Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodhi Mather-Pike.
Hi Jodhi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Back in 2022 I was working primarily as an audio engineer. I had been doing this for about a decade and was looking for a change, I just wasn’t sure what that could look like. I had tried working in mental health for several years, and while I enjoyed the work it was taking a toll on my own mental health. I loved working with people and wanted to continue finding ways of communicating value and giving people that chance to feel seen. That’s when photography entered my world.
I started with street photography, mostly walking around downtown and engaging with people. Trying to make space for conversation, to hear what was going on in their lives. Having a camera was kind of an excuse, it gave me a reason to approach people. After about six months of doing this I came across an advertisement for a Photo-Documentary program in Paris, France. It was put on by Speos (a private school) and Magnum (one of the most prestigious and well respected photojournalism agencies in the world. Their photographers have included some of the biggest names like Robert Cappa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Steve McCurry). I applied and within the year had moved to Paris to start the program, completing a handful of documentary projects across Europe.
After the program I moved back to the States and was trying to find work as quickly as possible. I looked at all the photographers in the area and started to call them one by one to see if anyone was looking for an assistant. A handful were open to meeting for coffee and I came with a list full of questions to see what it would take for me to start a business. To my luck, a photographer named Erica was looking for a staff photographer to start taking some of her shoots when she was not available. We instantly clicked and I began shadowing her across different types of shoots – mainly events and headshots. Not only was she teaching me about how to shape light, pose and direct – but we discussed billing, contracts, SEO and really a lot of the inner details of running the business side of things.
My business was built in pieces as I learned from Erica as well as my own shoots and research. I quickly realized that the successful photographers were good at business, not just their craft. It felt like starting from square one, realizing I had little of the experience and knowledge of running a business. Many of the things I did in the beginning were in the right direction but lacked a deeper knowledge that was necessary to make me successful. I took a basic SEO course and redesigned my website completely. I began testing different ways of connecting with customers to see what was most effective in turning a lead into a client. I was also testing out different pricing models and slowly increase my rates to a level that felt appropriate for the value I was delivering. I was trying to get out of the “fight to the bottom”. You have to present your value, otherwise you will be perceived as amateur.
Of course during all this time I was also practicing the craft – I wanted to feel proud of the images I was delivering and confident that my clients enjoyed their time with me. I focused really heavily on the energy that I brought to sessions as well as my ability to lead and direct a shoot to never leave too much space for clients to feel unease or awkward. I have nearly 100 5-star reviews right now with common feedback of how comfortable and enjoyable the sessions were.
There’s a lot of competition in photography and I felt encouraged by the small successes along the way. Booking my first client through organic search on google, booking my first gig over $1000 and generally just seeing sessions go smoothly and have great outcomes.
I feel incredibly grateful to be where I am, fully supporting myself off of photography after just two years of starting the business. There’s still so much for me to learn and to grow in, but when I’m investing in myself it feels good to have work to do. Having a mentor and someone to help me learn saved me years, there’s no better way to do it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
If I look back, it might seem like a smooth road but I know that I had many moments of feeling like there was no way I was going to be able to make this business successful.
Early on I was using lead services in order to get clients. They are extremely expensive and often tend to attract noncommittal clients. I was actively losing money but slowly building a larger portfolio which I knew was necessary.
As I began to have small successes I was also becoming more aware of everything that I did not yet now, that I was standing at the base of the mountain. I felt like I had already invested so much time, energy and finances to get where I was. It was demoralizing to realize that I was still at the beginning.
I think many of us have this experience when we are first trying to learn something new – we are willing to do the work if we know how to do it, but the gap in our knowledge makes it feel impossible to move forward. It’s painstaking to go out and research and try things. Putting in so much energy into something that you aren’t even sure if it’s the right path or right way of doing things. You just have to try and gradually what was a huge unknown starts to become a clearer picture.
I felt this way with contracts, web design, keywording, SEO, taxes and just all of the logistics of running your own business. Not to mention frequently doing shoots that I had never done before. It’s all a bit nerve wracking and you just have to trust yourself that you are competent and putting all of your effort in to make it work.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work right now consists of headshots and engagement/couples shoots. It’s work that I am incredibly grateful for. Doing something creative for work is a blessing and getting to run the business myself is very freeing.
I have always done creative work – music and poetry have been a part of my life for a long time as well.
The other sides of my photography are creative and documentary work. I studied documentary photography in Paris and it gave me so much appreciation for telling human stories. Photography is an incredibly practice that helps you notice the small seemingly insignificant moments in life and realize how beautiful they are. It helps you pay attention and be open to the world around you.
I have created several documentary projects, several of which have been exhibited in Europe as well as Portland. I have released two books, which can be found in a handful of local bookshops.
“When Beauty Carved Your Name” – a collection of poetry and photography exploring love, sexuality, grief, family, identity, and the elusive pursuit of beauty.
“Welcome Home” – a photo-documentary project exploring Slab City, a community living on unincorporated land in the barren desert of Southern California. During WWII a military base occupied the sandy hills. When the base was decommissioned in 1961, all that was left were the concrete slabs, giving the place its name. It’s home to travelers, train hoppers, “dirty kids” and the prevailing philosophy of the right to exist for free.
My success in my business is hugely owed to my background – learning how to place the importance on people and to set your ego aside. I put a great deal of effort into making my clients feel seen and empowered. I want amazing images but I also want the experience to be very positive and life giving.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck has played a huge role in my business.
When I first moved back from Paris to the US, I began calling every photographer I could find. I needed work and I was trying to be an assistant photographer to just get my foot in the door.
A local photographer, Erica, just happened to be looking for someone to take over some of her shoots. This was extremely fortunate as she became a mentor. Without her I would be years behind where I am now. There’s no substitute for someone else investing in you and being willing to share their knowledge.
Pricing:
- Headshots begin at $280
- Engagements begin at $360
- Senior Portraits begin at $320
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pdx-portraits.com
- Instagram: @jodhimatherpike
