Headshot Photographer Talk with Jeanette Sesay The Job Talk Podcast

Headshot Photographer Talk with Jeanette Sesay
Jeanette Sesay is the owner of a high-end headshot business where she photographs anyone from top executives to dental assistants and young actors. She has been working as a photographer since graduating from the NAIT Photographic Technology program in 2010. Her careers with both NAIT and the University of Alberta have brought her photography onto billboards, buses, magazines and promotional materials across the country. She’s volunteered as a photographer for an NGO in Uganda, photographed an event in Paris and captured countless weddings and family sessions.
After her time in the spotlight she started a family and as a mom she was looking for a career that she was able to do while also parenting three young boys. While she was working in the corporate world she dreamed of owning her own business capturing headshots for professionals but it was so hard to leave a secure position with regular pay and benefits for the unknown. Finally, while pregnant with her third son she and her husband decided it was time to get that dream started and in the height of COVID she perfected her lighting style and built up a portfolio of images to be used for her promo materials. Since then the business has taken on a life of its own and it’s almost impossible to keep up with both the business and life at home with the boys.
When she first studied photography she had no intention whatsoever to make it a career so the direction her life has taken still surprises her all the time!
Description
Photographers operate still cameras to photograph people, events, scenes, materials, products and other subjects. They are employed by photographic studios, newspapers, magazines, museums and government, or they may be self-employed.
Job Forecast
In order to determine the expected outlook of an occupation, the magnitude of the difference between the projected total numbers of new job seekers and job openings over the whole projection period (2019-2028) is analyzed in conjunction with an assessment of labour market conditions in recent years. The intention is to determine if recent labour market conditions (surplus, balance or shortage) are expected to persist or change over the period 2019-2028. For instance, if the analysis of key labour market indicators suggests that the number of job seekers was insufficient to fill the job openings (a shortage of workers) in an occupational group in recent years, the projections are used to assess if this situation will continue over the projection period or if the occupation will move towards balanced conditions.
As job openings and job seekers are projected to be at relatively similar levels over the 2019-2028 period, the balance between labour supply and demand seen in recent years is expected to continue over the projection period.
Employment Requirements
This is what you typically need for the job: A bachelor’s degree in visual arts with specialization in photography or Completion of specialized training in photography in high school, college or specialized training schools or Extensive on-the-job training under the supervision of a photographer is required. Experience in, or knowledge of computerized photography or digital imaging may be required.
Creative and technical ability, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, are required.
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