I’ve been creating stock portraits for 18 years—almost two decades! What started as a fun teenage hobby, not realising the role photography would come to play in my life, has now become my full-time career. Over the years, I’ve built a creative world around everything I love: photography, book design, costumes, acting, fantasy, and artistic collaborations with illustrators. And somehow, I’ve been able to turn that passion into a sustainable business—one that gives me the financial freedom to continue creating as an independent artist. It’s a dream come true.
(This pink portrait is the very first stock image from 2007)
Another joy has been looking back through my archives and repackaging old photoshoots for the site. Revisiting past work has allowed me to reflect on just how far I’ve come and everything I’ve learned about photography along the way. Seeing the evolution of my style, techniques, and creative vision over the years has been both nostalgic and motivating. It’s a reminder of how much growth is possible when you keep pushing yourself to experiment and improve.
For most of my career, I’ve relied on various platform sites to host my stock images. While they provided visibility, I never had one central place where I could control the availability of my work. Plus, every sale meant a percentage went to the platform. Launching my own store changed that. Now, I can fully curate my collection, decide which packs are available, and reinvest all of my earnings back into my work.
One of the most fascinating parts of running my own site has been having access to detailed insights—seeing which stock packs are in high demand, which themes resonate most with artists, and how I can tailor future shoots to better serve the creative community. It’s been an incredible learning experience, and I’m excited to keep growing and evolving Faestock.com.
Looking ahead, I’m eager to expand my offerings by collaborating with different models and shooting in unique locations to bring more variety to my packs. In just a few months, I’ll be traveling to Kenya, and I can’t wait to capture the magic of the landscape and wildlife—so keep an eye out for a safari-themed stock pack coming soon!
Thank you to everyone who has supported Faestock.com in its first year. Whether you’ve purchased stock images, shared my work, or simply sent words of encouragement, I appreciate it more than I can say.
Here’s to another year of creativity, adventure, and artistic collaboration!
-Jessica