We had the good fortune of connecting with Shannon Jones and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work life balance is a struggle that all moms face. As a mother to 3, the hardest part of running my business is making the time for both. My career has grown as my children have grown, and I feel that the growth has progressed naturally. As they become more independent, I have been able to devote more time to the studio. But one thing I have to do is plan. My husband and I will sit down at least once a week with our calendars and look at the following week & month. Being a team is essential, and we still have to get babysitters and help from friends and family from time to time. I have learned that I can not do it all, none of us can, and we all need helpers to make life and business run smoothly. I also have to give myself grace. I need an hour once a day to workout, or take my dog for a walk to clear my mind. It makes me feel better. I need to remind myself that I can’t be perfect and if I didn’t dry my hair that day, leave the house with a full face of makeup, or remember to pick up a kid (just kidding…kind of), that’s ok. I need remember that if I ordered a pizza instead of a home cooked meal, that’s ok too, it’s all about balance and planing, and helpers ;).

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Shannon Reece Jones Photography is a full service photography studio. What does that mean? It means that you leave with beautiful artwork that you get to treasure, and pass down to your children. The biggest challenge that I have is trying to encourage clients to order artwork vs. just going to the “shoot and burn” type of photographer. I wrote a recent blog post that says… “Hi & Welcome to Shannon Reece Jones Photography! If you are a past client, you know the drill. We take pretty pictures of you and your family, and then you choose your favorites at your ordering appointment. I get soooo many emails from new clients that are afraid of the ordering appointment. They just want digital images. Please don’t be afraid ;). I get it, I want the digitals too, just in case I need to print something for my kids later on down the road. That is why the digital images are included with anything that you order at your ordering appointment ;). I have an easy process set up so that if you don’t want them (the digitals that is), and say you just want a large wall portrait, totally fine, you can tuck away that USB and display your wall art for everyone to see! But… do you know what is much better than a gallery of beautiful images tucked away in a drawer at your desk? A beautiful baby book that you will get to pass on to your children, and their children. And a great piece of wall art that becomes a conversation piece when family and friends come over.” It also helps for client to see all of the products in person, as well as in my welcome guide & on my website. I am proud to photograph expecting parents, newborn babies, children & families throughout the greater Houston area. My style is classic, forever and real. The goal of each session is for you to leave with family keepsakes that you will enjoy and share with generations to come. We will create fine art albums, custom framing & wall art made just for you, your family, and your home. These are your forever memories and I am so lucky to be sharing this special season of life with you and your family.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Favorite spots in the city… well, since my life revolves around children from the ages of 5-10, we spend a lot of time in our community. From rec sports, to club sports, that is a big part of our life. If I had friends in town, and wanted to show them things we love, we would probably go to our fav. bbq or Mexican restaurant, hit up a kids soccer game, and then come home to hang out and catch up. It’s not fancy, but it’s us.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Paige Walker Photography in DFW deserves a shoutout to my business story for sure! I always had the photography “bug,” from a young age, and after college I watched her open a studio and run ir successfully. It was my dream too, but I honesty didn’t know how to even begin. I reached out to Paige and she told me to get a mentor, find my style, and just start there. And I did! The hardest part is finding your style, what works for you, what type of photography you want to create, and how it first into your daily life. That’s the part that you have to figure out on your own, but a mentor can help plant a seed.

Website: www.shannonreecejonesphotography.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonreecejonesphotography/
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/shannonreecejonesphotography
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannonreecejonesphotography/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niphOoh4z30&t=93s