In-Depth Interview with Jazzymae Photography -Munaluchi Bride

MunaLuchi Coterie member and professional photographer Omari Souza of Jazzymae Photography brings almost a decade of wedding industry experience to his work, as well as years of academic study in the photography and graphic design fields. An award winning company, Jazzymae Photography mainly services their immediate Cleveland, Columbus, and Pittsburgh areas, but are willing to travel beyond these areas, as well as for destination weddings.
For Jazzymae Photography, “success is achieved when we have had a positive impact on the lives of the families we photograph. Seizing memories that commemorate life, growth, and love.”

Learn all about Jazzymae Photography in this insightful and inspiring in-depth interview.

Name: Omari Souza
Business Name: Jazzymae Photography
Founded: 2009

Describe your business. JazzyMae is an award-winning Wedding Photography studio devoted to seizing memories that commemorate life, growth & love. While we are willing to travel we mainly service Cleveland, Columbus, and Pittsburgh.

What did you do before starting your business in the wedding industry? I attended college where I studied both photography and graphic design. My acquired skills lead to internships or full-time positions with VIBE magazine, the Buffalo News, and Case Western Reserve University. In addition to being an entrepreneur, I am also a professor of both photography and graphic design.

How long have you been in the wedding industry? 9 years

How would you describe your style? High contrast, high tension, and colorful imagery. We are big fans of feelings and want our viewers to be able to feel the emotions of each frame.

What motivates you? Marriage. As a photographer, most things you shoot have no life beyond the assignment. Commercial projects come and go, and your images live only as long as the campaign you are shooting for. With weddings it’s different. Your images become momentos that last generations. The work we produce outlive us and are used for people not yet born to piece together their identity. The realization that these images ( while being bought by the client) is really for their descendants who may not exist yet motivates me.

Why should brides/grooms choose you? As a studio we’ve won awards, are consistently published and have a proven track record. As individuals, we are huge fans of couples and personally feel invested in their success. As a company, we not only provide a service but an extended experience. Our annual client appreciation dinners in many cases function as a small community, where past and current clients establish relations and advise one another.

How does your company define and measure success? For us, success is achieved when we have had a positive impact on the lives of the families we photograph. Seizing memories that commemorate life, growth, and love.

What do you enjoy most about your work? My ability to make connections with the client, and seeing the look on their faces when they receive their images. With all the money spent on the big day, the images are really the only thing the couple walks away with. The look of satisfaction on their face is what makes me happy.

Describe a proud moment while working in the wedding industry/What’s the best compliment you’ve received for your work? I’ve had couples who have told me that they felt more prepared heading into their marriage after working with me. While important, the wedding is only one day. So if a couple tells me that working with me has had a huge impact on them beyond that day, I think that is amazing.

What are your business goals? An expansion. Our company mainly shoots in the midwest. I would love to expand east and south. Ideally in Atlanta and the DMV region. I would also love to eventually turn my annual dinner into a bi-annual conference for couples in pursuit of marriage.

What’s your favorite part of the wedding industry? The celebration of love and how that translates across various cultures within the diaspora. No two Caribbean islands, African countries, or regions of the United States celebrate love in the same way. It’s always fun to see new but equal expressions.

What’s your least favorite part of the wedding industry? “Uncle Ben” and “Aunt Jane” with the Camera! As camera gear gets cheaper and people start doing better, the level of gear that guests show up with is amazing. And with that gear, they try to occupy the same level of real estate as the paid photographer. At a wedding, one guest brought a camera body, lenses, and an off camera flash set up. It’s crazy.

Where do you find the most inspiration? I love the classic photographers Arnold Newman, Ernest Withers , Henri Cartier-Bresson, Richard Avedon and Steve McCurry. I’m also motivated by current photographers like Chad Pennington, Kanayo Adibe, Jide Alakaji, Elle Danielle, Kesha Lambert, Mecca Gamble, Comfort Witcher and Kamron Khan.
And finally, I love watching films and televisions shows to see how cinematographers express love in motion. I often watch a film on my laptop and screen grab and study moments that capture a certain level of emotional tension.

Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know? Please feel free to check out our work, as we mentioned we are truly eager to work with new clients and continue to build and create positive impacts. My family is extremely appreciative you chose to spend your time learning more about me, God bless and Happy New Year.