Business Profile – Jenny Beck Photography

January 7, 2012 0 Comments

by Mary Martineau

Maybe there’s something in the air in Harrison West that enhances the creativity of its residents. Jenny Beck began experimenting with photography 5 years ago—at about the same time that she became the first resident in the Flats at Harrison Park. Coincidence? I suggest not. What started as a diversion became a fallback occupation when the economy soured and employment options looked bleak. The part-time pursuit has grown into a business that has been flourishing for 3 years. For Jenny Beck, it is a lucrative and fun outlet for her innate creativity.

Jenny’s hobby was initiated by an acquaintance (her former high school youth leader) who started her own photography business. Seeing the beautiful work of her friend inspired Jenny to purchase a starter camera and take photos. Although she had taken a photography class in college (Jenny is an OSU graduate), it wasn’t her favorite mode of expression at the time. All of that changed when her interest was rekindled by the photos of her friend and she picked up the camera again. Jenny has an artistic background. She has taken art classes in the past, and she has always been interested in art. As soon as she resumed taking photographs, she learned techniques, and she was hooked. Photography is now Jenny’s passion. She upgraded the beginner camera to a Canon 5D that really took her business to the next level, and she would love to obtain even more advanced equipment as she progresses. In the meantime, Jenny takes as many classes and workshops as she can and interacts with other photographers to continue to hone her photography skills.

Jenny’s business model was developed while living in Harrison West. Her style has been influenced by her love for the neighborhood, and one of her favorite subjects is ordinary people in the scenery of everyday life. With its esoteric charms and unique building structures and its easy access to German Village and the rest of the Short North (her other favorite shooting locales), Harrison West has offered abundant imagery for her to photograph. Jenny specializes in portraits of couples, families, children and high school seniors—with the occasional wedding thrown in for good measure. Capturing the essence of her subjects in a fun, casual style is her goal during her shoots. “I like to photograph real people in their neighborhood living their lives. I steer away from making things too cheesy or posey-posey,” Jenny declares.

Maintaining a fulltime job with Abercrombie and Fitch at their corporate headquarters, Jenny is one busy woman. Her official title is corporate project specialist. With a degree in interior design from The Ohio State University, she was hired to coordinate the space planning for the offices. Her talent at that task led to additional duties including planning home office events as well as organizing and fulfilling all of the philanthropic requests that the company receives.

Jenny wants her neighbors to know that her focus in her photographic pursuits is to turn images of everyday life into art. She seeks to capture casual, natural, intimate moments that aren’t posed and that reflect the daily instances of our lives. Jenny firmly believes that the Short North and Harrison West populations are infused with artistic and creative individuals who would appreciate her work. When she is not working or photographing, you might run into Jenny at Harrison’s on Third or perhaps Zeno’s. “I remember the snowstorm a few years ago when it was impossible to go anywhere. So I trudged down to Zeno’s and ended up hanging out with a lot of folks that I recognized as neighbors who were also stranded,” she recalls. That’s one of the great things about Harrison West: friendly, everyday folks from all walks of life, and Jenny Beck does her best to capture those folks and their spirit with her camera.

You can see some of Jenny’s work at http://www.jennybeckphotography.com/.