Jennifer Loomis continued...

Your photos are so straightforward in a way – romantic without the clichés of romanticism – how do you achieve this?
Thank you. That is a nice description of them.  I am trained to capture a feeling in a photograph, to tell a story.  You have to anticipate and observe your subjects and get to know them so you can actually make the photograph that best depicts them. Of course, I can set things up and give some direction, but I mainly ask clients how they hold their baby, hug their partner, etc.  Those are your photographs that tell a story.

What’s the reaction you get most from clients and others who see your work?
Most people are amazed by my work, which is really flattering.  People actually pick up on the subconscious feeling that I try to capture in my photos. Often they can’t quite articulate it, but they always say, “there is just something about your photos that I really love.” A feeling clicked with them and made them decide to choose me as their photographer even if they had to fly 1,000 miles to come to one of my studios. 

You give so much to these mothers and families - what do you get out of the work you do?
Hmmm, I like this question because I get so much back from my clients and rarely get to reflect on it.  Many of them have become friends of mine.  They also teach me about love and the trials and tribulations of marriage and raising a family. I am constantly inspired by the women I photograph. I am truly blessed, and as a way of giving back, I donate more than 10% of my income to organizations helping women and children.

Indulge me: If you could shoot anyone, any celebrity, any mom or family, who would it be?
I would love to shoot Madonna or Angelina Jolie. They are role models for me because they are strong women who stick to their beliefs and have used their celebrity status to try, in a responsible way, to make this world a better place.

On the flipside, who would you pick to shoot you if you were pregnant?
This is a tough question, but I would probably ask Joyce Tenneson, who has been a mentor of mine, or Annie Leibovitz, who helped me get started in all this.

Now for the nitty-gritty that all us moms want to know - how do you find time for yourself amongst all the pressures of running a business, your family, and just life in general?
Yoga and meditation are integral parts of my morning routine - that and walking my crazy happy dogs. I wake up at 6 to meditate, then do Iyengar yoga and stretching. By the time I am finished, the dogs know I am up and are racing around the house because they know it is their turn for a walk. It is such a great way to start my day.

What do you do to renew your mojo when you are feeling particularly frazzled?
As a creative person who travels twice a month often for a week at a time, I need to be very careful that I don’t burn out. To combat burnout, I take a lot of vacations and usually plan one or two yoga retreats a year. Also, at my studios, we all work four-day weeks.

A four-day work week sounds fabulous!  The girls and I all have bios posted at PoshCravings.com – if you had to write a similar one, what would it say?
Career: Fine-art photographer specializing in pregnancy and family in San Francisco, Seattle, and New York.

Cravings: Warm blue water and a good view
 
Personal Style: Trendy, yet comfortable. I love my 1921 jeans and black boots, but I always shoot in bare feet.  The artist in me favors darker colors, but I love anything in my favorite color, green.  I peruse sites like ShopItToMe.com to find my favorite designers on sale. 

Fave Celeb Mommy:  Julia Roberts and Madonna

Manifesto: “Passion and love must drive your world.” This is a quote from Mario Garcia, a professor of mine from Poynter Institute…AND “You must be the change you want to see in the world” by Gandhi.

Although it has been some time since Jennifer picked up her first camera at age eight, I can’t help but feel like that same curiosity and spirit she felt then still inspires her photography today.  Jennifer has encouraged women across the world to harness their maternal mojo and bask in the beauty of motherhood.  Now, if only I could figure out where I put that new lens, I’ve got some photos of my own to take - with a spark of inspiration from my newfound friend.