Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanna DeGeneres.
Joanna, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have my BFA from Michigan State University in Art (painting and drawing) and an MFA from the University Of Washington’s Professional Actor Training Program. Like a lot of headshot photographers, I moved to LA to be an actor. While desperately looking for something else creative to do, I picked up a camera in 2004. It made so much sense for me. My day job was at a casting office and with my art background and my own acting career, it was a no-brainer and I have been shooting ever since.
When I started, I still had my other jobs and I was still acting and auditioning but it was clear pretty quickly that my acting career was taking a back seat to my photography so I went with it and it grew really organically and pretty robustly. I haven’t really looked back.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In some ways, it has been really easy and in other ways, really challenging. I guess every business feels that way. When I started there was no Facebook and the only ways to advertise were through actor newspapers and by dropping off cards at various casting offices. It was quite expensive and time-consuming. When Facebook came around it really made it so much easier but opened the door to every actor with a camera who thinks they can shoot headshots so the competition is very steep and LA is saturated with terrible photographers who are willing to take a thousand photos of an actor for $50. Rising above those photographers made me work harder to make sure I was doing something better and I needed to be on the lists of good agencies and top managers who would recommend their actors to me. In order to be one of those photographers, you have to prove that your photos grab attention and that actors are being marketed properly. That’s what I always try to do. Up everyone’s game. In a way, all the competition has made me work harder and find what it is I can bring to someone’s session that is better than another photographer and higher quality than an actor with a camera.
Please tell us about Joanna DeGeneres Photography.
I am mainly a headshot photographer but I shot photos for a home design book for Ellen Degeneres (yes, my amazing sister-in-law) and I have shot weddings, author photos for articles, book covers and almost everything else. I am known for headshots and I use the skills that I learned as an actor to work with people and the skills I learned working in casting to market actors and the background I have in art to make sure that the photo makes sense and comes together as a composition. I am most proud that no matter who walks into my studio, I can nurture that session and get something out of that person that then reaches through the camera and really stands out. I say it every day but I really love what I do and my favorite part of my job is that I never know who is going to walk through my door but when they do, we are best friends for those few hours and when they leave I know that we accomplished their goals. I approach the session as team work and I am thrilled when I turn on the tv and see an actor that I shot working. My goal is to help someone reach theirs. It’s different than other photography because the art of the photo can’t get in the way of the actor. It’s a tool, not art. Art is different and I work on that outside of my headshots.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I moved to Michigan from Scotland at the age of 12 with my mom. We had shipped our stuff and had to spend one last night in our house in Scotland without anything. My mom and I slept on the floor with our coats as blankets with all kinds of excitement and anticipation to start our new life in America.
Pricing:
- Headshot packages start at 3 looks for $475 but can be modified for more or less looks
- Makeup and hair styling is available starting at $175 for 3 looks with our artists and is worth it!
- Rates for other shoots vary, so call for any info on that
Contact Info:
- Address: 12130 Sherman Way, North Hollywood, 91605
- Website: http://www.joannadegeneres.com
- Phone: 818-262-5253
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @joannadegeneres
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joannadegeneresphotography/
- Twitter: @JoannaDegeneres
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/joanna-degeneres-north-hollywood
