How Pretty Focused Saved This Mom From Her Commute!  Interview with Jade Faust

Have you ever been a new mom? Have you felt pulled between a career you love and a baby you love even more? If you have, you will want to read this interview, because Jade Faust has been in the same situation. Leaving her beloved career as a teacher and beginning a business doing food photography from home was hard.

But it saved her from the guilt and heartache she dealt with in her former job. And the extra commuting, too.

Believe it or not, there’s a huge demand among bloggers for skilled food photographers. Jade learned about this career from her mother, who began her business during the pandemic. It took Jade a few years longer to shift to making food photography her own work-from-home career. But now she feels she’s right where she belongs.

She’s able to be there for her kids, and add to her family’s finances. She also gets to feed her creative nature (and her family once the photo shoot is done!).

Meet Food Photographer Jade Faust

So who is Jade?

Jade Faust is a former teacher and mom to a 7-year-old son and soon-to-be 4-year-old-daughter. When her son was born, the long commutes back and forth to childcare and her school meant very early mornings and getting home in time for dinner and his bedtime routine. She felt like she wasn’t getting what she wanted out of motherhood. And yet, she loved her job, which she excelled at and which provided a stable source of income.

What Jade wanted most, though, was to be able to be home with her baby.
Then her mother took an online course called Pretty Focused to learn how to do food photography from home. Eventually, Jade saw her mom’s success and decided to give it a try, too. She was hoping for added income for her family, along with flexibility and the ability to be home with her kids. Now she is the owner of J.R. Faust Creations, and her work-from-home dreams are now a reality!

To learn all the ways that decision has changed Jade’s life, read on!

Hi, Jade!

Can you tell us a little about what your life was like before you began this course? 

Before I began the Pretty Focused course, I was a full-time teacher. I taught second grade, so 7 and 8-year-olds, and came home to a baby. 

I had to be at work by 7:05 am every day. Even though the school was 3 miles from my house, my mom was our babysitter. And she lives about 15 miles in the opposite direction of where I worked. 

I often had to get up by 5:00 am to get myself ready, get my baby ready. I had to leave my house by 6:00 am to drive to my mom’s house, so I had enough time to nurse him or give him snuggles before having to leave by 6:30 am. 

Then, I had to drive all the way back, past my house, to my classroom.

 It was hard, especially with a newborn. The postpartum stage was hard as it was, but this made it even harder. The emotions were all over the place. I LOVE teaching and working with children, but I missed my own child. I got up early to spend the day teaching other people’s children every day. 

At the end of the day, by the time I got to my mom’s house to pick up my baby, chat with her about his day, drive all the way back home, it was time for dinner, bath, and bed. Then, we repeated that Monday through Friday, August to May. 

How did you feel about where you were in your life before you learned to do food photography from home?

I was exhausted, worn out, emotional, and felt like I was missing out on being a mom. I felt the guilt of not spending enough time with him. With all of the traffic that I had to fight in between the drop-offs and pickups, my bonding time with him was mostly in the car or at the dinner table while I made and ate dinner. 

Overall, I was feeling very conflicted. I worked so hard to get where I was as a teacher with the skills I developed along the way. How could I just walk away from that? 

On the other hand, I was missing my baby growing up and all of his milestones. I kept justifying it with “if I HAD to work, this would be the job to have, right?! I have weekends, holidays, summer break, winter break, etc.” 

But my heart wasn’t buying it. After 4 years, I took the leap of faith and made the decision to step away, and I am so thankful for that!

What challenges were you hoping this course would help you deal with? 

Not only would it be a way for me to supplement my income, or at least some of it, but also allow me to be home with my babies. 

I wanted to be the one who took my kids to the park for picnics, or go on walks, or just meet up for a playdate at the park or zoo. 

When I made the decision to step back, my son had one more year before starting kindergarten, and I had a one-year-old daughter. I just wanted the stay-at-home mom (or parent) life before my son was at school all day. 

How did you learn about Pretty Focused and at-home food photography?

My mom is where I learned about Pretty Focused. She was a teacher, but stepped back to be a stay-at-home grandma. During that time, she wanted to find a side gig that allowed her to make a little extra money on the side while also watching my son. However, during COVID, schools were closed indefinitely from March to May. So my son was home with me. From March to August, she took the Pretty Focused course and began talking to me about it. 

 What made you decide to enroll in the course? 

I was definitely interested, but needed time to process exactly what it was. I mean, “taking pictures of food” wasn’t a big enough reason for me to leave a career that I attended college for. It was a strange concept. 

After a whole year of remote teaching from home while pregnant, having my second baby, and another year of in-person teaching, I was finally ready to pull the trigger. 

I was the default parent when it came to staying home any time my kids got sick. I had never missed so many days of teaching as I did my last year due to someone always being sick. It was insane! I knew that if I could control my hours, then “calling out sick” wouldn’t be so hard.

Did you have any concerns when you first made that decision?

Yes, of course! The thought of quitting my career to do a work-from-home job that I still needed to learn how to do was terrifying! 

I was a great teacher – the teacher that parents would request for siblings to have. I loved teaching and having teammates and coworkers. And I loved having a classroom and seeing students grow physically, emotionally, behaviorally, and in any personal growth I was helping guide them with. 

Did I mention how much I loved teaching? It was what I was good at, and I had a good routine. It was something that was familiar, too.

Plus, I had a secure income. I knew that every other Thursday my paycheck would hit my bank. I knew the exact amount and almost the minute/when I would get paid. It was comfortable and a sure thing. 

The idea of switching to a job that I have zero experience with, no teammates, I was responsible for whether or not I got a paycheck and how much/often it would be made me nervous. I would be responsible for building my own clientele and any growth I made. 

It was scary to make the jump and leave behind my career that I spent many years building up. But I also had no idea how much of a career opportunity Pretty Focused would turn into. With dedication, discipline, hard work, and a lot of motivation, I made it happen!

While we were getting to know you, you mentioned that you have two young children. How do you manage to do food photography at home while raising your family? 

I have a son who just turned 7, and a daughter who will be turning 4 in February. 

The biggest thing about balancing my new career and my family is planning ahead, flexibility, and knowing how much I (and my kids) can handle. 

I usually plan out what my shoots will be at the end of the previous month or at the very beginning of the month. I know how many recreations/exclusives I can handle each week with little to no stress. So I try to stay around that number.

For me at this moment, I know I can easily do 2 recreations a week, or about 1 exclusive a week. As my kids get older and become more independent, I will be able to do more. 

On recipes that require more attention, I try to schedule my shoot to have stopping points where I can step away and do school pick-ups or playtime with them. Some recipes can even be broken up between multiple days. For example, I recently did a bread shoot for a blogger. Since I was able to plan out my month and knew the recipe I was in charge of, I was able to break it up over two days.

I did the first half of the shoot on Thursday, all the way up to it being baked. After the bread was baked, I stored it and was able to shoot the rest of it on Friday. Not every recipe can easily be split between two days like that, but I knew the involvement of the shoot would take up the time frame I have available on Thursdays, so I was able to plan that out.

How is your time management different now than when you were teaching?

The best part of being a food photographer is just how flexible this job really is. If one of my kids wakes up sick, I don’t have to worry about requesting a substitute teacher to come in. 

Here in Arizona, there is a sub shortage, so if you wait too long, sometimes there won’t be a sub to fill in for you… That’s another stress. I am just so thankful that I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I GET to be home with my sick kid and be here for when they need snuggles. If they happen to get sick on my work day, I can reschedule with no hesitation. Sometimes it means I have to work on a weekend day while my husband plays with the kids, but I will happily take that over sub notes any day. 

Are there any downsides to having so much freedom in how you arrange your work time?

Sometimes it can be a bit challenging trying to juggle work life and home life at the same time, especially with ADHD. I am constantly trying to find ideas on how to keep my kids busy, especially my youngest, while I get a shoot done. 

Then I came across the idea of having her own workspace while I work. I created a “craft cart” that she LOVES! The cart is a three-tier cart that I used as my “teacher cart” in the classroom. I went to Dollar Tree and got some things to fill it, as well as some stuff from my classroom that I had packed up.

 It consists of coloring books, a marker box, crayon box, paint sticks, pens, stickers, pipe cleaners, construction paper, popsicle sticks, glue, little puff balls, you name it, it's on the cart! I also love going to the craft store, like Michaels, to buy some of the mini craft kits they have in the aisles. They don’t cost a lot, but come with everything you need to make the craft. If you go on a good sale day, you can get some for less than a dollar! These are great to have on hand.

My kids also love helping me in the kitchen.

So, when I am making a recipe, they are usually pushing a chair up or dragging the step stool from the bathroom to reach the counter just to help me. Sometimes, they even get to help push the camera button when I am taking pictures. 

Another great idea I came across was to invite family to come hang out with my kids. Last year, I had my grandmother and my mom alternate days to come and just hang out with the kids while I worked. My kids, my mom, and my grandma all loved having that special time together. 

The biggest thing while I am planning out a shoot is also planning out something for them to do, or making sure I have someone scheduled to come play with them. However, there were many days when my daughter wanted me to hold her. On those days, I would throw the baby carrier on, put her in it, and keep photographing.

How long did it take you to finish the Pretty Focused course? 

I started the course in July 2022 and graduated in March 2023. I was determined to get it done fast. 

Since I was still trying to figure out my schedule at the time, I wouldn’t start an assignment until after both kids were in bed and asleep. Some nights, I would be in bed by 10 pm or 11 pm. Other nights, I was up until 2 am. It was all personal choice, though. 

I wanted to get the assignments done, and I wanted to graduate to start making an income. I was determined and very motivated to graduate. It was a learning curve since I had zero camera experience, but I wasn’t going to let that get in my way! 

I have seen other students take years to complete the course because that was their personal pace, or they had something happen in their life, causing them to pause and return later. Since this was going to be my income, I was willing to work extra hard so I could make sure I started making money.

Did you have any challenges while taking the course? 

As I previously mentioned, I thrive in collaborative environments where I can discuss ideas and work through challenges with teammates. During the course, while there were coaches and other students available on the Facebook page, I didn’t have a personal connection with anyone else actively taking the program. This made it difficult to address challenges in real-time as I worked on my photography. 

My mother, who had completed the course a few years earlier and was already running her own blog, was a great resource. However, due to changes in the course material since her graduation, some of the concepts I struggled with were unfamiliar to her as well.

I found it a bit challenging not having the immediate contact that I used to have as a teacher. It is a different learning environment that I needed to adjust to. 

However, since my graduation, Pretty Focused has made some changes to their courses and now offers additional coaching. Pretty Focused is always checking in with students and graduates to find ways of improving the learning experience. 

If you could change one thing about the course, what would that be? 

I am a visual and hands-on learner, and I thrive in environments where I can observe others as they navigate their own learning processes. I would have loved the opportunity to learn alongside a team, either in person or through video collaboration. 

When you graduated from the course, did you feel you had all the knowledge you needed to take on food photography clients right away?

I definitely had all the knowledge, but implementing it was a bit nerve-wracking. 

Once you graduate, you are added to a private Facebook group where you are able to interact with endless amounts of opportunities to work with bloggers. 

Thankfully, getting work was never a problem for me. My mom was a blogger who hired me to do photoshoots for her blog for my first few months. Then, I was able to do some work with a few other bloggers until I was able to find the perfect match with someone similar to my photography style, who can fit my schedule (they don’t need more photoshoots than I can easily provide). And we have a lot of things in common. 

I have now been shooting for this blogger every month since September 2023 (16 months now). I have recently started working with another blogger. They were referred to me by the one I have been working with. 

Once you get your foot in the door, if you have a good work ethic and can maintain a positive relationship (short-term or long-term), work will begin to fall into your lap without you realizing it!

Do you need to be a skilled cook or baker to be successful as an at-home food photographer?

You do not need to be skilled? No. Do you need to have some knowledge of how to cook or bake? I think it is definitely helpful! 

I had some of that background already, so it was one less thing to learn. However, my skills have grown even more since starting! You do learn a lot of new cooking/baking techniques along the way. 

The great thing about this job is that you can find your niche and really grow your skills in that area. Then, once you’ve mastered all that there is to learn in that niche, you can expand and continue to grow off of those skills. If you come into the food photography world with one area you are really strong in, I highly recommend starting with that. Then continue to work on expanding those skills. 

I am always in the kitchen trying new recipes just for fun. My kids are always alongside me, “helping” and exploring with me. My husband is always the guinea pig for these recipes. I make it a whole family event. 

This is where my skills grow the most, when I am experimenting with a recipe that I thought sounded fun or looked interesting. I also love reading cookbooks. I like to learn new culinary terms, see how recipes are written, photographed, etc. There is so much to learn in the culinary world. The possibilities are literally endless!

One of my favorite Julia Child Quotes:

“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!”

Can you tell us about some of the different ways people can use what they learn in Pretty Focused to build a work-from-home business that fits their needs?

There are several different avenues you can take after graduating from Pretty Focused. You can eventually use each of these avenues and become a blogger yourself if you choose!

As a photographer, you can focus on doing one of these or all of these. I will explain each one below.

Recreations Only

A recreation is when a blogger provides you with a tried-and-true recipe. They only need you to photograph the process of this recipe from start to finish. It is the photographer’s job to get the photos that will help the blogger land one of the top spots on Google when that recipe is searched for. You do not need to develop any recipes for recreations; you only need to execute them.

Exclusives Only

An exclusive is when a blogger requests the photographer to develop a recipe of their choice and photograph it. Developing recipes requires a bit of knowledge of baking and cooking. However, you don’t have to be an expert! This is where a lot of my culinary growth developed from. Also, Pretty Focused offers additional courses, such as recipe development (and many others), to teach and give tips on how to develop recipes. This path will require you to experiment in the kitchen to ensure that the recipe you are developing works each time. This may take a few tries before you can move on to photographing it.

Recipe Development Only

Now and then, a blogger will need someone to develop a recipe only. That means you are only developing and testing a recipe. There is no photographing. I have never had a blogger request this. However, I have seen some bloggers post about it in the Buyers Club group. Usually, if I have a blogger requesting that I develop a recipe, they also want me to photograph it.

As I mentioned, there are several additional courses that Pretty Focused offers, called Masterclasses. If you have any areas that you would like to grow, there is most likely a Masterclass for that area. Artificial lighting, recipe developing, food video, selling exclusives, business, and a few others. 

What’s your favorite thing about doing food photography at home?

Oh my goodness, where do I begin?! 

One of my favorite things about my work is that I am in complete control of how much work I take on, when I work, how often I work, who I work with, what I shoot, etc. I love the flexibility. It is the perfect job for being at home with little ones.

I'm also able to provide meals for my family after I have photographed a recipe. My spice cabinet has grown so large since starting, too, and I love that! I have so many new seasonings I would never have normally bought, but needed for a recipe for a photoshoot, and now I use them frequently in my regular cooking. 

I have a passion for creativity, and this serves as an excellent outlet for me to express it. With an endless variety of recipes to experiment with and a constant opportunity to learn something new, it offers both inspiration and continual growth.

How much did you spend to get set up for this career, and how long did it take you to earn back that investment (if you have)?

I don’t remember the exact amount of how much I spent to get started, but it was somewhere between $2,000-$3,000 not including the course. This price included a few basic props, my lighting, a very basic Canon camera (I have upgraded it since, but it was enough to start), some styling boards, the editing software, and that is about it. 

Since my work schedule isn’t always consistently at the same time every day, some days I have to work evenings, other days I have to work mornings, etc., I really wanted to make sure I had artificial lighting. However, that is not a necessity in order to start this career, as long as you have a window with great natural lighting.

I made that money back within the first few months. If I had a schedule that allowed me to work more often, I could have easily made it back within the first month.

Since then, I have made enough to add to my prop collections, get a nicer and newer camera, pay to take another masterclass to grow my skills even more, get a new studio table, grow my styling boards collection, and so much more! I have been able to take my income over the last two years and invest back into my photography to continue growing.

Pretty Focused has a great list of the basic necessities to start your own business: Recommended Gear for Food Blog Photography

Did you have financial goals when you started your food photography business? If so, have you met them, and how long did that take?

My main financial goal that my husband and I agreed on was to be able to use my income as our “fun money” or put it into savings. Anything extra, like eating out, going on a trip, going to the movies, or zoo, is covered by my income. 

I have had about 2 months since graduating where I didn’t meet my goal. But it was because we were on our 6-week road trip. Or something else came up, and I wasn’t able to seek out additional work due to travel or illness. Never has it been due to not being able to find work.

Does your work-from-home career give you and your family options or limitations you didn’t have before?

As a food photographer, I have very few limitations. One of them is that I can’t easily bring my studio with me if I want to travel. 

Last summer, my husband, kids, and I took a 6-week road trip through 5 national parks, one national monument (Mount Rushmore), and 8 different states. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do any photoshoots while we were on the road, so I had to create a plan on how I would tackle this. 

Before we left, I did a handful of photo shoots (about 3-4). Then, while we were driving or had low-key evenings, I was able to edit the photos and post them for sale as we traveled. The biggest thing is being prepared, having a plan, and pushing yourself to follow through with that plan. We are planning on doing another big road trip again this summer, and I will be doing that again.

As far as this career giving us options, if we decided that we wanted to pack up and move across the country or to a different country, my work would not be affected whatsoever. I can live anywhere in the world and still run my successful business – as long as I still have the internet, that is. 

Another great comfort is knowing that I have the option of picking up as much work as I need at any moment in case of emergencies. For example, if my husband lost his job unexpectedly tomorrow, I can reach out and find more bloggers to do work for or post more exclusives in my shop for sale. 

This job is so flexible! YOU really do have so much control over how much or little work you take on.

How have you changed, personally, since you started your own food photography business? 

My confidence has grown drastically! Never have I ever thought of myself as a business owner, let alone a SUCCESSFUL business owner. I cannot believe it, even as I write it. 

I've successfully and independently run my food photography business for almost 2 years now, and that amazes me. I have found my niche and mastered that area. I’ve also begun a private, exclusive presale email group that has been very successful, too. 

I love that the opportunities to grow are endless. 

How many hours do you spend on and inside your business in a week? Is it consistent, or does it change? 

This really all depends on the recipe I am shooting and how well my toddler is able to play independently. I am frequently taking breaks to do preschool and big school pick up/drop offs. I also stop a lot to get snacks/lunch for my toddler, help her with whatever it is that she needs help with, or if I forgot a specific ingredient and have to run to the store (this doesn’t happen often). 

If everything runs smoothly and I can give my full attention to my work, AND I have a tried and true recipe ready to go:

• my planning and grocery shopping will take about 1 hour (thank you, grocery pick up!)
•  prep will take about 15-30 minutes
•  the shoot itself will take about 1-3 hours (again, depending on the intensity of the shoot)
•  plus an additional 30 minutes to clean up the dishes and put away the food and props. 
• Finally, I have editing, which only takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how much I have to edit on each photo and how many photos I have to edit. 

So, about 4-6 hours start to finish. 

I have had shoots that require the food to sit overnight or in a crockpot for the day. This will obviously take a lot of planning if you don’t want to shoot at night. 

I also sometimes get hired to develop and test recipes. This requires some extra time and an extra day, but this is not a necessity to being a photographer. It’s just another option I offer.

What does a typical workday look like for you? 

The days leading up to my workday require a lot of planning and prepping. 

A few days prior to my photo shooting day, I:

• read through the recipe 
• create a grocery list
• do something called “hero hacking” to get an idea of what shots I need
• go through my props and make sure I have the dishes I need for the shoot
• and start thinking about how my photoshoot day will go and what it will look like

Then, the morning of my photoshoot, I prep all of my ingredients into separate bowls and dive into the photoshoot process (ingredient shot, process shots, hero photos). 

After I complete the photoshoot, it’s time to clean the mess I made in the kitchen along the way and put away all of my props.

Within a few days, I try to get my invoice sent and my photos edited so when the invoice is paid, I can quickly send the photos (and sometimes recipe) to the blogger. 

Then, it all begins again for the next recipe. If I have multiple recipes for a blogger, I don’t invoice or send photos until all recipes have been photographed and are ready to go.

We love to get tips from our interviewees. Can you give us 3-5 tips for managing an at-home food photography business while raising a young family?

1. You can “hire” your kiddos to work with you.

For example, maybe they help you clean the dishes, or measure ingredients, or push the button on the camera. Something that is age-appropriate for your kids, but makes them feel included, too.

2. Set realistic goals and ask for help when you need it.

Be flexible and adjust your goals as needed to accommodate your family or for unpredictable situations. Block out “power hours” for focused work during nap times, early mornings, or evenings when children are asleep. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, whether it’s from family, friends, a Pretty Focused coach, or another photographer. No one can do everything alone, and seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness. Chances are, another photographer has the same question or has gone through a similar experience. If you need help with your kids while you are working, I have heard of some moms taking turns watching each other’s kids while the other works. Maybe you can find a trustworthy friend who could use the same support?

3. Create a consistent routine and set boundaries.

You may have to say “no” to a meet-up for coffee if it is on your scheduled work day. Determine your top priorities for both family and business. Create a schedule that designates specific times for work and family, and communicate these boundaries to clients and family members to avoid overlap. Create daily routines for your family and business activities. A consistent structure helps children know what to expect and allows you to allocate time more effectively. 

4. Be flexible and be patient.

Accept that some days may not go as planned and adapt as needed, give yourself grace during any busy or challenging periods. Some days, your toddler may just want extra snuggles from you. Remind yourself that they are only little once, and take in those snuggles. 

5. There is always more to learn.

Find a podcast about working from home or food photography (such as The Pretty Focused Podcast), and use your favorite book app to check out an audiobook about balancing home and work life. You could also sign up for masterclasses that you can listen to while you are rocking the baby to sleep or folding the endless amounts of laundry.

As I mentioned above, while planning out my shoots, I also plan out what my kids will be doing. It’s all about prepping and balancing. 

Conclusion: Can Food Photography From Home Free You, Too?

Jade Faust loved being a teacher. But between commuting and working, she didn’t get nearly enough time with her own son. 

With the help of Pretty Focused, Jade learned how to make a business of food photography from home. She now has skills that let her start earning income right after graduating.  With her new career, she’s able to invest in growing her business and provide her family with extras like meals out and long road trips.

Even better for Jade, her days of missing her kids and worrying about getting a substitute if one of them gets sick are over. Now, they’re a part of her business, helping and exploring with her, and nearby while she plans and works. And a sick kid just means she rearranges her schedule, because flexibility is built into her work-from-home food photography business.

Jade’s decision to enroll in Pretty Focused changed her life, and her family’s. She has what she always wanted – she can be home with her kids and still have an income. And now her longest commute is to the grocery store (something she’d need to do anyway).

What would this kind of freedom mean to you? Would your kids love helping you create recipes, pushing the camera button, or doing the food styling? Do you have a job that keeps you away from them when you want to be with them? Could you really use the extra money and an outlet for your creativity?

Is food photography from home the right new career of your dreams?

Could a food photography from home business be the answer you’ve been looking for? Take a chance and find out today!