I have known Jenny
Januszewski—and her parents—for over 20 years. Jenny has been in films and
performed on the stage as an actor, and has been a model.
It seems all people blessed
with creative talent possess a kind of “wanderlust” when it comes to creativity.
Jenny branched out into film and photography. I thought her story may be
relevant to many of my readers, so I asked her if I could interview her via
email, and she agreed. The content of that interview follows:
Tell us a little bit about your background
(when/where born, school, family, education, career, interests, etc.):
I was born in Vietnam and raised on a farm in Michigan by my awesome
parents, Nick and Jane Januszewski. Eventually, I attended high school at Lumen
Christi in Jackson, MI, where I took my first formal photography and darkroom
classes. After that, I went on to Chicago to work on the stage and in front of
the camera---I worked as a model and actress. Now, I’ve combined all of my
experiences to pursue the career track I’m currently on. I direct films. My
current feature film is in post production and is called The Boogeyman. It’s
based upon a short story by Stephen King. Website is www.TheBoogeymanFilm.com . I also
am working as a headshot photographer, taking photos of actors. My website for
that is www.KickAssHeadshots.com
.
When did you develop an interest in
photography?
I’ve always been
into visual arts and expressing myself through them. But photography came into
play when I realized the darkroom was a really fun place to escape during
lunchtime. I was a shy geek without friends in school. [Ha! I have a hard time believing that!] So, the option was to either sit in the lunchroom alone or to
play in the darkroom. Photography was the obvious winner.
What gave you the idea to get started
in what you are doing currently?
Every photographer
has their own “gift.” Mine is to make people comfortable and help them bring
out the emotion they wish to share in the photograph. I don’t think of my
headshot sessions simply as photography sessions. Its very much “headshot
therapy.” Film and TV actors are often fearful of a still camera because they
can’t move out of an unflattering look or a state of vulnerability that they
may find uncomfortable. I’m good at easing that and so, I decided to focus on
working with actors doing headshots.
Do you have partners, assistants, etc.
or are you strictly a woman show?
Sometimes I have
an assistant. But usually, it’s just the actor and me. I find people are more
their true selves when they don’t have a ton of people staring at them.
However, in June, I have 15 clients scheduled in two days. I’ll need to bring
my assistant for that one.
What kind of investment did it take for
you to get started?
I started with a
Canon 5D (not the Mark II) and an 85mm 1.2 USM lens. If you include that along
with the software to edit and store photos as well as blank DVDs, etc. you’re
looking at a startup cost of around $9-$11k. You can EASILY start for much
less. If you’re not competing in LA, Chicago or NYC, you can get away with
something like a refurbished Canon Rebel or even a refurbished Canon 7D.
What do you use in the way of
equipment?
Camera Body/bodies (brand/model): Canon 5D. I chose the 5D rather than the 7D because of the
format. It was about $3k. However, this one is now discontinued. Now, it would
be the Mark II that people would get.
Lens/Lenses: Canon 85mm f1.2
USM (About $2,049 plus tax and insurance)
Electronic Flash Make/Model - how many (if used): Sunshine is my flashbulb
Background(s) used (were these purchased or made
yourself?): I like to just shoot people out and about
in alleys, doorways, etc.
Other Items: Bags, various
filters, extra memory cards, extra battery and battery charger, card readers,
reflectors, clips, DVDs, marketing materials, etc.
What equipment would you like to have
that you do not currently own?
I would absolutely
love a big lighting package that I could use for both photography and filming.
I’d also like more lenses.
How do you package and sell your
service?
I offer actors a
headshot session for about $400-$500. It includes 4-5 looks (e.g. changes of
clothing); a DVD of their images un-retouched; and an online link to their
session so they can mark their favorites and forward the lists to their agents
or manager. If they’re a student, I often do packages at a lower cost if they
can get a few friends to shoot the same day. For the LA/NYC market, my price is
on the very low end.
Who owns the Copyright?
If I take their
photo, they can do what they want with it after they pay for the session. We
equally own the rights to use the photos. I’ve even gone online to read an
article about an actor and saw that they used a photo I took. That was pretty
cool.
How do you develop new poses, lighting,
etc.?
Honestly, I just
play it by ear and see how each person works best.
How do you market and advertise your
service?
I used to list in photography books and make fliers to leave at
various audition houses. But now, I just go by word of mouth. Most of my
clients are friends of friends or friends of past clients. I do have a website:
www.KickAssHeadshots.com for my
photography and www.JennyJanuszewski.com
for my film directing.
Do you do any photography OTHER than headshots?
Yes, I am a film
director
Do you use any companies to help market
your business (web design, Constant Contact email marketing, etc.)?
Nope
Do you have a goal or target ($$
earned, multiple locations, etc.)?
My monetary goal
is just to pay my bills and make enough to help support my film directing. It’s
always nice to have about 5 clients a month. But the market is driven by what’s
going on in the film/TV world and what part of the season it is. So, some
months are dry and others, it’s pouring actors and actresses.
What problems or challenges—if any--have
you encountered along the way (difficulties; equipment problems; discrimination
based on gender, race, occupation, body type; finances; etc.)?
The economy really
hit the actors hard. A lot of them lost their day jobs and just don’t have the
funds for new photos. Plus, everyone with a digital camera thinks they’re a
professional photographer now. The market gets saturated. But it’s not that
easy. I own a pair of ballet shoes----I suck at dancing. Photography is for
everyone but not everyone is a professional photographer.
Is this something others could do with
a little effort, or do you feel you were uniquely positioned to do?
If you work hard
at anything, you can make goals and reach them. However, to really stand out
and give your client something in a way very few can, it’s something you are
born with. Some people are born with an ability to play baseball like no other;
for some, it’s math; for others, it’s areas of the arts. I don’t think this
should ever discourage someone from pursing it if they are interested. However,
the average person isn’t going to go out there, buy a camera, and have their
work mistaken for Ansel Adams’.
What advice would you give to people
who wish to pursue a similar endeavor?
I’d tell them to
be patient and realize that working for yourself is harder than working for
someone else; that they need to be realistic as to their goals and
abilities---is this meant to be a profession or a hobby?; and to try shadowing
another photographer or assist them for a few days. I handed my camera to an
assistant once and they couldn’t deal with taking photos for more than 10
minutes. Just the physical stamina of staring at details through one eye in the
sunlight is something some people have to work up to.
Could readers contact you for further
information and/or advice?
