Meet Jeremy Ball | Photographer

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

Hi Jeremy, what do you attribute your success to?
Communication. We own a creative business and there are tons of talented people who also do what we do. But I think what sets us apart is that we are easy to work with. My wife/co-owner and I both worked in hospitality for years before we started this. So making people feel comfortable, putting them at ease during a shoot or over email, and following up in a timely manner are all things that do set us apart from other creatives. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard a client tell us that their previous photographer/designer never responded or “disappeared”. Because of that, most of our business is through word-of-mouth which is the best form of free advertising you can ask for.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My grandparents owned a traditional photography studio in Bakersfield — senior portraits, traditional wedding photos, family pictures. Because of that, I had hated photography. I thought it was boring and somewhat cheesy. Years later, my first job out of high school was doing professional retouching (Photoshop 1.5-ish). But I didn’t pick up a camera until 2007 when I had an opportunity to travel with a friend to Ghana, Africa. He was assisting the medical community there and wanted to document the experience. That singular event changed how I looked at photography. It gave me an opportunity to capture the community there and the soul of the people. They were fascinated by having their photo taken and showed me a different side of themselves that I might not have had the chance to see. Today, portraits are still my favorite, especially in a journalistic setting (such as during harvest). While I offer a wide range of photography services (from product shots to scenics), I never get tired of the people. I love the authenticity that comes with capturing an expression or smile that is uniquely them.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We’re about 2.5 hours north of LA in wine country (specifically Lompoc) so I’ll share one based here. It might kick off with breakfast at Bob’s Well Bread in Los Alamos before we head out for a day in wine country. Specifically, a stop at Foxen just over the hill before making our way closer to home at Sanford in the Sta. Rita Hills. Then, we’d head to Jalama Beach for some of the best burgers on the Central Coast and watch the sunset over Point Conception.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My wife, Michelle. I jumped feet first into this business with no money, no business plan, and only a handful of clients. Thanks to her, we made it happen. She’s extremely organized and keeps track of where all our clients are in the process. She handles the proposals, most of the communication, the accounting AND manages her own clients as a graphic designer (which is the other half of what we do as a creative firm).

Website: https://www.bottlebranding.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bottlebranding/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bottle-branding-&-photography-by-jeremy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bottlebranding/

Image Credits
Photo Credit Jeremy Ball, Bottle Branding