Hey, there!! I am back typing away after the kiddos are asleep and I am excited about this blog post as ambition and drive within young people excites me. I feel like giving those young hustlers a giant high-five and congratulating them on being a decade ahead of where I was at their age. Of course, I have to give y'all a quote: "Be so good they can't ignore you". This. Quote. It's a quote that I thought of as I am looking at photos to post of my friend, Madyson Jaynes. We met in the Spring as we were looking for a videographer in our area to join our T+T team. Our photographer, Carrie of Eventide Photography by Carrie Cantrell, mentioned Maddy and that she heard wonderful things about her. Thanks to the good ole internet, I immediately messaged Maddy and we scheduled a time to chat. She was prompt, sweet, professional.....and in high school. Do what now? Girl....I was barely putting gas in my car in high school and you are running a business? I was impressed. I just had a feeling she would give it her all and WANT to provide the best quality videos just by our conversation and content I saw on Facebook. She has truly been amazing for our brand as she is easy to work with, an extremely happy face, and follows through with her word! I LOVE photography and videography and am so glad that they are both a huge part of my business even though I don't have to actually do that complicated editing. Props to all of you who work it!! It's not easy!!
Maddy Jayne Photography was born about a year ago, before her senior year of high school, after a childhood of being in front of a camera. Maddy was destined for this line of work, as her Mom always told her. Maddy's mother worked at the Photo Center in Target while pregnant with her and would tell her that the love of the camera was related to all the chemicals and fumes surrounding them. Being a photogenic child with a Mom interested in photography definitely rooted her in the field. Even though she was "slightly obsessed," as she says, with having her photo taken, it all changed in 2015 when she inherited a Canon SL1 camera from her Nana. She became comfortable with the camera and then joined her high school's yearbook staff and she was sold. With so much practice and consistency due to school and her passion for photography, she became more confident and began to take senior and family photos for clients. And the next part of her story gives me chills...because the people you meet in the business world will truly mold you and improve your soul and well-being on so many levels.
While Maddy was in high school, she met Samantha Slayton, a phenomenal west TN photographer. Maddy worked with Samantha as a senior rep, or model, and eventually changed roles into an intern. If you know Samantha Slayton's work, you know that Maddy had to be on Cloud 9 in this position. Maddy speaks so highly of Samantha and explains that she is the reason that Maddy initially had the spark of belief that she could turn her hobby into a career. She spent some time helping Samantha photograph weddings and other sessions and eventually Samantha was so confident in Maddy's skills, that she requested a wedding video from Maddy. This is a bid deal!!! A wedding video is important, detailed, time-consuming, and requires patience, editing skills, and an eye for what the client is expecting. This request made Maddy realize that she was completely capable of doing more with her photography and videography skills. As a teenager, she tells me that she told herself that day that she must learn any and everyitng she can from her mentor, Samantha. I mean, how insightful???
Fast forward one year, she has graduated high school and her business is booming. She has quinceaneras, advertisements, and wedding videos under her belt. She already has plans to film ten weddings with Samantha Slayton this year and is growing her own brand, as well, while remaining loyal to Samantha Slayton, which I think is very impressive. Her work is fabulous, but her work ethic and passion are impeccable. I love sharing her story as it is so inspiring for me to possess a passion at such a young age and actually pursue it. It takes effort, sacrifice, courage, and determination to sort though the phase of life of being a teenager and creating a business. I just find it worth the read and admirable. Therefore, that quote applies to Maddy because I know that being young, some people write you off or ignore you when you tell them your dreams. But, girl, be so good that they CAN'T ignore you!!
