Some client connections feel meant to be from the very beginning. Denise Carter is one of those.
I first met Denise Carter at a networking event where I was photographing the crowd. Later, she told me she had been watching me work, noticed my positive energy, and felt drawn to it. Shortly after, she reached out and booked one of my 1 Hour Brand Starter Sessions, which I happened to be running as a special at the time. Right away, I knew this was going to be a fun one.
From start to finish, my experience with Denise was incredible. She has the kind of energy that fills a room. She is passionate about people, deeply connected to her community, and genuinely loves what she does. And on top of all that, she is hilarious. The kind of funny that sneaks up on you and has you laughing mid sentence.
THE VISION
Denise was fully on board with the branding process from day one. She came in with a clear vision and was excited to collaborate to bring it to life. After building out her vision, mood board, and session plan, we met in person at Cafe Amri to walk through every detail. We aligned her brand storylines with each outfit so she would feel confident, prepared, and completely herself on shoot day. That intentional prep always makes such a difference.
Her brand was centered around empowerment, with three main storylines guiding the shoot. The motivator, the comedian, and the multifaceted entrepreneur. Bright, professional, energetic, and confident, with just the right touch of comedic flair.
To bring her vision to life, I recreated an all white studio setup inside an office space to achieve the bright, high key look she had envisioned. Denise wanted to stand out as a strong professional in her field. Confident. Polished. Powerful. That clean white backdrop gave her the perfect canvas to do exactly that.
THE PHOTOSHOOT
We packed a lot into her one hour session. Five looks, multiple brand stories, and a whole lot of personality. Her fiery red orange jumpsuit absolutely stole the show and made her shine like the superstar she is. She also opted for a more traditional professional look to lean into her speaker and consultant side, and then switched it up with a more casual outfit for her stand up comedian persona. She even brought a real mic stand to round out the look, which I loved.
One of my favorite parts of the shoot was when her husband Wills joined us, fully dressed in a tuxedo, for photos for their podcast, Hanging Out with The Carters. Their connection was such a vibe. The energy, the laughter, the ease between them. They both shined naturally on camera, and those images of them together are some of my favorites from the entire session.
Denise’s sister was also on set, helping with hair, makeup, and wardrobe. Having that extra set of eyes made such a difference. She made sure Denise’s hair was flawless in every shot, and it added to the overall calm and supportive energy of the day.
Highlights from the photoshoot:
THE RESULT
When Denise received her final gallery, she shared the most incredible review with me:
“I had the pleasure of meeting the incredibly talented and altruistic Jaclyn at a networking event, and from our very first interaction, I knew she was the perfect photographer for my upcoming website photo shoot.
Choosing Images by J. Renee was one of the best decisions I could have made—she is the ultimate professional, bringing both expertise and warmth to the entire experience.
I am beyond grateful for her work and highly recommend her to anyone looking for stunning, high-quality images!”
Wow. Denise trusted me fully. She came prepared and ready to participate in the process. She was such a joy to work with. To top it all off with a raving review like this? Speechless.
THE FUN BONUS!
The shoot itself was efficient, fun, and full of laughter. But the experience didn’t stop there.
After our session, I had the chance to go watch Denise perform at one of her stand up comedy shows at Levity Live in Oxnard. And wow. She was hi-lar-i-ous. The room was packed, the energy was high, and you could feel how loved and supported she is by her community. One of the most memorable moments of the night was when Denise invited an 11 year old comic on stage to perform. That moment said everything about who she is. Always lifting others up. Always making space. Always supporting people in their journey.
WHY THIS SHOOT MEANT SO MUCH
This is the part of my job that never gets old. Getting to meet inspiring, talented, one of a kind people right here in my hometown who I likely would never have met if it weren’t for photography. Working with Denise was exciting, uplifting, and genuinely joyful. I felt honored to play a small part in elevating her professional image and helping her show up confidently in every lane she occupies.
I cannot WAIT to see where Denise’s career takes her. The sky truly is the limit.
If you’re looking for someone who leads with heart, humor, and empowerment, Denise Carter is it! And if you’re ready to step into your own brand story with clarity and confidence, I’d love to help you do the same.
Jaclyn Hernandez
Brand Photographer
www.imagesbyjrenee.com
