Jackie learned how to develop film when she was 16, so she has been trained using the old school photography methods. You see her love for conventional photography in her black and white images. Also you will notice that a majority of her work is documentary, but that's not to say she doesn't counsel her clients on how to act in front of the camera. Her entire process on counseling her clients revolves around getting them to be themselves.

VanHatten Photography started in 2007 with the goal of covering weddings in San Diego. More recently Jackie has been asked to cover weddings in various locations around the world.