Conversations with Danielle Jorae

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Jorae, owner and photographer at Reflections Photography based in Portland, Michigan.

Hi Danielle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
For as long as I can remember, I have always found ways to be creative.

When I was a child, I was gifted a film camera. I remember using this camera to photograph my family, things around my home, and all of my childhood adventures. With film, I had no way to preview what was going to be printed (like we do now with digital photography) so I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. There was nothing better than receiving my printed photos a full week after dropping the film off at the store!

As I grew older, it was very clear that I needed to keep stretching my creativity. In high school, I wrote for my school newspaper and the yearbook, participated in drama club and so much more. There was always a camera nearby and by the time I had my first child I had started to understand the importance of photos. I quickly realized that I really enjoyed capturing things with my camera and that this is exactly how I wanted to leave my mark in the world.

After that, I spent a lot of time studying the art of photography, posing, lighting, composition, literally anything I could get my hands on. I surrounded myself with other photographers that I looked up to and began to learn from them so that I could eventually open up my own business, Reflections Photography.

As of today, I am honored to have served hundreds of clients, I have accepted an award at the Lansing State Capitol, and I have begun to make an impact through teaching other photographers.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Running a business is not for the faint at heart. There is so much time invested in making a business successful that people don’t realize at first, I know I didn’t!

For me, I am creative. Numbers and paperwork are not my strength, however, in business you have to understand those things! For example, I have to think about things like taxes, licenses, and business paperwork (like contracts). All of these things are a huge component of doing business, and while I thrive on the creative side of things, the numbers and paperwork also require my attention too.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a photographer that specializes in High School Senior Photography as well as families, sports leagues, and headshot/branding photography! I also recently became a certified drone pilot through the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) so I am excited that I have recently expanded my business to offer aerial photography too!

I have been in business for just over 17 years and pride myself in offering high-quality photos for my clients.

Today, many photos are taken with our cell phones and often times these are never printed or have filters placed on them. It is so important to have photos that resemble the real you and the real moments. I have made it my mission to offer true-to-color, vibrant, classic portraiture that you will still appreciate 50 years from now that will stand the test of time.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Take every opportunity to learn…and keep learning! I am a 17-year business owner and I am still finding ways to learn and expand. Create a community of people that you can learn from, people that you trust to give you honest feedback and that will help you stretch your comfort zone. While there is comfort in some spaces, it is truly the moments of being uncomfortable where you grow the most. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.reflectionsphotosite.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reflectionsphotosite/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsphotosite
• Other: https://michiganreflections.squarespace.com