Photography is to me a lot of things. It started as an idea, an interest. It quickly developed into a passion I can't imagine being without.
I turned to photography as a way to expand my love of art after spending many years in the entertainment industry. I have been a student of the arts for many years at schools in Minneapolis, MN and New York City. I spent time in Hollywood and film studios in San Diego before reaching that "ah ha!" moment and turned my attention to my true love: photography.
I love taking those moments in life that pass us by too quickly, and capturing them forever in a photograph. This has been my life, my love, my passion since 2008.
After a brief period in Phoenix, AZ I relocated back to CA in 2011, into a historic farm house that will be housing my portrait and boudoir studio in Chico. Although I've laid down my roots in Chico I will always be available to shoot wherever life (and you) can take me. I shoot weddings and boudoirs all over the United States and all over the world! If you can dream it, I will capture it. My goal is to make your wedding day or boudoir session as enjoyable for you as possible. Not everyone loves having their picture taken or feels comfortable in front of the camera so I will always try to make your portrait and wedding experience relaxing and easy.
There is no way I could have gotten where I am alone. So I'd like to also introduce you to two people who have helped me along the way.
SUSAN SANTOS
Without Susan (and that goat), there would be no Jaye Reilly Photography. She was the catalist that got things going back in 2008. She's also a natural behind the camera and has an eye for angles I'd never even dreamed of before she showed me the way. Whenever you put a camera in her hands you can expect nothing but great things to come out of it. Susan has been my shooting partner for several weddings and pretty much all of my portrait sessions from my San Diego days. I'll never say she was an assistant since Susan does much more than assisting!Susan left me in 2009 to go live near Las Vegas, NV. While we don't get to work together as much anymore, she is still a valuable associate and whenever possible I fly her out to shoot weddings with me. Like the time she battled the Mexico City airport by herself, while pregnant, to come out and shoot Stef and Danny's Cancun wedding with me! If you are planning a wedding in Vegas do let me know! Susan and I make quite the dynamic duo! I'd like to say she's the crazy side of our happy duo but she'd probably argue that it's the other way around. If you ever get to talk to her you'll have to ask her about her three gorgeous children and the day she woke up with a paralyzed face!
I'm hoping someday I can convince her to move to Chico and we can really rock this town, but until that happens our chances to work together are few and far between.
CODY WHITE
Cody White was a groomsmen at in one my 2010 weddings. He caught the garter at that wedding. I think that was a sign. We became inseparable just a few months later and it's because of him that I wound up in Chico! I started grooming him as my new assistant immediately, back in my Phoenix days. At first he just hauled gear and helped me prep before a shoot but soon asked if he could step behind the camera as well. I gave him a chance at a few portrait sessions and was amazed by his natural (or perhaps just well groomed) abilities! He has now assisted me in half a dozen weddings with many more on the books. Cody has an amazing natural eye and his work was incredible from the first time I let him play around with one of my cameras. He is now the Yin to my Yang (or is it the other way around?). Cody assists me in almost every Chico wedding and portrait and most of my recent destination weddings. Also being 6'4" tall is a huge bonus since he can now get the shots I couldn't without using a step ladder... which means I have one less thing I need to haul around with me!
In February of 2012 Cody also became my husband. I seriously think I won the jackpot here. An awesome husband and an amazing assistant in one? I'll take it!
