I had been an avid photographer for a dozen years before I created June Jacobsen Portrait in 1984 in Patchogue, Long Island, New York. I quickly learned the importance of specializing, ‘cause if you try to do everything, Something’s Gotta Give. I photographed weddings for 12 or so years until I became so busy with portraits, I was able to leave the drama of bridal day behind. At the same time I dabbled in commercial/corporate photography, glamour, food, hockey teams on the ice, real estate, and more. None of those fed my desire to create artistic images that people would love and cherish. Clear answer was babies and children.

Along with learning studio lighting, posing, props, etc, I was reminded of the notion that children develop a strong sense of self, belonging, and importance within the family structure when they see portraits of themselves and the family displayed proudly in the home. It’s not a silly, superfluous thing, it’s a quiet but very visual daily reminder that they are loved and important.

My ambition was to create art that was wall-worthy, painterly, timeless, without a routine of switching the photos out once they became outdated. I worked very hard at the whole process…looking back at 40 years in the studio and garden, I can’t even put into words… well, there you go, no words, for now.

As a member of The Professional Photographers of Greater New York, within the PPA (Professional Photographers of America), I won (through print competition) the Top Portrait Photographer of the PPGNY for 4 consecutive years, and became a PPA Master Photographer in 2000. If you are a photographer, level up your work by being a part of a professional organization, challenge yourself, set goals, look at the best, realize there are higher levels of photographic merit to be achieved. And THAT, my friend, is far more satisfying than lingering in “it’s good enough”.

Since 1984, “Creating portraits with the essence of a painting and the reality of a photograph”.