Meet Jesse Klein of Muskegon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Klein

Hi Jesse, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My artisan story began long before I picked up the camera, began riding horses, and even before I realized my love for dogs and dog training. It begins with my mother, who herself was an artist, and one who strongly believed art was so valuable, that she would pull me from all of my art classes in school, to spend that time teaching me herself.

While I have a plethora of art knowledge, in a unique variety of ancient mediums, nothing sparked my passion like photography. This unfortunate came a bit late, in that my passion and drive for photography was the result of my heart pony passing, and realizing after 8 years, I only had a handful of photographs to remember her by.

I struggled through my teen years, feeling lost and alone, only finding comfort in the horses and dogs I surrounded myself with. I focused my photography on those that brought me happiness, which were both horses and dogs. This lead to a small business in Maine, which then expanded throughout all of New England, photographing a range of pet dogs to Westminister Champions, back yard ponies to horses and equestrians ranked best in the country.

I eventually dropped out of the local college and moved to Michigan, seeking a fresh start in life. I photographed for many years for other photographers, testing the waters to see if it was truly something I was passionate about, or only something I had done to please my mother.

In the end of a 5 year semi-hiatus, I left my corporate managerial job, and opened a new photography business, J.Klein Photos, that specialized again in horses and dogs. Since returning to photography full time, I have had the honor of photographing today’s top athletes (horses, dogs and humans!), and capturing the emotional love and bond people have with their horses and dogs. It has been incredibly fulfilling, and my drive to continually grow the business has provided my family with a comfortable lifestyle I always hoped for growing up.

My home base is in Muskegon, Michigan, but I travel throughout all of the USA, photographing for private clients, national publications, and world renown equestrian brands. I do also offer private mentorships for equine and canine photographers, and this year have started offering group workshops, focused on all things related to equine photography!

In the coming years, I hope to further my own skill set as a photographer, refining my use of natural lighting, using animal behavior to elevate my work, and to share the knowledge I have gained over the years with the next up and coming photographers!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When working toward a goal, we all run into obstacles we have to either route around, or learn from to better the journey ahead.

Have there been struggles, absolutely. Have I had days where I wanted to throw it all away, 100%. But then I remember the importance of my job, not only to myself, but in capturing the memories that mean the most to fellow horse and dog owners.

The biggest struggle I’ve had to harness in my business has been my own mindset. I was brought up in a home that didn’t value my life, which means nothing I did was good enough, and whatever I did, didn’t matter. Learning to rewire those channels in my brain for a healthier mindset has been an on going project, and in all honestly, probably will be a life long project.

Feeling pride for my own work, being kind to myself when things didn’t go as planned, staying open to criticism, and continually seeking ways I can better myself as an artist, and a business owner, helps to balance the daily drive and demand a successful business requires.

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?
My small business is known for it’s emotional, portrait photography of horses and dogs, and the bond they have with their owners.

Being able to tap into the world of animals by listening to their behavior and body language is what sets me apart from other photographers. My background begins with animal behavior, but includes decades of riding horses and training dogs, in an array of sports and specialities. When I wasn’t on a horse or working dogs, I was photographing them, striving to capture their personality and connection with the world around them.

I am most proud of the overall experience I offer for my clients. Starting from the in depth information on my website, the simple process of booking a photoshoot, the relaxed but enriching time during the photoshoot, the emotional joy of revealing the final images, and customizing fine art for client homes in a simple, but elegant process. Clients enjoy a very professional service from start to finish, but it comes from someone who feels more like an old friend, than a stranger with a camera.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
You need an endless amount of tenacity, resilience and bravery, to adjust yourself and your business to find, and maintain success.

Having a successful photography business includes two parts; one in that you have to be a good artist, and two that you have to be good at business. You can not have one without the other, and is most often the cause of photographers remaining hobbyist or closing their business all together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jkleinphotos.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.kleinphotos
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessekleinphotos