Today we’d like to introduce you to Jana Gross
Hi Jana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My sister and I were adopted from South Korea and grew up in Minnesota with our parents and older brother. I spent my childhood in a small town of just 3,700 people, and after high school, I felt the pull to explore the world. On my 17th birthday (I was a young graduate!), my mom and I went to the MEPS station, where she co-signed the paperwork that allowed me to join the Air Force. I wanted to see new places, challenge myself, and earn my college education.
After basic training, I trained to became a medical technician. My first duty station was at RAF Lakenheath, England—a place that would become a backdrop for some of the most life-changing events in my early adulthood. Less than a year after I arrived, Operation Desert Storm began, bringing casualties to our hospital. I met my future husband and we got married in October of 1991. Only days before our first Christmas as newlyweds, he was deployed to Turkey. It was a time of immense change, but looking back, I’m grateful for how those years shaped me. By the time I finished my service in New Mexico, I had grown from a naïve 17-year-old into a 21-year-old veteran.
Through every stage of my life, creativity has been my constant. As a child, I loved making things—crafting toys out of cardboard and exploring every artistic opportunity I could. In high school, I fell in love with pottery, especially wheel throwing, and created so many pieces that I displayed them all over our piano for my graduation party. That passion for creating led me to pursue a degree in Art after leaving the military. My husband and I found a college in Minnesota that supported both of our dreams. I spent the next five years earning a BFA in printmaking and ceramics, pushing myself to grow artistically and think critically about the creative process.
After our move to Texas, I drifted away from the arts for a while. Four years after settling in Texas, we started our family, and everything changed. My three daughters are my greatest joy, and it was through motherhood that I found my way back to creativity. I wanted to capture every milestone, every little in-between moment—the everyday beauty of their childhood. Photography became my way of preserving those fleeting memories. What began as a personal passion, with my daughters as my muses, slowly grew into something more. In 2020, I took a leap of faith and officially launched Jana Gross Photography, turning my love for storytelling through images into a boutique photography business.
Now, two of my girls are adults, and my youngest is in high school. We’ve homeschooled from the very beginning, and while that journey has been both rewarding and challenging, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. In these later years, homeschool enrichment classes have lightened the load (know when to get help! 😊), allowing me to dedicate more time to growing my business.
Through it all, my husband has been my best friend and biggest supporter. I am immensely grateful for the life we’ve built together, for the memories we’ve made, and for the stories I get to capture—not just for my own family, but for the families who trust me to document their most precious moments.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We all face challenges along the way, and I’m no exception. My time in the Air Force feels like a lifetime ago, but those four years shaped me in profound ways. Some experiences were incredibly difficult-the sobering reality of casualties arriving at our hospital during Desert Storm, and being separated from my husband for deployment for 100 days just a few months after our wedding.
Another deeply challenging season was our journey to starting a family. After four years of waiting and hoping, we were beyond grateful when we finally welcomed our first daughter. In the struggle, we learned to trust God’s timing and His plan for our lives—a lesson that has carried me through so many other moments of uncertainty.
Starting my photography business in 2020 came with its own set of challenges. I couldn’t have predicted how the pandemic would reshape our daily lives, but I’m so glad I took that leap of faith. There have been wins and failures, moments of doubt and moments of celebration, but through it all, I’ve grown—not just as a business owner, but as a person. Every step of the journey has led me to where I am today, and for that, I am truly grateful.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Jana Gross Photography was born from my deep desire to document the beauty of childhood. After the challenges of starting our family, I wanted to capture not just the big milestones, but also the small, quiet, and joy-filled moments that make up a childhood—the laughter, the cuddles, the in-between moments that often mean the most. My portraits are best described as candid, joyful, and filled with connection, reflecting the genuine love and warmth within families.
I specialize in children and families, creating images that tell each family’s unique story. I also love working with small business owners to help them elevate their brand with professional headshots and branding sessions.
Being an adoptee, I don’t have portraits of myself from before I was adopted. That experience has given me an even greater passion for creating tangible, lasting artwork for my clients-beautiful prints, wall art, and albums that become cherished family heirlooms. Your family portraits will only grow more valuable with time, becoming a treasured legacy for generations to come.
From our first conversation to the final delivery of your artwork, I guide my clients through every step of the process, creating an experience that is tailored to each family. But what I love most is the relationships I build along the way—I’m so grateful to call many of my clients friends.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I am definitely a podcast girl! Some of my favorites include The Mel Robbins Podcast for life and relationship wisdom, and The Flourish Academy and From Better Half to Boss for mindset and photography-focused insights.
One book that has recently changed my perspective is The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins. It challenged me to stop worrying about how others perceive me—whether in my business or personal life—and instead focus on what I can control: my response. That simple shift is something I’m intentionally practicing and it has given me so much freedom and clarity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.janagrossphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janagrossphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janagrossphotography
Image Credits
Images by Jana Gross Photography
