Photoshoot Collab With Jen Jean-Pierre+ Blogger Friends, How Many of us Have Them?
Find out how to make friends, network, reach out and collaborate with other bloggers in the community!
July 17, 2020
Find out how to make friends, network, reach out and collaborate with other bloggers in the community!
Happy Friday! I pray that your morning is off to a great start and if it isn't I encourage you speak to what you "WANT" your day to be versus what your day/morning is currently showing you it is. So, I just coined Friday as "Friendship Fridays" not really but, for the sake of today's post it is. As a newbie to the blogger/influencer/content creator scene it was such an honor to link up with Jennifer Maull, creator better known as Jen-Jean Pierre. I can't even tell you how I ran across her page but, it was probably a little over three months ago that I found her on Instagram and INSTANTLY fell in love with her content. It was after the unfortunate and heinous murder of George Floyd that I truly got to learn more about Jen. She's more than a Blogger/Influencer/Content Creator she is an advocate, a voice, and straight up vocal powerhouse.
She is so easy going and always made it a point to respond to me in DM's and in her comments. One day, she reached out to me and stated that she had not known that I was from the Hampton Roads area (Virginia Beach) she shared with me that her husband was from here as well. I was like oh dope! Hit me up whenever your in town. She literally let me know in her comments a few days after that conversation that she was going to be in the area that upcoming weekend. I was surprised she actually thought to hit me up. Beyond IG I didn't even know her but I was really grateful that she thought of me.
On a Saturday, I sent her a text and asked her what she had planned and what she wanted to do she was like you want to shoot?!?! Girl What?!?! I was definitely down to link up with her. The crazy thing we later found out was that her in-laws literally lived walking distance from where I live lol. Upon my arrival to the location, I got to see her and her husband in action. she's such a perfectionist and the girl knows what she wants and how she wants it done.
In addition to blogging, she is also a photographer and a brand strategist. Again I say, GIRL WHAT?!?! She's super talented and I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with her and catching a few dope photo's taken by her husband at the Clubhouse Bar and Grill located in Virginia Beach. We stood in front of a VB Strong Mural that was created in remembrance of the 13 lives lost in the Va Beach Mass Shooting that occurred May 31, 2019. After the shoot, we conversed for about 45 minutes, laughed and talked about life. I was grateful to have my first blogger collab with such an influential woman.
Just last week, another fellow blogger, Jasmine Scales aka @nlovewithjasmine made a post about the importance and benefits of blogger dates. In order to have blogger dates, you have to have blogger friends right?!?! So while on the topic of photoshoot collabs, and blogger dates I think its important to discuss how we can go about building blogger friendships, so here goes.
1. Follow and comment on other bloggers' Instagram pages.
Be genuine and be authentic. After talking back in forth on the platform, if you live in the same area, or have a genuine connection one of you can reach out about meeting up for lunch or coffee or exchanging numbers to chat it up.
2. Go to Events
This may not be an option as much as COVID is still lingering however, this is an amazing way to connect and meet people especially if another blogger is hosting the event. Face to face conversations are also the best for building relationships.
3. Host Events
When I had my natural hair brand I hosted several events. This gave me an opportunity to meet other women who were interested in or had natural hair,hairstylists, or other women who had their own natural hair brands. I am still connected to many of those women 7 years later.
4. Blogger Brunches
Who doesn't love a good brunch! Of course prior to COVID-19 this was an awesome idea and a great way to learn about one another. Virginia is open and so are restaurants but if your still not going out, maybe you can make it virtual!
5. Photoshoot Collabs
Of course, me and Jen’s was an impromptu photoshoot, but reach out to bloggers that you like and ask to do a shoot together. Decide if you want to take pictures of one another or if you want to get a photographer to snap shots of you together. It’s a great way to build a friendship.
XoXo,
