The Mindful Art of Photography: Jo Tennant on Finding Beauty in Every Shot

To celebrate World Photography Day, we sit down with Jo Tennant, the photographer and founder of 20 Photos. Jo discusses the significance of physical photos, the stories they tell, and how her business brings those stories to life.

What first drew you to photography, and what has kept you passionate about it over the years?

Photography has been a part of my life since childhood. My dad taught me the basics with his SLR camera, and I fell in love with the ability to freeze moments in time. Those photo walks with him are precious memories as he died a few years later. Perhaps that's why capturing memories became so important to me - it's a way to celebrate life's beautiful moments, both big and small. And a recognition that all moments in life are transient. 

Over the years, photography evolved from a passion to my profession. With a background in marine biology by training, I'm drawn to the sea, which often inspires my personal photography work. Living in Portobello, I frequently photograph seascapes and swimmers - in fact, one such image was among the winners in the 2019 Scottish Portrait Awards.

For me, photography is a form of mindfulness, a way to journal life, and a means to share how I see the world. I'm passionate about finding and bringing out the beautiful, unique story in everyone's life. It's this joy of preserving and revealing meaningful moments that keeps me passionate about photography to this day.

What do you think makes photography such an essential art form in today's world?

In our fast-paced, digital world, photography has become a universal tool, transcending all language to preserve memories that might otherwise slip away.

The democratisation of photography through smartphones fascinates and delights me. With powerful cameras in our pockets, we're all storytellers now, capturing everyday life in unprecedented ways. I believe there's importance in each individual story - as evidenced by a study at Emory University, which shows it's one of the biggest factors in mental health and resilience.

However, this accessibility to endless capturing has led to an overwhelming volume of images - the average phone now holds over 35,500 photos! It's an overwhelming amount of information for the human brain, and we often lack the skills to manage it effectively.

In a world of information overload, a compelling image cuts through the noise, connecting to our inner selves. This was why I created 20 Photos - to help people find the gems and sidestep the digital chaos.

I'm drawn to photography's power to help us slow down, reflect on our journey, and connect to our story. For me, photos are about living in the moment and capturing what matters to us as individuals and families, not for a social media audience.

Ultimately, photography's universal nature helps us make sense of our world and our place in it. It's a mirror to society, a keeper of memories, and a doorway into others' stories. Sharing prints and the stories behind them creates profound connections. In our often disconnected world, photography brings us together, helping us appreciate life's beauty and complexity.

When you're deciding what makes a photo truly stand out, what key factors do you focus on?

When deciding what makes a photo truly stand out, I focus on its ability to tell a story and evoke emotion rather than its technical perfection. It's about capturing life moments that resonate with the viewer's memories and experiences.

I encourage people to think of their photos as chapters in a larger narrative - the story of their life! A standout photo isn't just visually appealing; it's meaningful within context. A slightly blurry shot of your child laughing might be far more powerful than a perfectly posed 'cheese' photo.

In my work with 20 Photos, I've found that the most impactful images often capture the essence of a person or moment. They're not always initially the most aesthetically pleasing, but they're rich with emotion and memory-evoking potential. Often, a subsequent re-cropping and subtle edit will render them an absolute gem.

Context is crucial. That's why I encourage people to reflect on their experiences before diving into their photo reels. What were the moments that shaped you? What made you smile or laugh? These are the building blocks of a compelling photo story. It's also important to consider how you want to display or share these photos - as a single wall print, part of a collage, or a set of prints to share with loved ones.

Ultimately, the photos that truly stand out transport you back to a specific time, place, or feeling. They make you pause, reflect, and share a story. In our digital age of limitless snapshots, these are the images worth preserving and displaying.

It's not about having a perfectly curated Instagram feed; it's about creating a way to dive back into the narrative of your life. That's what makes a photo truly special in my eyes.

What inspired you to start 20 Photos, and how did the concept come to life?

The inspiration for 20 Photos came during lockdown. As a photographer, I suddenly found myself grounded, like many others in my profession. But I realised something fascinating was happening: the big 'story' wasn't out there in the world, it was unfolding in everyone's homes.

The world's foremost press and war photographers couldn't get out to cover events, and portrait photographers couldn't capture life's milestones, but people were still documenting their lives. They were using their phones to capture the reality and inventiveness of life under lockdown and later, exploring their neighbourhoods with fresh eyes. It was a remarkable time and I saw the value in these everyday moments.

During this period, I started a personal project of curating and printing my own family photos. I was using my home printer, and what struck me was how crucial it was to make these images physical. There was something magical about holding these memories in my hands, something that digital photos never quite manage. It brought our experiences to life in a way that allowed us to share and connect over them as a family.

This project became my creative outlet, a way to keep my professional self – the part that lives for photos – alive while I was looking after small children. I’d allow myself half an hour a day. I experimented with different formats, seeing what worked best to tell our story.

The concept really took shape when a friend asked me to tackle her decade-old wedding photos. It made me realise that this overwhelming digital clutter was a common problem. People had thousands of photos but no easy way to curate and enjoy them.

My research and experience led me to an important insight: 20 is the optimal number of images for the brain to process without feeling overwhelmed. As photographers, we're taught that a portfolio should never exceed 20 images, and any story should be tellable within this limit. This principle became the foundation of 20 Photos – a way to distil hundreds or thousands of digital images into a manageable, meaningful collection that truly tells your story

Ultimately, 20 Photos was born from a desire to transform digital overwhelm into tangible, meaningful keepsakes. It's about helping people rediscover and celebrate their stories, turning the fleeting moments captured on our phones into lasting memories we can hold, share, and cherish.

What started as a lockdown project to keep my creativity alive has evolved into a passion for helping others curate their life stories. It's been an unexpected but incredibly rewarding journey.

What do you believe 20 Photos offers people that's different?

At 20 Photos, we’re not creating new memories; we're helping people rediscover and celebrate the ones they've already captured. We offer a unique solution to a common problem: the overwhelming number of digital photos we all have. 

Our service addresses two main challenges people face with their photos. Firstly, many do nothing with their images due to lack of time and the overwhelming volume of photos. Secondly, while some turn to photo book companies, these often require hours (even days) of selection, encourage printing more than necessary, and offer an overwhelming amount of choice. This often leads to stalled projects that never reach their full potential. It's why 96% of people take photos and want to print them at least annually... but never do!

What sets 20 Photos apart is our curated approach. We take on the task of sifting through hundreds or thousands of photos, relieving that burden from our clients. We deliver a shortlist that responds specifically to what they want to remember, from which they make the final selection of 20 photos.

We then professionally edit these chosen photos and print them on museum-quality fine art paper. This elevates everyday snapshots into beautiful, tangible art pieces.

Our focus is on storytelling - not just selecting technically perfect shots, but finding images that best narrate a person's or family's journey. We're preserving authentic moments and creating a cohesive narrative through carefully chosen images.

In essence, 20 Photos transforms digital clutter into meaningful, high-quality keepsakes, making the process easy, personal, and rewarding for our clients.

Have you any anecdotes of success stories of creations you've done?

One story that stands out is Sarah's. She had nearly a thousand beautiful professional wedding photos sitting untouched on a hard drive for eight years. Overwhelmed, she sent them to us, telling us what she wanted to remember. We curated them down to 20 beautiful prints that told the story of her special day. Sarah and her husband were so delighted that they've since come back regularly, creating sets for each year of their twins' lives and most recently their sabbatical. 

We've curated a wide range of life milestones: weddings, births, family holidays and coming-of-age celebrations. One of the most poignant jobs that I am honoured to do is helping families remember loved ones who have passed away. When you can't bear to look at the photos but you know it's so important and want to remember them with joy.

Our clients range from extended families to celebrities and even award-winning Netflix documentary crews. Our commitment to security and privacy is paramount, which I think is why we are trusted particularly by our high-profile clients.

The reactions we get are always a highlight. I'll never forget Sophie's response when she unboxed her prints: 'Oh my God, did I really take these?!' It's that moment of rediscovery, of seeing their own photos transformed into something beautiful, that makes this work so fulfilling.

From everyday moments to once-in-a-lifetime events, each 20 Photos creation is a unique celebration of life's stories. It's about helping people rediscover and cherish their memories in a tangible, beautiful way.