Today we’d like to introduce you to India Jade McCue.
India, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was 14 years old with braces and too much creative energy, I saved all my babysitting money on a lime green point-and-shoot camera. I had always loved art and had been pegged a creative since I was a toddler, but I needed a way to turn that creative energy into something more. I didn’t grow up with money, so I learned pretty fast that if I wanted something big out of this life, I needed to use what God gave me to make it happen. I launched a Facebook page for my photography in 2011 (I believe?). Like every other “quirky girl” with a camera, it started as a way to share photos of nature, flowers, and my friends. I’d take it to school dances and have the neighbor kids model for me. We’d make silly shortfilms and parody songs. I was obsessed with trying everything and aged with technology as it was still just beginning (you know Microsoft Paint?! Um, yes, my best friend!). I never looked back.
I photographed my first wedding at age 16. This summer will mark 10 years since that. I charged $150 for a 10hr day. I didn’t even have my license, so my dad had to drop me off at the venue. But there was something about it that I loved.
Throughout high school, I dabbled in every creative thing I could get my hands on. I was an avid theatre student, sang on the worship team, whipped up graphics for school fundraisers, and always found my way to the media room at any gathering. After graduating high school, I had to make a decision—should I hop into photography full-time? Pick a different creative path? Or choose a “secure” career and study something else entirely.
Art never has been the popular choice, but I knew I had to follow my gut.
I attended CCAD (Columbus College of Art & Design) and majored in Advertising & Graphic Design. It felt like the best way to pull all of my passions together in a marketable way. I did schoolwork on the weekdays and photography on the weekends, booking weddings, seniors, and every portrait session I could manage to pay for my schooling. I remember at one point, I had 4 different jobs—RA, Junior Designer, Photographer, and Childcare Attendant—burnout soon came, and I drastically reevaluated. But was too desperate to fail.
When I graduated in 2019, I accepted a job in Pittsburgh, PA, at a national non-profit called the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) as their Graphic Designer. I served on their team for 3 years while running my photography business. I would travel back home to Ohio most weekends, photograph weddings, and travel back to be on time for work Monday morning. I could sense burnout rising up once again. But I didn’t know what to do. Should I quit the job I just got? Wedding photography was exciting but inconsistent. And now, with student loans to pay off, what was the right move?
I still don’t know what “right” means for the fire-hearted creative in a wild capitalist society, but I am grateful that something changed.
When covid-19 hit, we were told to go home and work remotely. To me, my fiancé in Ohio felt more like home than an empty room in Pittsburgh, so I moved back to the Buckeye state and awaited further orders. While I worked remotely at my full-time job and helped my brides find new ways to celebrate their love, I was planning my own wedding. We got married in November 2020 and had the most whimsical day—a true beacon of joy in the middle of such a dark time.
My husband (!!) is also a creative. He is a filmmaker, writer, and actor, and his work took us to Hamilton, OH, for a year before we decided to build our community in Columbus, Ohio once more.
It was also during this time that he encouraged me to pursue acting again! We didn’t have much else to do in covid, so we wrote shortfilms and skits, polishing up our acting skills, and submitted our work to contests as a way to keep the mood up. I ended up winning a few acting awards and got representation as an actress here in the Midwest.
While I have been crafting images all through the years, I decided I could no longer manage a 9-5 in addition to all my passions. Something had to give, and my gut spoke once again.
I quit my full-time job in the summer of 2022 and went into full-time photography and entrepreneurship. It’s been just over a year, and it was the decision I needed to make for me. My husband and I have gotten to work together and travel for our own work–taking us to Alaska, California, New York—and now offer more photo and film services to clients around the country. In this time, I also started a wedding rental company (Bohio Rentals) and photography education (India Jade Photo EDU) as a way to pour into aspiring creatives around me. Andddd because I think I have too many ideas, an apparel line (Blue Hour) inspired by photography and the human experience.
Today I’m still figuring it out. Constantly praying for clarity and tuning into what my gut says is up next.
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?
Not smooth!!! Haha, I have made poor investments, unwise choices and have pursued bad ideas left and right. I have (self-diagnosed) ADHD, so often, my battle is between what I am passionate about and what is the best use of time.
My husband and I together have faced a number of obstacles in pursing our passions; we’ve had seasons where our income was in the six-figure range and months where we’ve paid with quarters for our groceries. I have a little bit of a social media presence and often have exchanged UGC or product photography in exchange for groceries, clothes, or items we use around the house. In little or in much, God has shown up and always provided.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an attainable luxury wedding photographer offering artful-warm-timeless portraits for couples wildly in love. Most of my work is here in Columbus, OH, but I do travel and offer destination and elopement wedding packages.
I also offer photography education through private mentorships and am working on a course set to launch later this year.
Because I am an ideas girl at heart, I also own “Bohio Rentals” a bohemian-themed event rental service; I have an ethically made apparel line called “Blue Hour,” and my husband and I host a film podcast called “CineMcCue.”
And yes, I am an actress! Which still feels so wild to say. I am a signed actress, so auditions are part of my day-to-day. I was cast as a principal in a faith-based feature film called “I CAN” (First Capital Productions, Kappa Studios), set to premiere this summer in theatres.
Through all of that, I think I’m most proud of how many passions I have pursued and still continue to follow. I think too often people let their dreams die and trade them in for a job and lifestyle they’re unhappy with. While we don’t often have our dreams flourish in the way we want, I am proud of my husband and I continually following them. We like to continue the chase, constantly create, and enjoy the adventure of doing it—even if no one understands, I’m proud of our willingness to go for our dreams.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I think we take risks every day. We risk our lives getting behind the wheel of a motor-powered vehicle and fling ourselves 70 miles per hour down a potholed Ohio road. But we trust our consciousness, we trust the manufacturers, we trust other drivers, and we put our faith in man and machine each time we drive a car. When it comes to being a creative and an entrepreneur, I think it’s the same. Making the choice to leave my 9-5 was always deemed risky. And in some ways, it was. But jobs are not security blankets, and people abruptly get let go, and companies shut down left and right. At least as my own boss, I get to predict a coming layoff and at least have a warning if I were to demote my position. 😉
Pricing:
- 3300 – 8hr wedding day
- 3600 – 9hr wedding day
- 4200 – 10hr wedding day with second shooter
- 5000 – 10hr wedding day, with second shooter, engagement session, and gif animations
- 7000 – 8hr photo & film wedding day package
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.indiajadeorban.com/
- Instagram: indiajadephoto
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indiajadephoto
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@themccues/videos
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mccueties?lang=en
Image Credits
India Jade McCue
