Jonathan Betz Photography Blog bio picture

Portrait Artist | Jonathan Betz, M.Photog., CPP

Jonathan found his love of photography and light while working in Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 1999. During his time there, he mentored under a professional photographer that taught him how to see and capture light - the very foundation of photography. Upon returning home to St. Louis after that summer, he began pursuing a career in professional photography. In 2002, Jonathan accepted a position with a St. Louis Studio as a portrait & wedding photographer and studied under five different Master Photographers. In 2006, he and his wife Lindsay moved to Colorado and opened Jonathan Betz Photography in Colorado Springs.

Jonathan earned his Masters of Photography Degree (M.Photog.) in 2019 and Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) in 2015, conferred by The Professional Photographers of America. His work has been recognized with honors at the national and international level, most recently receiving the Platinum Medal and earning highest honors with a Grand Imaging Award. Jonathan served five terms as the President of the Professional Photographers Guild of Colorado Springs. He has served on the Board of Directors for state and regional professional photography organizations. He's committed to lifelong learning and continually seeks to elevate his craft through professional training, education, and teaching opportunities to help younger photographers refine their skills and businesses.

Studio Manager | Lindsay Betz, Cr.Photog

Lindsay joined the photography industry when she and Jonathan moved to Colorado in 2006, filling the integral role of studio management in the business. Our client families benefit from her guidance for everything before and after the photography session.

As she has embraced the photography industry, she loves opportunities to teach and present to the community of professional photographers from her expertise on the business side of photography. She has presented to professional photographers on the national platform every year since 2018. In 2022, she was recognized with the National Award for Business Education by Professional Photographers of America (PPA).

In 2019, she earned her Photographic Craftsman (Cr.Photog.), the degree that recognizes those in the photography industry that serve through professional-level teaching. She was elected to the National Council for PPA in 2016 and continues that leadership into her third term. She also serves on the PPA Education Advisory Board Committee. Additionally, she has served on the Board of Directors for the Professional Photographers Guild of Colorado Springs since 2015.

Proud members of:

Professional Photographers of America
Professional Photographers Guild of Colorado Springs

Friday, August 15, 2014

Welcoming Newborn Dylan to the Family! | Newborn & Children’s Portraits

Congratulations to these two Big Sisters on the arrival of their baby brother! This family returned to us for a session to capture newborn portraits, but more importantly, some precious early moments between these three siblings. Beautiful memories are captured in their portraits from the session, and it’s clear newborn Dylan is loved!

Photography Tip: Sessions with little kids are often chaotic! The benefits of hiring a professional photographer are not only that of freeing the parent’s focus away from trying to take pictures but also bringing in a neutral party. As a parent (and we totally do this too with our own kids!), it’s easy to have huge expectations for how well your kids will behave. As a professional dealing with toddlers all the time, Jon brings in pretty accurate expectations, and you can be fairly certain not to be the most chaotic session he’s ever encountered. Your session might feel crazy and impossible to you, but for Jon, it’s just another session with little kids, and he’s getting great images no matter how it feels at the time.