Southport Magazine

Jennifer Knotts Photography captures love and family happiness
Story by Carla Edstrom, Photos by Jennifer Knotts
Coming from a large family, whenever we all get together for a reunion or other event which doesn’t happen very often, we always get a photo of us all together. Taking a photo with 40 people doesn’t always work out great, but it sure is fun to try. Every family has that one kid or silly uncle that refuses to cooperate during a photo session. In fact, there is a black and white photo hanging in my mother’s house from around 1963 of my older siblings, and my brother Chuck at age two is screaming in it.

Personally, I think it’s the best photo ever. The look on my brother Larry’s face as he tried to hold him still is priceless. I know he tried his best to make him happy, but it just wasn’t happening. It takes real talent to get the money shot, or just get any picture before a huge melt down. Some photographers have that artistic eye and calling to work with this difficult task.
Jennifer Knotts, a Leland resident who has owned her own photography business for the past two and a half years, has that talent and gift to make priceless family memories. She knows the struggle of getting little ones to smile and be happy during a photo session. Her photos are bursting with love and life. “Photographing families can definitely be challenging if there are young children involved, but they’re a blast,” she said. “I tend to prefer shooting families with a lifestyle approach rather than posed, so I just let them play with their kids or be silly and we’ll get some genuine smiles and emotions.”
“Honestly, I started as a mom who wanted a nicer camera to take pictures of her baby,” said Knotts about her photography. “I realized I enjoyed not only taking the photos, but also editing and the creative release it gave.” She was encouraged to start her own business by her friends who she had taken photos for. “At that point, I had no idea how much time and energy it takes to create an actual, legitimate business, but it’s all been so worth it. I’ve taken countless classes and workshops to sharpen my skills and learn as much as I can.”
With her favorite subjects being babies and children, Knotts has the gift to get the little ones to cooperate. And she knows how to take advantage just the perfect moment to take the photo. “They are usually the most challenging and time consuming, but I love them so much! I adore these sweet little newborns who have just entered the world, so tiny and squishy with that new baby smell! I also truly enjoy getting to know the parents and connecting with them throughout our time together.”
Pulling from her own experience as a mom who has lost a baby, she is privileged to photograph the newborns of parents who suffered the same loss. “I will say that photographing rainbow babies (babies born after miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss) always feels like such an honor. Having my own rainbow baby, I know how precious these little ones are to their parents. The images they receive represent healing and hope after going through so much sadness,” she said.
A lot of preparation, experience and artistry go into a photo session with Knotts. As a graduate of UNCW, her experience as a pre-K teacher in Columbus and Brunswick counties also comes into play when dealing with children sessions. The location of the shoot and the use of treasured family items, as props are also important to Knotts artistic photo sessions. “My favorite locations are the ones most special to my client,” she said. “This usually means somewhere on their own property or another meaningful location, such as their grandparents’ lake house or parents taking their kids back to where they had their first date.”
“The session itself depends on the specific genre,” explains Knotts. “Newborn photography takes the most time and involves lots of shushing, rocking, and feeding to get those precious sleepy poses. My home studio is warm and toasty with white noise playing to keep baby comfortable and sleeping. During sessions for older babies and toddlers, I’m usually seen bouncing around and making ridiculous noises to keep the little ones entertained and focused (the years I taught preschoolers helped prepare me for that!). Photographing families can definitely be challenging if there are young children involved, but they’re a blast.”
Knotts meets with the clients within two weeks after the session to show them the photos. “This is when they see their edited gallery for the first time,” she said. “At this point, I show them the print products I offer and they decide what they’d like to do with their images and how many they’d like to purchase. I offer several different digital and print collections, which include products such as canvas wraps and handcrafted barn wood frames. Clients are able to touch and feel samples and decide what they’d like to purchase for their own homes.”
Having actual prints of your photos is important and will last for generations to come. “I know these days, it seems as if it’s all about the digital images,” she said. “However, prints are what will be passed down through generations and I’m confident the professional labs I use will deliver beautiful products that will last lifetimes,” she said. “It gives me so much joy to know clients are seeing these images each time they walk into their living room instead of being posted to social media and soon forgotten.”
Growing up in the Southport area, Knotts resides in Brunswick County with her husband who is her high school sweetheart and their three children. You can reach her by email at jenniferknottsphotography@gmail.com, and through her website http://jenniferknottsphotography.com/.