Today we’d like to introduce you to Charnise Love Jones.
Hi Charnise Love, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In 2016, during my senior year in College my father passed away from Cancer. I needed a creative outlet, so I took an intro filmmaking course that I loved. But It was too late for me to change majors. I had to create a Documentary about myself and from that moment, the process, time, tears, and self discovery I knew I wanted to tell people’s stories. Remembering back, I started taking pictures the summer of my freshman year in high school. I carried around my old Sony Cyber Shot DSC-S50 camera, I just felt the need to capture the ones I cared about. Thinking back to my younger years, my late grandfather was always taking pictures of my siblings and I. Back then I didn’t pay any attention to him doing it, but as I got older, I understood why he was always capturing moments of the family. He wanted to capture those special memories of us, so even after he passed we always could have moments to look back on. It was like him leaving his imprint on the present time, I will forever be grateful for that. He gifted us; well gifted me with these everlasting memories that I will never forget. Looking back at those moments allows me to be in that exact place even now as an adult. My freshman year in highschool, was foreshadowing moments to come of my senior year in college and now life. In 2014 my mother bought me my first professional Nikon D5200 camera, it was a beginners kit from Costco. I was so elated and was making grand plans on capturing my nephews and the family just like my grandfather did. Little did I know that was just my beginning of where I would be today. Having the camera I saw all the amazing things I could be, and where I could go and today I can say I’m proud of how far I’ve come. While capturing sports, & entertainment events, I was finessing my way into big concerts and shows as Love Jones Photography. I was ahead of my time, a young 20-year-old- something in these big spaces with my eyes wide open to all the opportunities I had with my Nikon LOL.
After shooting my first big show the “Spring Mayhem ” at Cal Eastbay college in Hayward, CA, the lineup was Ty Dolla, ZZ ward, Kid Ink, and Joe Marson. After seeing my photos, I wanted to enhance them but I didn’t have the software to do it. So one day I went home and told my mom that I needed Lightroom to edit my photos. I didn’t know what Adobe was fully, I just knew having it would take my photos to the next level. After graduating college, I took a chance on myself and flew to NYC. I knew that’s where I needed to be to get to where I wanted. I saw a production company shooting a commercial, I spoke to a production assistant, and exchanged information. A year later he called and asked if I wanted to work the VMAs, and from that moment of connecting it gave me my first start into the production world. I’ve been blessed to work on many shows like THE GRAMMYS, VMAs, AMA’s, People’s Choice Awards, etc. I knew that I wanted to grow my company to be bigger and put on my own productions, and with my mind made up I established Love Jones Enterprises. I fell in love with capturing moments that we could relive even after the moments had passed. Photography, live Shows, & Videography all go hand in hand – so I just couldn’t choose to focus on one, I would be limiting myself and I can’t do that.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The road to where I am now has not been an easy one. I tried my best to juggle a 9-5, but it always seemed to not work out for me. My faith plays a big role on how I view hardships, by no means am I saying that my faith doesn’t waiver. But I am still learning to lean into God when I can’t see the trees through the forest. There were many struggles I was faced with, to have a steady job or live paycheck to paycheck to follow your dreams! Each time I had a job and I got a call to fly out, I always chose to follow my heart – which sometimes isn’t easy to do because you have the people in your corner telling you the logic of the situation of finances and stability. They always mean well by reminding you of those things, but I had to learn that their bread and butter didn’t always fit the dream I had for myself. I had to learn quickly to lean into God if I was going to fully pursue this career path. I can admit I messed up some relationships along the way trying to move forward, but I can say since I’ve matured now all those relationships taught me accountability, understanding and forgiveness. And to give myself grace in the areas that I’m still growing in – like they say heaven wasn’t created in one day.
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 company is called Love Jones Productions. It was a long journey to fully know what I wanted to do with this company and I’m still evolving as I go along. But, LJP creates events that amplify God, “I love togetherness and anything I can do to bring all people of different backgrounds together I’m going to make it happen”. I specialize in concerts and family entertainment, as well as documentary filming, and live streaming. I love to show the authenticity of people and who they are and how they got to where they are. Naturally, I’m very inquisitive and will ask plenty of questions to get to know someone; and I realized that people all have a story that they want to share; they just feel like no one will listen. I wanted to create a platform where people who aren’t in the limelight have a chance to inspire someone with their story, and If I can do that for them then sign me up! I prayed to have a company that would be created to inspire people to want to share their love for Christ without being ashamed, and I knew by wanting to have that type of company I needed to be just that so people can see the founder being transparent and vulnerable.
Love Jones Productions is founded on Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us”. What sets me apart from others is my drive to want to know people’s stories, and to achieve that is by not being afraid to go out there and be with them. I am mindful of all situations and stories, but If I get the okay from the spirit and seek counsel from those I trust about embarking on capturing a particular story I’m all in. Love Jones Productions is known for creating amazing events that amplify God and bring those of different backgrounds together for a good time. I’m most proud of following the dream God gave me, not all the time I trusted the vision because I couldn’t see the trees through the forest, but it was the greatest decision I made to follow God, and by obeying him to create Love Jones Productions.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is knowing what I’m creating is bigger than me. I know it sounds cliché, but God really gave me a dope vision to draw people back to him. The love I have for Christ and young people makes me the perfect person to create these magical events for people to attend. What I love most about the person I’m evolving into is knowing that we don’t have to be perfect to receive God’s blessing or the vision, you just have to be willing. When I come into contact with people and ask them to share their story, they are usually hesitant because they feel they might be judged, but I tell them I don’t care what you’ve done in the past, I just want to get to know you! And seeing their smile knowing someone wants to listen to their story without passing judgment makes my heart smile and I become overjoyed. Being blessed to have this type of gift from God allows me to experience God in a unique way because, I get first-hand experience on how God is to us everyday, not passing judgment on us; he just wants us close and near to him, and he’s always willing to listen to us no matter the situation may be. What makes me happy is being a vessel for God, and people being able to experience how great God is through me.
Contact Info:
- Website: lovejonesproductions.net
- Instagram: Chartakeyourtime
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lovejonesproduction/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjULb2uf5Q6e0Kd80qvxRlQ
Image Credits
love Jones Productions
