PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER | DECEMBER 2019 81
had gotten into photography in the first place, that it was a fun,
creative outlet that fed my curiosity.” The work also got her noticed
by agents and potential clients. For example, after photograph-
ing Eminem for her book, she was hired to shoot album covers,
promotional material, and concerts for his management company.
“A book gets people interested,” says Risher. “It makes you
more interesting than a mere selling piece does. It helps sep-
arate you from other photographers. Essentially, with a book,
you are creating your own narrative and designing your life.”
Risher’s current agent, Detroit-based Anne Roche of The Clik
Group, an agency that specializes in auto commercial photog-
raphy, agrees. “Actually, Jenny’s book was the first thing that
attracted me to her. A lot of our clients are looking for personal,
real-life situations and that’s what I saw in Jenny’s book. It was
personal and also a great calling card.”
Risher moved back to her hometown two years ago and
completed another personal book project, “D-Cyphered,” a col-lection of portraits of Detroit-based hip-hop artists. She now
boasts an impressive client list that encompasses portrait,
commercial, and advertising photography. In what she terms
“coming full circle,” she also teaches a course in fashion pho-
tography at her alma mater, the College of Creative Studies.
As she sits in her studio, taking a much needed break from
her busy schedule, she confesses that she has another personal
project in mind, one that’s recently blossomed. “I need to start
it soon. My intuition keeps telling me to start working on some-
thing personal,” she says.
Any hints about the subject of her next project? “I don’t want
to talk about it. I don’t want to jinx it,” she answers with a laugh.
Expect a hearty helping of banana pudding. •jennyrisher.comRobert Kiener is a writer in Vermont.