EP 129 - From Wedding Photographers to Set Designers with Jada and David
This week on the pod, I’m so excited to be chatting with Jada and David about going from wedding photography to building full conceptual sets and creative worlds.
We get into burnout, personal projects, and what it actually looks like to pivot and start creating the work you actually want to be known for.
Meet Jada + David:
Jada and David are a married couple and creative duo. Together, they combine set design, photography, lighting, and motion to create bold, visually striking imagery for musicians, designers, brands, and more. They collaborate closely on every project, handling everything from concept and set builds to lighting, photography, and video. Before stepping into this work, they spent nearly a decade as wedding and portrait photographers. In 2020, they shifted their focus and began building custom sets for their shoots. That decision led to their 100 Set Project in 2021, where they built 100 sets and produced 100 shoots in a single year, changing the direction of their careers. Today, Jada and David create custom sets for both personal and client work. They collaborate with musicians on music videos and album artwork, and partner with fashion designers and creative brands to produce thoughtful, high impact visuals. They are currently working on a new personal project called The Attic Series, where they are building 25 sets and producing 25 shoots inside their attic over the course of 100 days, exploring what’s possible within a small, constrained space. Their work has been exhibited in galleries around the world and featured at events like Miami Art Week and Berlin Photo Week. Their work has also been recognized by organizations including the Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards, the Aesthetica Art Prize, the International Photography Awards, and the Chromatic Photo Awards.
How it started
Jada and David both came from wedding photography. That was the entry point.
But what I loved hearing was how they talk about it - it wasn’t the end goal, it was just the foundation.
David said something along the lines of wedding photography being the starting point for everything they do now, and that really stuck with me. Because I think a lot of people feel like pivoting means abandoning something, when really it can just be building on top of it.
The shift into something new
Their real turning point happened during COVID. Weddings paused, their studio was sitting empty, and instead of waiting around… they started experimenting.
David has a background in theater, so they naturally leaned into set design. And instead of doing one or two creative shoots, they went all in and committed to building 100 sets in a year.
Which is kind of insane in the best way.
But also - necessary. Because they weren’t just playing around. They were building an entirely new body of work. A new identity.
And I think that’s the part people skip. If you want to pivot, you have to create the proof of the thing you want to be known for.
Burnout isn’t the enemy
We also talked a lot about burnout, which I know so many of you feel.
Their perspective was really refreshing. It wasn’t like “push through it” or “fix your mindset.” It was more like… burnout is information.
Jada said something that I loved - basically, sit with it, figure out where it’s coming from, and then change something.
Not everything. Just something.
For them, that looked like personal projects. Their “Attic Series” is literally 25 sets built in a small attic space. No crazy budget. Just ideas and execution.
And that’s the thing - those projects weren’t for clients. They were for them. And that’s what brought the creativity back.
What it actually looks like to build a “world”
Their work isn’t just pretty sets. It’s intentional.
They describe it as colorful worlds with darker narratives underneath. Every shoot has a concept, a story, a feeling. And everything - colors, lighting, props - feeds into that.
Nothing is random.
And I think that’s a big takeaway. Whether you’re shooting weddings or building sets or doing brand work… the difference is intention. You’re not just creating images, you’re creating a world people can step into.
The collaboration piece
Another thing I loved was how they approach collaboration.
A lot of their ideas start with just the two of them. But as things scale, they bring in other creatives - musicians, actors, teams—and translate their vision into something bigger.
And that’s a skill on its own. Not just having a vision, but being able to communicate it so other people can help bring it to life.
Why this matters
I think their story is such a good reminder that you’re not stuck.
You can pivot. You can evolve. You can build something completely different if you want to.
But it doesn’t happen by waiting for permission or hoping clients magically ask you to do something new.
It happens when you decide to make it, even if it’s just in your attic.
Jada said it best - just ask for what you want, go after it, and you can make it come to you.
If you’re in a creative rut right now, this episode is a good one.
And if nothing else, let it remind you that the work you want to be doing is probably something you have to start creating for yourself first.
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Connect with Jada + David:
Education and Content: jadaanddavid.gumroad.com
Instagram: @Jadaanddavid
Check out their "Attic Series" on Youtube: youtube.com/jadaanddavid
Patreon: patreon.com/c/jadaanddavid
