Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Mangroo.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
At the age of 15 I started taking photo’s on my iPhone, by the age of 17 I was gifted a used canon camera. I was doing journalism for my local newspaper at the time and my mental health was getting bad. Photography got me out the house and was able to improve my mental health by being creative and allowing me to be a tourist in my own city (Toronto). For about 10+ years I’ve been running my business alone and have rebranded to Jenuine Photography from ‘Jenny from the Block’. After years of living in Toronto, I moved to New York in 2023 to continue to pursue my dreams and goals. Which led me to doing Miami Swimwear Week this summer of 2025. Miami has been like a second home to me and I love the atmosphere thus, my photography has been published state wide. Being only 30 and having all this experience at a young age has been amazing. I finally was able to relax after a busy few weeks in Miami, to furthermore publish my poetry book about heartbreak and trauma I wrote at the age of 16-23. Life has brought me many blessings and I am forever humble for it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was not a smooth road, being a female in a mans industry was always difficult. I always found myself left out in the dark when asking fellow photographers for advice or having to self teach myself via youtube or reddit forums. Even arriving to events that were disorganized was a challenge, but they made everything worth wild not to sound like a cliche. I think as an introvert who forces herself to be social when shooting was difficult, I still struggle to conjure up small talk with people but doing it so often has brought out the confidence within me. Every no, is literally just one step closer to your yes that could absolutely change your life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
With photography, the community always tell you to find your niche and stick to it. I guess I’ve always been a rebel and done my own thing. I’d like to say I “specialize” in portraits, events and cars. But really and truly I’ve done and can do everything under the sun. When you’re a female entrepreneur and a hustler, you really have no limitations when it comes to niches in photography and that’s what I feel sets me apart from everyone else, that I’m able to adapt and be apart of every special moment that people need me for. I’m very proud of how far I’ve come, as a Gemini we tend to get bored easily and never really see anything through. But this company and this business has been my life and without it, I definitely wouldn’t be here, I’m very proud of the people I’ve worked with who have also helped me, not only with my art but just giving me advice to better myself and my craft as a whole.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I think as a kid that’s all I was looking for, someone to take me under their wing and show me the ropes and honestly it was hard and it never happened. What worked well for me was networking finding local photographers who had the time to answer quick questions or I would always even run to YouTube or social media. People always wanted money for their time and given the economy I get it, but people are always giving out free game on TikTok, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Just find your people and build your circle even if it is virtual.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jennifermangroo.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__jenuinephotography/
Image Credits
Images are all mine.
