Meet Jonathan Adjahoe of JCKA Photography in Los Feliz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Adjahoe.

Jonathan, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am a 34 years old creative born and raised in the Washington D.C. area. Born of two wonderful and creative parents Edgar and Nevilla Ottley-Adjahoe. I had no choice but to create. I have a few different backgrounds, in my early days, between 6-10years old, I loved to take apart things, including my remote control cars to my mother’s computers, and attempt to put them back together. Within those years, I would always have a camera. Most of the time, it would be a little disposable camera but sometimes for bigger occasions, when my parents were around they would let me take photos with their Olympus point and shoot camera. I didn’t take it too seriously so once that camera stopped working, I continued with music and IT until about 2009. I bought my very own DSLR, it was a Canon T1i with a 50mm lens and started taking photos of my friends.

Ever since I bought that camera, I have been taking photos, learning how to create beautiful images of people. After I quit my IT job in DC, I went to school in Boston for music but I kept shooting, learning how to use different elements like snow and rain to still create beautiful images. I already had a plan, go to Boston then, LA but not photography. I had planned to compose music for films but that didn’t quite work out. I went back to my old career in IT and once again got tired of it. This time I turned to photography. I quit my job and went full-time with freelancing in October of 2019 and now I’m here.

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?
I wouldn’t say it’s been smooth. At times it grew rough. I think the toughest part was going from full-time technician and part time photographer to full-time photographer. Learning that you have to hustle all the time to get work and to keep getting more work is a challenge. Somedays you just want to stay in bed all day but you can’t because if you don’t work, you don’t get paid and there is no PTO. Another struggle was choice a look for my photos. With this great tool called Instagram, you can see millions of other people’s work. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to see so many great images and try not to compare it to your work. There is of course the pandemic struggle… This was my first year doing this, I had plans to work with so many artists, companies, and brands but we got shut down. I can count on one hand how many shoots I did between the 2nd week in March and the beginning of June. It was tough to wake up to an empty calendar or have events on the calendar that were canceled but were making it through. It’s still slow but I am no longer focused on that. I am focused on the work I do have.

Please tell us about JCKA Photography.
At JCKA Photography, we specialize in portraits, headshots, and all types of events. I am known for my portraits of black women and for capturing and telling a story thru photos of events. I am most proud of making it an entire year as a black-owned business, also proud of doing work for BET and OWN Networks. I think what sets me apart is that I strive very hard to not only capture great images but to make the entire experience from start to finish something memorable, fun, and wholesome.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I would have to say when I put my mother’s computer back together and it worked! Up until that point, I was unsuccessful, I would take it apart and when reassembled something wasn’t working and basically rendering it useless. This time, I took a couple of extra steps on backing up data and reading the directions for installing the software. There was no “googling” back in 92′. So I had to sit and read.

Pricing:

• Portraits & Headshots – 1 hour session starts at $300. Client will receive 10 beautifully retouched photos
• Events start at $250 for the first 2 hours of coverage.
• Wedding package start at $1200
• Brand shoots range from $350

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jckaphoto.com
• Phone: 202-498-2387
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @jcka_photo

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