How Salted Photography grew by staying true to herself

Jamilla is the face behind Salted Photography, one of the most talented photographers in the Netherlands. She has a beautiful, unique style and a way of capturing the perfect moments and light. And that didn’t just happen overnight. Her love for photography started at a young age.

What began as a simple love for capturing memories grew into an amazing photography journey. “I always brought my little camera on school trips,” she says. “I took photos of everything: my friends, cute boys (they somehow ended up in my frame quite often, haha), and occasionally some scenery.”

But photography took on a much deeper meaning when her eldest son was born prematurely. “That’s when I truly realized how valuable photos are, especially when times are tense and fragile.” Two years later, after the birth of her second son, she decided to turn her passion into her profession. Salted was born. She’s now been a full-time self employed photographer for over five years, and to this day, it still feels like the best decision she ever made.

Controlled chaos and genuine love

Her heart lies in photographing families, she shares. “Controlled chaos, that’s what I love. It can be loose, a little wild, full of movement and joy. It might not look posed, but there’s definitely guidance behind it.” Jamilla helps her clients relax, gives gentle direction, but above all creates space for who they really are.

That approach reflects exactly who she is as a person, something that’s always felt in her images. “I truly believe my photography style is an extension of who I am. Spontaneous, loving, warm and real. People often recognize my work by that feeling, and to me, that’s the biggest compliment I can receive.”

What touches her time and again during a shoot is the relationship between parent and child. “That pure connection, the small glances, the sense of safety and trust, capturing that feels like magic.”

How Salted Photography developed her style

“I’m completely self-taught, I didn’t study photography, I learned everything myself,” Jamilla explains. By doing a lot, daring, practicing, making mistakes, putting in the hours and working incredibly hard, she got to where she is today.

“My style developed gradually, and I believe that’s because I stayed true to myself.” Of course she sees tons of beautiful work from other photographers, but she never tries to copy. “If something doesn’t come from within, it doesn’t feel like it’s yours.” By staying true to what suits her, her style has grown into what it is now: loose, loving, warm and sincere.

And it’s brought her far. Her work has been featured three times in VOGUE UK, a dream come true. “That had been on my bucket list for years, and the fact that it happened still feels surreal and incredibly special,” she says with excitement.

A retreat built around inspiration, growth and connection

Jamilla shares her way of working not just with families, but with fellow photographers as well. Together with Heidi Gita Photography, she organizes photography retreats in Portugal. “It’s such a perfect mix of creativity, depth, and connection. We get so much energy and inspiration from it every single time.”

Last year’s edition was a great success, and the enthusiasm is only growing. “We’re already looking forward to next April. It’s not a portfolio bootcamp, but really meant to inspire other photographers and take them through how we work, from client direction to editing and everything in between. And it’s also about connection, relaxing, great food and enjoying time with like-minded people,” she says with a smile.

Curious about the next edition? Take a look at Light Stories Academy for more information about this inspiring retreat.

The other side of success as a photographer

Still, her career hasn’t been without challenges. Especially at the beginning of Salted Photography. Her Instagram account grew quickly in a short time, something she worked hard for alongside her family and her job as a fashion designer at a major children’s clothing brand.

“I soon realized that visibility also comes with a downside,” she says. When you put yourself out there, not everyone will be kind. “People were talking about me, I heard nasty comments, often from people who didn’t even know me personally.”

It affected her and made her more cautious. “I don’t trust just anyone anymore, especially within the photography world. That’s why I’ve become a bit more withdrawn on Instagram.” Still, it also made her more grounded in her mission. “I know who I am, what I stand for, and that I want to do things my way, with love, honesty, and no games.”

A reminder for starting photographers

Jamilla shares one crucial tip for beginning photographers: “Don’t compare yourself to someone with 8 to 10 years of experience, that’s a real trap.” Everyone starts somewhere, and you don’t have to be perfect right away.

“A lot of people want to go from 0 to 100 in a week, but that’s just not how it works. Give yourself the time to grow,” she says. Develop your own style, learn from your mistakes, and dare to experiment.

“And know this: you really have to work hard. It doesn’t just fall into your lap. But if you’re willing to invest time, energy and effort, you can go far. Most of all, stay close to yourself. That’s where the strength of your work truly lies,” says Jamilla with encouragement.

A look at Salted Photography’s workflow with Shootstack

Shootstack now plays a key role in her delivery process. “My workflow starts with fully editing the entire gallery, down to the smallest detail,” Jamilla explains. She then uploads the gallery to Shootstack as a selection gallery, with a watermark on the images.

Clients can easily mark their favorites using the heart icon. Once the selection is made, she sends the invoice. “Then I create a new set from the favorites list, without a watermark, and make it available for download. The whole process runs smoothly and clearly, both for me and for the client.”

In the beginning, Jamilla had to take some time to get used to Shootstack and figure everything out, but now she’s more than happy with it. “It’s easy to use and well organized. Clients can view their images in a beautiful way and download them effortlessly,” she says.

What the future holds

Jamilla shares that over the past two years, she’s done a lot of personal work and that now increasingly shows in her photography. “Last year was a bit quieter because I really needed that personally, but this year I truly feel the drive to go full force again.”

Her goal is to stay close to herself and to keep capturing beautiful people and families in a pure, honest way. That’s where her heart is.

She’s looking forward to all the moments and images she’ll get to capture and to inspiring fellow photographers during the new Portugal retreat in April.

Curious to see more of Salted Photography’s work? Be sure to check out her Instagram account.