INTERVIEW WITH PHOTOGRAPHER JEANETTE YODER

 

Photographer Jeanette Yoder, photographed by Chad Fenner (Concert Fotos)

You may remember my interview with Angie Leyda of Always One Ministries, which puts on the Kingdom Come Festival (and if not, click here). And you may remember the great photos of the headliners and some of my favorite artists. That photographer is Jeanette Yoder, who I'm excited to interview. 

Description and Credits for below photos at the bottom of the interview. 

JR: Welcome to my blog, Jeanette. Allow me to start with asking how you came to Christ and how you became interested in photography. 

JY: I grew up in church and in a Christian home that made church a priority.  I was probably about 12 when I realized that I didn’t remember ever actually praying the “sinner’s prayer” and asking Jesus into my heart/life.  I definitely haven’t always been a “good Christian” since then and went through some pretty rebellious times in my life.  But finding a love of photography and pursuing my love of concert photography actually began to point me back in the right direction.   

As for my interest in photography, I’ve had a camera in hand of some sort or another since I was about 7 years old.  It started with a little 110 film camera, then a 35mm in junior high, and my first digital camera soon after I graduated from college.  It wasn’t until about 2010 when I got my first DSLR that I REALLY fell in love with photography. 

Soon after I bought it, I started doing some photos for some friends’ bands.  After they saw some of my photos of a friends’ band that had played a show there, I was asked by a small concert venue in Louisville if I would have any interest in being their venue photographer (although they could only afford to pay me in coffee and free concert tickets).  I became friends with Luke, the guy who ran the venue, and he and his wife encouraged me to actually start my own photography business.   And the rest, as they say is history.  My dream is to someday actually own my own studio space, but for now photography is still just a part-time gig for me (full-time I’m a high school Spanish teacher).   

JR: On your FB business page, you have a list of different cameras you use. How do you decide which to use for certain situations?

JY: Most of the gear listed there is actually lenses.  I’ve found that it’s more about choosing the right lens to achieve the look I’m going for, as well as the settings I use, than a particular camera body.  Some lenses do better in lowlight situations.  Some compress images more.  Some give me a shallower depth of field.  I do also collect some antique cameras and will still shoot film with them sometimes for personal projects, but that’s pretty infrequent.  

JR: I learned about your photography via Angie Leyda of Always 1 Ministries and your work with Kingdom Come Festival (KCF). Before I switch my focus to that event, what are some of your other photography career highlights?

JY:  Early on, I got to do some live photos of Twenty One Pilots (before they were signed to a label, when they were Regional at Best… pun intended).  Getting to work some of the smaller stages at Ichthus as a photographer in 2012.  Having Love & Death ask to use some of my photos that I did at a festival that same year as well as photographing several shows for them was another definite highlight (I had a number of friends who were big Korn fans in junior high and high school, so even though I wasn’t allowed to listen to their music when I was younger, getting to meet Brian Head Welch was a bit surreal).  But honestly, the biggest highlight has been ongoing- it’s the relationships I’ve gotten to form with people whom I may never have met if I wasn’t doing photography.   

JR: How did the blessing of working with KCF come about? What were some of your favorite moments of KCF (both as a photographer and as a fan)?

JY: In 2012, I was mostly just looking to get my name out there as a photographer.  I knew I enjoyed doing concert photography and just started searching for festivals and concerts that were within an hour or two from me.  I found KCF (only in its third year at that time), and sent a message to Jay Karp (one of the A1M/KCF co-founders), offering my photography services in exchange for stage access so that I could get the shots I wanted, along with access to food and water from hospitality so that my only cost was gas money to get there. I guess it worked because they gave me a photo pass and a hospitality wrist band.  I’ve worked/volunteered every KCF since.  Haha.

There have been so many great moments from KCF over the years.  I think in her interview (linked above), Angie Leyda referenced the “Holy Spirit Tsunami” that took place the last year that KCF was held at Foster Park in Kokomo (2014).  That definitely stands out as a favorite moment as a fan/attendee.  There’s also been what we’ve deemed “The Protest Effect,” where storms have literally dissipated, changed course, or split apart to avoid KCF on evenings that The Protest has played.  There’s also the legend that is “Tornado Tammy.”  Every year she has run the welcome tent, something happens where the tent flies away… except this year.  This year they got her a welcome trailer.  

As a photographer, most of my favorite moments have been ones where I get to capture the passion and emotion of a performance.  Well, that or when bands decide to pull shenanigans onstage, like Daniel Streety coming out dressed in a sumo suit this year. Things like that are always fun to capture on camera.   

JR: Has there been any “Such A Time As This” moment in your photography, where you know God brought you to a certain place or situation to glorify Him?

JY: Honestly, KCF has been one huge “For Such A Time As This” moment for me, year after year.  It’s an absolute honor to spend 2 full days (2 1/2 this year!) serving alongside some of the best people I know and doing it all to glorify God.  The festival exists because several people made it their mission to reach just one more person for Christ, using music as the platform to do so.  I know that working at A1M events like KCF has made a huge difference in my life, so I just want to play a small part in making that kind of difference in someone else’s life using the gifts/talents that God has given me.  Jay Karp always tell me that the festival gained credibility when I came along.  I think it would’ve even if I hadn’t come along, but I’m glad that God decided to use a little nobody from nowhere photographer to help grow a festival with a purpose.  

JR: Thank you for your time. How can we find out more about your photography and any services you have?

JY: It’s been a pleasure! You can check out my official photography page on Facebook (Jeanette Yoder Photography), follow me on instagram (@jyophoto81), and of course check out the KCF and A1M pages for some of my work.  If you have any questions, you can always get in touch with me at jyophoto@gmail.com.

Above photos from top:

1. 
   Jeanette Yoder (lower left) photographing The Protest, photographed by Katie Slater (Katie's Media).
2. Zahna (left) and Becca Sugg of Reclaim The Day, taken by Jeanette Yoder (Jeanette Yoder Photography).
3. Daniel Streeter of Bred 4 War, taken by Jeanette Yoder (Jeanette Yoder Photography).
4. LuLu English of Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh, by Jeanette Yoder (Jeanette Yoder Photography).
5. Jeanette Yoder (left), taken by Katie Slater (Katie's Media).