Quite frankly….I’m speechless! I had all these things I wanted to say about how amazing today was…..it was a LONG day…but AMAZING….and I’m just overwhelmed with today’s events! I wanted to share a few with you today because TRUST ME, this isn’t ALL of them but I know that some of you have been faithfully…
Where I come from…. this should explain EXACTLY why I am the way I am! This is an ode to the women who made me ME! So if you ever think I’m too wierd…..blame it all on them! And the worst part…..it’s starting to rub off on Mallory!! My mom was soo full of knowledge…
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This is fantastic!!! Your Grandma is stunning! Your Mom is beautiful too and looks like she taught you how to have genuine fun. Come on, faces pressed up against the door, shut up! This is one of my most favorite blogs ever. Happy Mothers Day Jen and family <3
Happy early Birthday to MEEEEE!!!! This morning I did something I have DREAMED of doing since I graduated college 8 years ago…….I paid off my student loans…awwwwwe yeah!!! For some of you, you’re thinking, well big deal, I graduated with zero loans and I say…..AWESOME!!! And for those of you who say, that it will…
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That’s AWESOME Jen!! Congrats
Congratulations!! Can’t wait for that day!!
That’s awesome and you should be proud!!!
WHOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oops, there was a little word I had to bleep out there LOL
So happy for you, and excited, proud, emotional (duh, us criers flock together).
Yippee, happy dancing in Indiana (the State)
That is an awesome birthday present. Way to go!
I just graduated in December and my goal is to have mine paid off in 10 years. Knowing you also put yourself 100% through college is such an inspiration!
You are such an inspiration! I had to put myself through school too, and I’m looking forward to being debt free which wont be for a while though 
I’ve been reading your blog like a religion. Just started doing photography full time and I love the things you write for photographers. Keep it up!
That is awesome! I so look up to you! This is a reminder for myself that all the work I’m putting into my business will pay off, and that even building up a ridiculous amount of student aid debt won’t be so bad, because I’ll be able to pay it off eventually. 
Serious props to you *haha, photography pun* for being able to do that! Can’t wait till I’m done with school (I still have at least 3 years to go) so I can see how fast I can pay it off!
This isn’t a blog about photography…..and besides the one picture I have below it’s not going to have a ton of pretty pictures. It’s just a blog post into the everyday chaos of what I like to call “my life”. It’s a story of character, strength, and perseverance…..which in my book earns major respect. Roughly, 100 years ago,…
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This is a beautiful story!!! Thanks so much for sharing it with me.
This one is going to be kinda long….but I won’t hate if you decide not to read the whole thing-I myself despise long blog posts…but if you want to get to know me a little bit better, you’ll read on! With that said, this was a tough one for me. You see, I’m asked ALL…
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This was a great post, I loved Nicole (or as we use to joke her “fake” name was Nikki Kenrick, we were sooo cool in 8th grade ya know). I am so sure she is so proud of her big sis, and just think every time you do a shoot that she is watching over you smiling. I had many good memories in your trailer!! I also have some pretty funny pictures of Nikki as well, my favorite one is of her talking on an old school phone with the longgg cord stretched across the living room. LOL, Thanks for sharing this story, It was touching!
I have read dozens of “How I Got Into Photography” stories before, but I never would have guessed before that one could make me cry like a baby. I have two younger brothers and I worry about this happening often. I so admire your strength, determination and courage in overcoming your sister’s death and taking such huge step forward in your photography as a way of honoring her.
You have no idea how much this touched me and resonates with my own story. I also came up dirt poor with teenage parents, but that is not what gets to me. It’s the loss of a sibling and the “death” money being used to further a goal. My younger brother died when he was just 18 in a car accident. I spent a good year going through the motions in a cloud of depression. I still sit here and cry about him a lot. There is nothing quite like the pain of losing a sibling. There was eventually a payout because of the circumstances around his death. My mother insisted on giving me some of it. I didn’t want to spend it or if I did I wanted to spend it on bills. My husband refused to let me spend it on bills. In the end I decided I was never going to have money like this again and I didn’t want to spend it on something frivolous. I wanted it to mean something. I bought my Nikon d5000.
I think of Matt all the time and every time I take pictures of my sisters boys I see my brother grinning at me in their faces.
You have no idea how much this touched me and resonates with my own story. I also came up dirt poor, but that is not what gets me. It’s the loss of a sibling and the “death” money being used to further a goal. My younger brother died when he was just 18, in a car accident. I spent a good year going through the motions in a cloud of depression. I still sit here and cry about him on occasion. I think it will be hard to exist through my entire life. There is nothing quite like the pain of losing a sibling. There was eventually a payout because of the circumstances around his death. My mother insisted on giving me some of it. I didn’t want to spend it, or if I did I wanted to spend it on bills. My husband refused to let me spend it on bills. In the end I decided I was never going to have money like this again and I didn’t want to spend it on something frivolous. I wanted it to mean something. And I bought my Nikon d5000.
I think of Matt all the time, and every time I take pictures of my sisters boys I see my brother grinning at me in their faces.
[...] I ran across a blog post by another photographer that touched me, Jen McKen had written an article about why she loved photography and how she got to the point she is at [...]
She’s very proud of what you have become Jen! Love ya!
I read it all the way through also, always do you are such a good writer Jen! Bless your heart for this story, I have close to the same background only it was my little brother who died. I think about him every day and still miss him even though it’s been 45yrs ago.
This post totally made me tear up. Your sister was great…I often think about her along with the other friends our class lost in high school. Your story is amazing and the special bond you share with her through your work is equally amazing. Thanks for posting.
Thank you for sharing your story…
Wow i wasnt expectig such a heart touching story. Thankyou for sharing. Cant believe i’m teary at the lunch table at work lol
thank you for sharing this story. it really touched me. with the wedding season starting again i really needed a BOOST to get me back into my “photographer” mode. Posts like these are always inspiring. Typos and all!
beautiful post, I bet your sister is so proud of you
Beautiful Jen, I admire your work and your tenacity. You have an amazing gift, and now we know where it took root. In Love. Thank you for sharing – such a sad, but beautiful story.
You are truly courageous to share and be the amazing woman you are! Not to mention the fabulous photographer you prove over and over to be!!!!
Beautiful post Jen ~ you really are amazing! Thank you for sharing Hugs ~ Rebecca
Wow, Jen. I’m bawling. You are a treasure. With so much negativity, you seem(ed) to turn it all to positive. I wish you nothing but the best.
Every thing you do is over the top. I found you through the “bully blog” I watched you through Christa and admire your dedication, poise, confidence and beautiful photography. You rock. I will be 60 this year and have been shooting since I was in my late teens..Your work, attitude, and humor inspires me.
Thank you for sharing that.
Thank you for sharing your story.
So now that I went through a box of kleenex
I truely admire you Jen! Thank you for sharing your story, and yes…I read all the way through, I always do!
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