I am having so much fun with these 20 on Tuesday interviews, I don’t know why I didn’t start doing this earlier!  I’m so impressed with the warm responses I’ve received from these photographers when I’ve for an interview.  They are all highly sought-after, busy women with more important things to do than answer my 20 questions, but they have all been generous and sweet and willing to appease me. 

This week I’m featuring someone who is not only a fabulous photographer, but also an amazing designer.  I met her this past spring at WPPI when I approached her after a presentation to ask a few questions.  She was so down-to-earth and open and freely gave me advice on pricing and products for the senior market.  I was impressed with her kindness and willingness to share and I knew she was someone I wanted to feature.  It shouldn’t have surprised me that she was up for my 20 questions, but it did. It’s so refreshing when someone you look up to and emulate turns out to be just as sweet as you imagined.  Her designs and templates are among my favorites. In fact my senior reps are all sporting  cards designed by her this year.  Welcome, Jamie Schultz!

Hi, Jamie,

Where are you from and where is home now? I’m originally from Dakota City, Nebraska but currently live in Hudson, Wisconsin (a suburb of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area)

Are you formally educated or self-taught in photography? Self-taught

What words would you use to describe your
style of photography? honest and emotive

What inspires you? Genuine conversations and traveling to new destinations

How did you get involved in design? Creating is something I’ve always enjoyed and having an opportunity to combine my love for design with my passion for photography is a dream come true.

How do you stay motivated and your photography
current? I make every effort to make an honest connection with each of my clients.  Getting to know my clients personally often provides all the motivation I need to keep me rolling through a session.  In terms of keeping my photography current…I do my best to stay true to my style.  While I may experiment with current trends/styles I try to keep those types of shots to a minimum.  It seems that every time I try to emulate a current trend I’m always disappointed with the results.

If you could be invisible for one day with your
camera… I’d love to photograph various random acts of kindness.

Talk to us about personal projects.  How important are they and what have you done lately? A personal project I just completed was one I’ve wanted to do for quite some time.  I gathered old photographs from both my grandmother and mother and spent days sorting through our family photos.  It reminded me of the impact and importance of photography in general.

Name a photographer you would like to take a
portrait of? Shelley Paulson

What’s your best advice for balancing work and family? My family always takes priority over business.  Establishing firm boundaries between work and family time is essential for success in both arenas.

What’s in your camera bag? I’m a minimalist when it comes to gear…I typically have one camera body (5D) and a maximum of two lenses in my bags at any given shoot.

When you’re not photographing, where can we
find you? At our cottage in the northwoods or at the library scouring for books to read.

If not a photographer what would you have been? Children’s Nutrtionist

If you could live anywhere in this amazing world where would you build your dream home? Northern Wisconsin…oh, how I love the northwoods!

What are the three words your spouse/best friend would use to describe you? Confident, Self-Motivated, Genuine

Something that is over rated… Overprocessed photos

Your favorite movie of all time? The Shop Around the Corner

Who would play you in a movie of your life? Reese Witherspoon

Name one blog you stalk regularly.  A Cup of Jo (http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/)  It’s fashion, photography & design…all wrapped up in one fabulous blog!

Can you show us a few of your favorite images that best represent your work?

(I think another reason Jamie is one of my favs is because of her incredible studio!  Before photography took over life as I knew it, I was forever knee deep in home magazines and remodeling projects.  Stick me on a deserted island with only a stack of Traditional Home magazines and I’d be perfectly happy.  So when I saw Jamie’s studio, I went a little weak-in-the-knees.) Here’s a peek:

See what I mean?!?!

Jamie’s photography can be found HERE

and her designs can be found HERE

Thank you, Jamie!