Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodi Jacobs
I have been a photographer for as long as I can remember but it was always something that was on the back burner for me. Growing up, my dad was a big tech guy and loved to show me how to use cameras and video cameras, but my heart was always in dance. I studied International Studies, while in college in New York and at the same time was pursuing a dance career. Along the way I happened to fall in love with acting, which led me to moving to LA 18 years ago. However, finding an acting job in LA was hard so I continued bartending to make ends meet. After about 10 years I got to a point where I didn’t want to do it anymore- going to auditions, bartending, sleepless nights… I just couldn’t. So I decided I was going to carve my own path but I had no idea how. Then, I quit my bartending job and because I had nothing lined up, I turned to Craig’s List and started answering every job ad with some potential, thinking “I could do that. Sure, I’ll do that.” I should also mention that I was going through a pretty hard breakup at this time and was using my camera as a means of therapy just going around and photographing anything I could get my hands on. So that helped to build up my photography portfolio. Finally, I came across a job ad for an in-house photographer for the prestigious Jonathan Club. I got the job and it’s been one thing leading up to another since then. And here we are, almost 10 years later with a brick-and-mortar photography studio in Santa Monica and 18 employees- a lot of which are artists. It’s been a difficult road but 100% worth it- I am incredibly grateful to our clients and to my amazing and dedicated team who helps create the most amazing portraits for our clients, their families and their legacies.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We are a very detail orientated business so if the smallest detail goes unnoticed, it can have a big impact on the entire production process and client experience. We are all human and sometimes human error occurs but one of the things we are big on in our company culture is accountability. So when a mistake is made, we own up to it! There are always going to be lessons to be learned, however, through and through, my team comes together and turns things around. They always come to me with solutions before I even ask and that’s what separates a great team from one that needs work.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We specialize in creating custom, heirloom portraits for families, children and pets that are meant to be passed down from generation to generation. Our portraits hold a unique style with signature posing that last between 20 and 200 years.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
The most underrated characteristic I would dedicate my success to is vulnerability. Sure tenacity, hard work, dedication, attention to detail are all qualities that came along the way but overall, vulnerability and really being a sounding board for my team and clients- no matter how hard it is to hear sometimes – is probably the most important characteristic I’ve had to learn to possess in order to get to where I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hausofportraiture.com
- Instagram: @hausofportraiture.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hausofportraiture
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hausofportraiture
