Announcing Our Partnership With JHR Photography. Because Nashville Deserves the Best
- Paul Whitten
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
By Paul Whitten I've been wanting to write this post for a while. This isn't just a partnership announcement. It's a story about Nashville, about what it means to serve, and about what happens when two veterans who once shared the same combat zones end up building something together in the same city.
Nashville Has a Way of Bringing the Right People Together
I moved to Nashville because of what this city does to people. It pulls dreamers, makers, veterans, artists, and entrepreneurs into its orbit and then it does something remarkable: it turns strangers into collaborators. It finds people who might never have crossed paths anywhere else on the planet and puts them in the same room at exactly the right moment.
That's what happened when I met Jayson Rivas.
Nashville's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Is the Real Thing
I talk about this a lot, and I'm going to keep talking about it because it matters. Nashville isn't just a city with incredible live music, great food, and some of the most stunning street murals you'll find anywhere in the country. It's a place where the entrepreneurial spirit feels alive in a way that's hard to describe if you haven't been inside it.
The business community here doesn't just network. It actually shows up. The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce champions local businesses like they have a personal stake in seeing them succeed. The Nashville Entrerpreneur Center exist here specifically to help founders get off the ground and stay there. The people in this city refer each other, collaborate, celebrate one another's wins, and show up in the way that you hope a community will but don't always find.
I didn't build Nashville Adventures from a business school blueprint. I built it because I believed Nashville deserved a tour experience that treated guests like intelligent people who love this city. What I had was a veteran's tolerance for operating in uncertainty and a belief in what this city could support. Nashville's community embraced us and through that, I found Jayson.
A Brother in Arms (With a Way Better Job Than Me)
Jayson Rivas is one of the most impressive people I've ever met.
We both served in the United States Army. We both deployed to the same combat zones. That's one of those facts that sits with you for a moment when you say it out loud, because it means something real about the choices you made and what you were willing to put on the line. But I have to be honest: Jayson had a significantly cooler job than I ever did. The man served as a Green Beret in U.S. Army Special Forces. His military resume makes mine look like a grocery list.
What I respect most about Jayson... is what he did after the Army. He didn't coast. He didn't trade on his background. He picked up a camera, founded JHR Photography in 2017, and became one of the most respected photographers in Nashville. Not just technically, though technically the man is exceptional. But in how he treats people, how he runs his business, and how he shows up for the veteran community he's committed to.
He serves as a Nashville Ambassador for Bunker Labs, helping veteran founders connect with the resources and opportunities they need. He shows up for other veteran entrepreneurs the way the best NCOs show up for their soldiers: present, resourceful, and invested in their success. Jayson is a friend. And that friendship is the foundation of everything we're building together.
What Makes JHR Photography Different
JHR Photography has been making people look incredible against Nashville's backdrop since 2017. Jayson specializes in photography that requires two things working at once: technical precision and genuine human warmth. Getting great photos from real people means helping them actually relax in front of a camera, and that takes skill, patience, and a kind of easy confidence that makes people forget they're even being photographed. His work has earned recognition from USA Today, CNN, and The Tennessean.
Jayson puts it better than I can: “The best photos happen when you aren't thinking about the camera at all. Nashville has amazing places to explore and create more than just snapshots. Our job is to help you relax, have fun, and look your best, then deliver the photos that prove it.” That's the philosophy. That's why this partnership works.
This Isn't Your Average Nashville Photo Walk
Here's something worth knowing: most Nashville photo walks leave you with exactly what you already had. Phone quality snapshots, rushed moments in front of murals, and memories that don't quite match how great the experience actually felt. That's the gap we set out to close.
The Nashville Mural Photo Tour is a private, professional photography experience. Not a group walk with a guide holding a phone. Every session is led by Jayson Rivas of JHR Photography, shot on professional equipment, and every image is individually edited before it gets to you. You're not getting a filter on a phone photo. You're getting a professionally edited, high resolution gallery.
Here's what your experience includes: Nashville's best murals and hidden photo spots, chosen for color, character, and composition. Professional photography by Jayson. Expert posing and direction throughout so nobody's standing around wondering what to do. A professionally edited gallery delivered after your session. High resolution digital downloads that are print quality. And the entire experience is completely private. Just your group, your photographer, and Nashville.
Sessions run 60 to 90 minutes. Long enough to hit multiple spots and get a solid range of shots. Short enough to keep the energy high. This experience is built for any group that wants real memories from a real Nashville visit: bachelorette parties, girls trips, birthday celebrations, engagements, couples, content creators, and friends and family who deserve better than a blurry selfie.
Booking is simple: share your preferred date and group size, we plan your personalized experience, you enjoy your private shoot with JHR Photography, and your edited gallery lands in your inbox. No confusion, no guessing.
Why This Partnership Matters
Nashville Adventures exists to give people the best possible experience of this city. Not the generic tourist version. The real Nashville. The stories behind the murals, the hidden corners, the moments that most visitors never find when they're just following a map.
Pairing what we know about this city with what Jayson and his team know about capturing people at their best was the natural move. The Nashville Mural Photo Tour is what happens when two businesses that both care about getting it right build something together.
There's something personal in this too. Two veteran owned businesses. Two people who served this country, came home, and built something from scratch in a city that welcomed them. There's a full circle feeling to that I don't take for granted. A shared belief that when veteran entrepreneurs work together for each other and for the people they serve, everybody benefits: the businesses, the clients, and the community.
We couldn't be more proud to partner with JHR Photography.
Ready to Capture Your Nashville Story?
If you've been looking for a Nashville photo experience that's actually worth the memories... this is it. Whether you're here for a bachelorette weekend, a girls trip, a birthday, an engagement, or just because Nashville is one of a kind and you want photos that prove it: your private Nashville Mural Photo Tour is waiting. #YourNashvilleStory
