Today we’d like to introduce you to Jade Hincks.
Jade, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In winter 2012, I took a chance and registered my photography business. I had completed a Fine Art Photography degree in South Africa the Year before, and relied on the craft as the comfort and inspiration that it was! My work ethic, striving to learn and improve, and of course my amazing couples and clients have helped me build this business over the years. Getting to celebrate 14 years of being an entrepreneur, of getting to create art and memorialize others’ milestones and families, has been a privilege and a gift I didn’t anticipate at the start.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In hindsight, it was a pretty smooth journey, but that is simply because there hasn’t been a hurdle or challenge that I wasn’t able to overcome, or creatively solve. The biggest challenge, which is somehow also an advantage, is having the perspective from my home country, which is simply that there is no option except ‘forward’. A more consistent challenge has been learning to love and value my own work, time, effort and art – but that is something that is validated by my amazing customers every time they book a session!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Over the years I have been given the chance to capture so many different subjects. Wedding and elopements being the most prominent. There will always be trends, and ideas that are built into every season as the years go by, but the place I draw most inspiration from is the couples themselves. Each set of people are unique, and their story and chemistry is so singular to them – I let that connection and journey guide me on how to witness them, and capture their love in a way that is intentional. Photographing them, their love, in this way makes it so that when they get their final gallery they actually see themselves, and how beautiful they are.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I believe that risk-taking is inherent to being an entrepreneur! Almost a requirement. The biggest risk is trying anything in the first place – at least it can be the scariest one. When I started my business right after turning 20, I had the major benefit of not really understanding how scary that was, since it seemed like it was the most natural, obvious step forward. There wasn’t anything else I really could do, and luckily for me I wasn’t really looking around for other options. This makes me a risk-taker, I suppose…and it happens each time I create a new offering, or expand my service area further than Oregon, but I have realized that with risk-taking you have options on outlook. Your focus can remain on what the risk might be worth, or what the risk could cost. Keeping your eye on what the risk might award you, that is where the magic lies, and where success can be achieved!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lilysandhorns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilysandhornsphoto
