OK I might get in trouble on this one in the photography world but you know what who cares.  Over the past year or so I have read many photographers who have “Rock Star” status in the photography world.  Either earned, given or self promoted these “Rock Stars” have flocks of photographers following them for various reasons.  Some are wonderful people and I will admit most are well not so wonderful.  TriCoast could and well is considered to be a “RockStar” in certain circles, though I never have thought of myself that way, especially being just simple people from Texas and still drive my old car with 190,000 miles on it.  However no matter who starts up the conversation, it seems when these conversations do start up the one name that always pops up is Jasmine Star.  So lets talk about her as it seems everyone else is these days.

We met at the WPPI Roadshow in Chicago last year – Bob Davis (out of Chicago), Sal Cincotta (out of St. Louis), Us TriCoast Boys out of Houston-ish), then Jasmine Star (out of Orange County, CA)

I must admit I went in thinking I was not going to like her at all, her popularity mixed with the lack of years in the business really had me in the negative from the start. Then I met her and her husband (who is just as great) at the bar at the hotel that night. She is very nice, smart, listens generally a pleasure to be around.

The next day we went on to speak and then after us was Jasmine. I normally do not sit in presentations but I did on this one to “see what she was all about” and I must say she had the people on the edge of their seats, crying, laughing, smiling and asking questions. She truly inspired the entire crowed (including myself) by her words. After-wards in all my years I have never seen a speaker have people stand in line for well over an hour to meet her – just to shake her hand and breath her air. She was kind to every single one of her “fans” and stood in one place until everyone meet her – got time to ask her questions and had their piece with her.

Is she what the vast majority of older photographers would dislike (men photographers I might ad) YES without question

Is she what the vast majority of photographers who have worked their butts off to make a living for their family for years would be jealous of? YES without question

BUT is she someone who has a purpose and belongs as a National and International speaker and has merit to what she is saying? YES without Question!

Jasmine Starr is the perfect example of the BUSINESS of photography and not the ART of photography. Selling the experience today is much more important than selling a perfectly lit and posed image.  Our clients want an experience that happens to have portraits blended in more than Portraits themselves. Jasmine delivers that and a lot more. In all my years of photography (1993) and all my years of dealing with people as a Crime Scene Investigator and Law Enforcement (Almost 15), interviewing people, talking to them, etc. I have NEVER met someone with more personality and more “IT” factor than Jasmine Starr. She is pretty, dresses well, laughs and cries as a real person, she is not fake on stage or in real life. (Something I went into the event thinking she would be).

So while she has only been in the business of photography for 3 or 4 years she has a right to be where she is cause she earned it. Many people get the lucky breaks in life, be it friends in high places (such as Jasmine) or just being in the right place at the right time. Its not the breaks that make you its what you do with them once you get them. Jasmine has made the most of her breaks, not someone else.

She will have a TON of haters, the VAST Majority are Men who dislike her. Not because of her directly but she is again what the older photographers hate, a women who has not learned the traditional methods of photography, does not have all the fancy gear, does not know lighting or posing, yet still makes a ton of money in the business of photography. Roughly everything we want but don’t have (or at least have but did not get as “easy” as her).

I am jealous of her without question. Whatever “IT” is she has it and not many (if any) has it better. She is the new era of speakers and leaders in the business of photography, she does not speak on lighting or posing just modern marketing so I give her credit there, she speaks on what she does and does well.

Kat Williams (WARNING: Adult Language on that link) the comedian once said “Let the hatters hate, its what they do, if your doing something right you will always have haters”. And I think those are very true words to live by. Think about anyone in a leadership status there is always haters for whatever reason be it Jasmine Starr or the President of the United States (which by the way has only been in politics for just about the same time Jasmine has been in photography when elected). Right or Wrong they made their own path and did it very well in a short period of time and I think we can all learn something from that if we truly take out our personal feelings.

Much to my surprise after meeting her and getting to know her, Jasmine is the real deal in today’s photography market, maybe not yesterday’s but honestly that does not matter to the vast majority of photographers today. The future will tell if she is will be a “One Hit Wonder” or if she will be a Legend in the business. One thing is clear she is an Icon of TODAY’S Photography world the number of people following her proves that if you like it or even if you do not. If you can not relate to her, it most likely means your just from another era (either age or photography or both) and there is nothing wrong with that, but remember the Icons of the past that affected you so much, Jasmine today is doing the same thing to the next generation of photographers. Right or Wrong in your eyes Jasmine Starr is a HUGE Icon in the Modern Photography era and has something we can all learn from