Today we’d like to introduce you to James Jeter III.
Hi James , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I first began photography in 2018 as a hobby. I didn’t really have a goal with it at the time I was just a little inspired by it from watching YouTube videos. In the beginning, I mostly focused on landscape photography. I think that’s what really sparked my interest in having a lot of color in my photos and making them stand out.
Eventually, I started taking photos of my friends in early 2019. As time went on, I started to realize that maybe I could really turn photography into something more.
Then the pandemic happened and we ended up on lockdown. Instead of panicking, I used that time to really get better. I spent a lot of time taking photos of a friend of mine and experimenting with editing in ways that I felt would make my work stand out.
As the months went by, I started to grow and get more and more inquiries for photoshoots. That motivated me to keep going. At that point, I had all my eggs in this one basket, and I knew I had to make it work.
Even through the times when I wanted to quit, I kept going. That “keep going no matter what” mentality is what has gotten me to where I am today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s definitely been a rocky road. From slow seasons to working with difficult people from time to time, I’ve learned that it’s never going to be a completely smooth road.
The ups and downs, the hard times, the late sleepless nights followed by early mornings, and even not having the best equipment at times have all been challenges. There were also people who didn’t believe in me or what I was trying to build.
It’s definitely been an uphill battle, but all the failures and all the “no’s” are what drive me to keep going, even to this day. Every setback has given me another reason to push forward and prove to myself that I can make this work.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in portrait photography for sure. I think I’m known for doing creative portraits now, but it took me a while to figure out what style and direction I wanted to take with photography.
I remember the first time I did something really creative with editing with a friend of mine, who I still shoot with to this day. After we put those photos out, that’s when I knew creative portraits were what I wanted to focus on.
I’m mostly proud of my drive and my urge to continue getting better at photography. I kind of have this “never settle” mindset. I’m always looking for ways to improve, try new things, and pivot or adjust when I see something that could make my photography better.
I think what really sets me apart from others is my obsession with photography. I eat, sleep, and breathe photography. I’m always thinking about it, creating ideas, editing, or figuring out how I can make my next shoot better. I even dream about it.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think photography is a very vast field, and there will always be so many different things you can do with it. One thing I’ve really started noticing is the use of AI in photography. Even Photoshop and Lightroom are encouraging it and adding more AI features.
I think being able to incorporate AI into your work while still maintaining your own creative style is something photography is starting to lean toward. I think it’s going to become a bigger part of the industry, so being open to learning and adapting to it will be important.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Jeetspics.as.me/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeetspics?stkn=aHFnZG12OWxucnl3&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Jeetspics
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeetspics?_r=1&_t=ZT-99Z26X3PWW6
