Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan.
Hi Jordan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always been a creative person, and I’ve had a camera in my hands for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I was always the person bringing a camera on vacations, trips to the zoo, or anywhere else I could, hoping to catch that one moment that everyone else might have missed. I loved the idea that a photograph could freeze something that would otherwise only exist for a second. I wasn’t just creating an image, I was documenting something that could never happen exactly the same way twice.
That love for creating eventually led me to study graphic design with a minor in studio art, but photography continued to pull me in. I started photographing more seriously and slowly began taking on clients, learning everything I could about both the creative and business sides of photography along the way. I eventually moved to Austin, Texas for a short period, where I photographed my first three weddings. It was there that I really fell in love with weddings and realized how much I loved being able to document an entire story, rather than just a single moment.
What started as something I was simply passionate about eventually grew into a full time business. Seven years and more than 150 weddings later, I still feel incredibly lucky to call this my career. There have been so many different seasons and learning curves along the way, but each one has shaped the way I approach my work today. Eventually, I found my way back to Michigan and built Jordan Rose Photography around the kind of work I love most: candid, documentary inspired wedding photography that feels honest, nostalgic, and true to the people in front of my camera.
Today, I’m lucky enough to spend my days documenting people and couples during some of the most meaningful moments of their lives. I think the biggest change from when I first started is that I’m no longer just taking photographs because I love photography. I’ve built a business and a life around creating images that I hope my couples will be able to look back on decades from now and still feel exactly what they felt in that moment.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road, and I think that’s one of the most valuable parts of building a business. For a long time, I was balancing photography with college and part time jobs while trying to grow a business at the same time. There were seasons where I was going to class, working another job, photographing weddings, editing late into the night, and trying to figure out the business side of everything in between. It was a lot to juggle, but it also taught me how to be disciplined, adaptable, and willing to keep going even when things weren’t moving as quickly as I wanted them to.
One of the biggest challenges has actually been learning to accept that there will never really be a point where I’m completely “done” learning. Photography and the creative industry are constantly changing. As technology changes, new trends emerge, social media evolves, the way people consume images changes, and there is always more to learn about both photography and running a business. Seven years into this, and I’m still taking courses, experimenting, researching, and finding news ways to improve.
I think that mindset has been really important to my growth. Instead of feeling like I need to have everything figured out, I’ve learned to stay curious and let myself evolve. The photographer I am today looks very different from the photographer I was when I photographed my first wedding, and I hope that continues to be true years from now.
There have certainly been difficult seasons, moments of self doubt, and plenty of times when I’ve had to figure things out as I went. But looking back, I’m grateful for those parts of the journey. They’ve made me more confident, more resilient, and much more intentional about the business and experience I’m creating today.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a wedding photographer based in Michigan, specializing in candid, documentary inspired photography with a true to life influenced editing style. At its core, my work is about documenting a wedding as it actually felt rather than creating a collection of perfectly posed moments. I want my couples to be able to look through their photographs years from now and remember not only what everything looked like, but what it felt like to be there.
I’m known for being very observant and intentional with the moments I photograph. I’m always looking for the things happening just outside of the obvious moment: a parent watching their child walk down the aisle, a grandparent laughing during dinner, the way someone reaches for their partner’s hand, or all of the little in between moments that might otherwise be forgotten. I love that those photographs often end up being some of the most meaningful images in a gallery.
I also think a huge part of my job happens before I ever pick up a camera. I want my couples to feel comfortable enough around me that they can forget they’re being photographed. I’m there to give direction when it’s helpful, but I never want the experience of being photographed to take over the experience of actually getting married. My goal is for my couples to be present with each other and with the people they love, while I quietly document everything unfolding around them.
What sets me apart is probably how much I care about the entire experience, not just the final photographs. I’m a very detail oriented person, and my background in graphic design has shaped the way I think about everything from composition and color to how a gallery tells a story as a whole. I want every image to feel like it belongs in the same story, while still preserving the imperfections and spontaneity that made the day theirs.
What I’m most proud of is the business I’ve built around that philosophy. Seven years and more than 150 weddings later, I’ve created a career that allows me to do something I genuinely love while building relationships with people who trust me with some of the most important memories of their lives. I’m proudest when a couple tells me that looking through their gallery brought them right back to how they felt that day. To me, that’s the ultimate goal of what I do.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was definitely a creative kid growing up. I was always making something, whether that was drawing, painting, taking photos, rearranging my room, or finding some new project to get completely obsessed with for a few weeks. I’ve always had a hard time sitting still creatively because there was always something I wanted to try or learn.
Growing up with a single mom, I went to all types of camps during the summertime and school breaks. But I was always drawn to the art related ones. Being able to bring home what I worked on and that feeling of pride showing my family and friends are some of my favorite memories growing up.
Personality wise, I was pretty shy and it made me more observant and curious than other kids. I’ve always been someone who notices little things, remembers small details, and tends to take in what’s happening around me. I think that has followed me into my work more than I realized. Even now, I’m usually paying attention to the little moments happening in the background that other people might not notice.
I was also very sentimental. I loved taking pictures on family trips, saving little things from places I visited, and holding onto memories. Looking back, I think a lot of the things I naturally gravitated toward as a kid are still a huge part of who I am today. I’ve always loved creating, noticing the in between moments, and finding meaning in things that might seem ordinary to someone else.
Pricing:
- Wedding photography collections begin at $5,200 for 8 hours of coverage.
- Full day and weekend wedding collections are available, with collections ranging from $5,200 to $7,400.
- Custom collections are available for destination weddings and celebrations outside of Michigan.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jordanrosemcdonald.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanrosemcdonald
- Facebook: https://pin.it/1bK8R4WMW
- Twitter: https://www.tiktok.com/@jordanrosemcdonald
