photography sites, reading photography magazines, playing in photoshop, and working to improve my skills as a photographer

What do you wish you could spend more of your time doing? Spending time with my wonderful husband.

How did photography find you? I have always loved photography for as long as I can remember. I have always wanted to be a professional, but was criticized by my family. My mother told me that I should be a nurse, and that I would never make it anywhere as a photographer. For a portion of my life, I took her advice. I was on the path to becoming a nurse. At that point, I had recently met my husband. He helped me to switch paths and to go after what I really wanted. He didn’t want me to ever regret not chasing my dreams. Now my mom is very supportive since she sees that I can do it and make something of myself even if I am a photographer.

What is your favorite thing to take pictures of? I used to would have said landscapes and scenery, but since I have started doing weddings, my answer is definitely people.

How long have you been doing photography ? I have only been doing photography professionally since January, but I have been doing it for fun since I was just a kid.

Do you have a photography business? If so, for how long? Yes, since January, 2007

What is your favorite food? I love shredded beef enchiladas with beans, rice and vegetables from this little restaurant in my home town. Either that or mashed potatoes.

What is something you can’t live without? My husband, chapstick, and showers. I should probably also add my computer, I spend way to much time on it in this “digital” world.

What is on your iPod or Playlist: Alison Krauss, Kenny Chesney, Rod Stewart, The Turtles, Alabama, Moulin Rouge Sountrack

Are you a night owl or early riser? I am more of a night owl than an early riser, but there have been times where I to go to bed at ten or eleven and wake up at nine or ten. This bad habit showed up after I was married.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure? Fried ice cream with caramel and whipped cream

What are some things that you like? Ballroom dance, particularly swing dance. Board games, iced oatmeal cookies from walmart, doing fun and crazy photo shoots with my family, tin roof sunday ice cream (the kind with almonds, not peanuts)

What are some things you don’t like ? The feel of cotton balls, anything to do with needles, people making gagging noises, debt, starting to exercise when I haven’t for awhile

What do you have to do before you die? Have at least 2 or 3 children

Tell us something more about you:

Funny When I was younger, my cousin and I went shopping, and our stuff was put into HUGE bags. We joked that they were big enough for us to fit into. When we got home, we climbed into our bags (we fit perfectly) and took a ton of pictures. The rest of the day we turned into a crazy fun photo dress up day.

Serious My husband just started pharmacy school, so we just moved to a different town. I am very grateful to be a photographer at this time because it is one of the only ways I know of to meet people because I am usually home all day or out taking pictures.

Philosophical To the world, you may just be a person, but to one person you may be the world.

Exciting I have a career doing something I love, and an amazing man to grow up with and the world in front of me to explore and be a part of.

True My family is a yours, mine and ours kind of family. My mom and dad divorced when I was two, and both remarried later in life. I have 2 brothers and a sister from my mom and dad, 1 from my dad and his second wife, 1 from my mom and her husband, my dad’s second wife has 3 of her own, and my stepdad brought 3 kids into our family. Also, my husband has 10 brothers and sisters.

Name 2 of your weaknesses: Procrastinating, and being self conscious

Name 5 of your strengths: Honest, sincere, good listener, I have a great family, and I am a hard worker