

JENNI O PHOTOGRAPHY
TCBA Member Expert Category:
Photography / Photographers
Interview with Jenni Ochsner
If you could describe yourself in 2 words what would they be?Integrity and Happy. I believe in being completely honest and having good communication. There is nothing I want more than to make my brides happy and to help them know they can trust me. I chose happy because, well, why not be? You can make a choice when you wake up every morning to be happy or sad or whatever else. Its up to you. Some days are always harder than other, but it is always better if you choose to try your utmost to be happy, enthusiastically so in my case! 
Do you have any pets? Tell us about them.
MM! My dog Coach! He is the comic relief of our life! He’s a Blue Heeler/Jack Russell mix that we picked up from a farm in Nebraska. He cuddles with me every night and he runs very very fast. After watching secretariat my husband asked me if I would sell Coach for 8 million dollars. I couldn’t even think about it because it made me so sad! Love that little guy.
What is the most unique thing about you?
I’m a green FREAK. I have a dream to build a house and have an acreage that is completely self sustainable. Solar panels, cows, goats, chickens and most definitely my own garden. I love being eco-friendly in every aspect of my life and my photography business!
What is your favorite vacation spot?
A new one! The only states I haven’t been to are Hawaii and Alabama. I’ve been to Thailand, the Netherlands, Canada, Mexico, Korea and Nicaragua. I absolutely love going to new places and experiencing different cultures.
If you could visit any place in the world where would it be and why?
High on my list is the Great Barrier Reef because it won’t be around much longer. While I’m at it I will probably back pack New Zealand and go into Aborigine land.
What is your most cherished possession?
Ever since I was a little girl my father ingrained in me that they are all just things. Whenever I broke the mirror off of his truck, or lost my moms earrings etc that is what my dad would tell me, they are all just things. Even though I love things, almost everything can be replaced. My favorite things that are mine are definitely my wedding pictures, which would be pretty impossible to replace, so I have copies in multiple locations!
What is your motto or favorite quote to live by?
“That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet” – Emily Dickenson. So live life up! (and take lots of pictures!)
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A little bit about Jenni O Photography:
I am an Eco-Friendly Photographer!
I love keeping everything in my life as earth friendly as possible, especially my business! This is so easy to do in Minneapolis. I can really tell that people in this state really care about the effect they have on the environment. I know its super trendy right now, and that’s pretty much why I never mentioned it before. I wanted to be an eco-friendly business just to be an eco-friendly business. However, I feel like its important for my clients to know!
One way I am green is that I print through an eco-friendly printing company. Many professional printing companies out there use harmful inks, paper that isn’t made from very renewable sources, and don’t take extra precautions to make them green. The company I use, not only has phenomenal prints, but really cares about what effect their business has on the environment.
For all my wedding packages you will get a dvd of high resolution images. I go through Loktah, whose statement in their logo is: “Rising from the Earth | Natural Media Products”, to make sure all the packaging of those dvd’s are as green as possible. I also do high res images for portrait shoots, feel free to ask for the pricing! Gosh, I’m so excited about these dvd cases and sleeves I want to keep them all for myself. I won’t, but I want to! My albums that I use for weddings are the greenest and most unique out there! Wild Magnolia Designs really cares about taking care of the earth and making exquisite albums. I’m so totally obsessed with them! Here is their green statement: https://wildmagnoliadesign.com/green. I really could rave about them all day long, and have done so in my blog, feel free to check it out! Those are the 3 biggest ways that I have gone green. Smaller things I have done/am doing are: I use rechargeable batteries. I offer frames made out of recycled/reclaimed wood. I buy products made locally whenever possible. I use natural light as often as possible (in shooting, in my studio, and in my own home) I avoid turning on lights as much as possible. I also turn of anything that isn’t in use, including my computer. I use earth friendly cleaning products in my studio and in my home. I am almost paperless, booking weddings, and paying invoices is done online. I utilize online proofing galleries as opposed to the wasteful printed proof alternative. Any necessary printing is done on recycled paper. I recycle but I also reuse, I reuse cardboard boxes or donate them, I reuse packing supplies, etc. etc. I recycle ink cartridges and dvds. I do all my banking online. I am working on becoming a member of www.greenerphotography.org. I even take my bike when I can, my motorcycle when its too far to bike, and my car only when its too far for my little motorcycle. I not only try to by local things in my business, I try to do it as much as possible in my home life as well, grass fed local cows, farmers market shopping, and anything else I can think of. I find it my responsibility to make my carbon footprint as small as possible in my business and in my home life. And not only is being eco-friendly great for the environment, BUT the products I use are super unique and fun!
A Little About Me
I went to school in Iowa at a small liberal arts college (Northwestern College). Of course, as like most photographers, I have loved photography since my first film camera when I was 10. O.K. so 10 is a guess, I have no idea when I got it. In college I became the photo editor of our newspaper and fell in love with Digital Photography.
I studied film as well, but digital is so multi-faceted that I can’t escape from it. I started my professional business while I was in college but did not name it Jenni O Photography until after I was engaged in 2008.
I am creative, loving, and genuine. I will capture you and your personality in a unique, classy way.
I love relationships and I love making them show through a photo. Did I say that I love love?
Here are 10 random things about me:
1. I’ve lived in Thailand, the Asian culture enthralls me.
2. I love dancing to music in my living room. My husband joins me.
3. I hate potatoes. I think it’s a texture thing.
4. I will do anything for good chocolate, or a good piece of corn on the cob, oh! And sushi!
5. I have a very special place in my heart for the mountains.
6. Unique is my favorite word, I believe everyone should revel in their uniqueness.
7. I laugh at “that’s what she said” jokes
8. I like a lot of music, but indie is my fav. Did you know Ingrid Michaelson didn’t use a record company? She’s probably a gazilionaire.
9. God and Family are the two most important things in my life.
10. My hair changes color often, though not on its own accord.
11. I’ve climbed longs peak and got all the way to the key hole.
12. I’ve always wanted a tattoo, but I am petrified of needles.
13. I’m pretty funny, but not all the time, which is unfortunate.
14. I am teaching myself American Sign Language.
O.K. so that’s 14… I got carried away and now I can’t figure out which one to delete.
Connect with Jenni O Photography
Web Address: http://www.jenniophotography.com
Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/jenniophotography
Twitter Address: http://twitter.com/#!/jenniophoto
Blog Address: http://www.jenniophotography.com/blog
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A brief introduction to Jenni O Photography:
Contact Info:
Jenni Ochsner
2414 Quincy Street NE #1
Minneapolis , MN 55418
612-568-5015
jenni@jenniophotography.com

