Fairy Tales on Film
Adonye Jaja talks about his work as a fine art wedding photographer
Images courtesy of Adonye Jaja.
How does Adonye Jaja convey a story in the photograph above?
Scholastic Art: What is your job?
Courtesy of ZeroEnergy Design.
Adonye Jaja
Adonye Jaja: I’m a fine art wedding photographer. It’s fairly easy to take a picture that represents what’s happening at an event like a wedding. But I think it switches over into art when you have a little bit of intention or a desire to make it something more than the sum of its parts.
SA: How do you meet and connect with your clients?
AJ: Sometimes I get cold calls, but I meet most of my clients through wedding planners. We usually start with a phone consult or a Zoom call. We talk about how their wedding is going to feel and how it’ll look. Then I have them describe their relationship, and we talk about how they want to be portrayed across time, what they want for their visual legacy.
Images courtesy of Adonye Jaja.
Why is natural light so important in this composition?
SA: How much of your work happens at the wedding? How much happens later when you’re editing?
AJ: It’s probably 98 percent in the moment. I don’t do a lot of editing after the wedding. I’m mostly a purist when it comes to the camera. Sometimes I use Photoshop to remove safety supports [like the ones that kept the bride safe while Jaja took the photo above left]. But I wouldn’t add something that wasn’t there, like a sun flare.
Images courtesy of Adonye Jaja.
Jaja crops the scene above to emphasize the action.
SA: How do you help people who are not used to being in the spotlight look amazing?
AJ: I’m an available-light shooter or a natural-light shooter. That means I don’t use a lot of artificial light, like flashes. I work with the sun or whatever light is available to me. And then I position the couple so the light shows the beauty that’s already there.
SA: How did you get your start?
AJ: I was always taking photos as a kid. In college, I studied psychology and didn’t take any art classes. After graduating, I was in Denver, and I met another photographer. I asked if I could work for him just to learn about photography. One day he told me I was good enough to do this on my own. That night I made a website, and I bought my business license. It was tough at the beginning. I had to learn how to be a businessperson, which is not glamorous, but you have to do it to succeed.
Images courtesy of Adonye Jaja.
How does Jaja capture his subject’s personality in the portrait above?
SA: What challenges have you faced? How have you overcome them?
AJ: As an artist, you’re always questioning if your work is good and wondering if people will like it. Learning that I don’t have to care about that, I just have to put it out into the world and let everyone else decide whether it’s good has been a challenge.
SA: What is exciting about your job?
AJ: I love meeting new people, hearing new stories, and traveling. I didn’t travel a lot when I was a kid. Early on, I was at a shoot on a mountain in Aspen, it was snowing, and I got emotional. It was so beautiful, and I couldn’t believe I got to be there for my job. I’ve gotten to shoot at the Great Wall of China, in Mexico, in Canada, and all over the United States. My life is so interesting. I get to go to all these crazy places and take pictures of happy people.
SA: Do you have advice for students who are interested in careers as photographers?
AJ: Pick up a camera and start shooting. Just keep working at it. I wasn’t formally trained, and I don’t think you necessarily need to be. Use your cell phone. Look at light, make pictures, and have fun.
