shooting with jade
I’ve admired the images of Jade Elizabeth Portraiture for a long time. Every time I saw her work, I thought: this is how women should be photographed. She has a way of capturing softness and strength at once – light and shadow that feel like a quiet awakening – and a deep respect for her subjects. Her women don’t just pose; they reveal themselves. That always drew me in.
When I started needing photos for female-run businesses, there was no question who I wanted behind the lens. I watched how Jade framed them, how she made them feel seen – and I thought: that’s exactly the energy I want for my own brand work. She wasn’t just making pretty pictures. She was creating images that felt honest, powerful, and a little bit magical.
Then came the day I needed photos of me. It happened before I was “ready,” at a time when I felt less than glamorous. I was in a season of doubt – feeling tired, unattractive, and puffier than I normally looked. Booking a session felt like a stretch.
But Jade met me exactly where I was. She was patient and endlessly creative – willing to play with different ideas, poses, and approaches until I felt more “on-brand” and, more importantly, more comfortable in my own skin. She reminded me that a shoot doesn’t have to be about presenting a perfect version of yourself; it can be about rediscovering the version that’s already there.
And then the shoot happened. I braced myself, half-expecting to hate every shot. Instead, I saw something else. I saw light – not just external, but internal. I saw angles of me I didn’t know existed. I saw softness where I thought I’d lost it. I saw presence; not perfection, but me, showing up.
Now, when I look at those images, I don’t just see photos – I see treasures. They hold a story of transformation: of how good photography, and a genuinely skilled photographer (aka Jade), can reflect not what you think you look like, but who you are.
What I Learned from My Shoot with Jade
Trust your eye. If you’re drawn to a photographer’s work – for how they see, how they hold space, how they make real people feel real – trust that instinct. The right match will elevate your vision and help you show up as your best self.
Vulnerability is strength. Going into a shoot when I felt shaky taught me this: showing up doesn’t mean you’re fully together – it just means you’re ready to be found.
The right photographer is a collaborator. Jade didn’t just snap me. She listened, she guided, and she helped me see parts of myself I thought were lost. That kind of creative partnership is rare – and invaluable.
Photographs are more than decoration. They tell stories. They convey how someone wants to be seen, how they should be seen, and how they feel in that moment. They’re visual narratives that connect the subject and the viewer – and that’s what makes them powerful.
Jade took every shot I needed – and more. She even captured one image she knew I would cherish forever, one I didn’t even know I needed until I saw it. It’s the one I’ll frame for my children one day, the one that captures who I was in that moment. And that is why she’s so right for what she does.
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth doing your own shoot – even when the timing feels off, or you don’t feel ready – it is. You might just end up with treasures you didn’t know you were carrying all along.
If you want to book your own shoot with Jade, visit Jade Elizabeth Portraiture.
