Respect the Shooter Interview with Jessica Yesenia Photo
How did you get into photography/videography?
I can trace my interest to photography, since I was about 5-6 years old. I received my first digital camera around the time I was eleven years old as a Christmas gift and ever since then it was a hobby that slowly turned into a passion and a small business.
What did you first use to take photos?
I first used a camera from the Canon Rebel series. I believe it was a Canon Rebel T3i.
Where did you go to school? Do you have any formal training/self taught?
I'm a proud alumna of The University of Texas at Arlington. I studied communications and specialized in public relations. Some of my coursework involved digital photography and learning the Creative Suite. I also worked as a photojournalist for UTA's newspaper where we received some formal training from professional photographers. Even though I've been fortunate to have some formal training from extremely qualified individuals, I also started self-teaching myself Photoshop around age fifteen and have spent countless hours self-teaching.
Do you have any nicknames? How did you get that name?
This is kind of embarrassing but I will be candid. My boyfriend started calling me "Chubby" a year or so ago and it completely stuck and I love it. And in case you are wondering, it came about because I am always saying I'm chubby.
If you could take photos of any 3 people who would it be?
Chrissy Teigen
Michelle Williams
Beyonce
If you could take photos of any 3 people that are no longer living who would they be?
Eddie Sedgwick
Freddie Mercury
Selena Quintanilla
If you could take photos in any 3 cities what would they be?
Paris, France
Trang, Thailand
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
What is your goal when you capture photos of someone?
It's cheesy and it's simple but it truly just is to capture someone's "essence." I believe we rarely get to see ourselves in the best light with the true smiles that others can see us in. I get told so many times by my clients or models things like "omg thank you for making me look so good!" and that's exactly what I mean. What they see is how others see them and I think it takes a true moment in time frozen for them to see it as well.
What music do you listen to when you edit photos?
I listen mostly to classical music. Anything with lyrics or intricate beats is too distracting. Sometimes if I'm getting bored of classical I will listen the "Lo-Fi" playlist on Spotify.
What's your favorite app on your phone?
Afterlight- I use this to edit all of my personal photos and some of my work photos.
What is your dream as a photographer?
I want to be "in demand" by clients in major cities and live off photography. For example some of my friends who now live in New York City have mentioned they'd want me to take their pictures there so this summer I'm booking a flight and scheduling some photoshoots. I want to do that in a lot of places, LA, Seattle, Mexico City, Paris, etc.
What is some advice you would give to someone with a dream to be a photographer/videographer?
Practice practice practice! You will be nowhere near where you want to be when you first start, even with the most expensive gear. But make a plan to stick to it for at least a year and you will see a huge difference with just one year of dedication.
Where can people find you? (social media, website, etc)
Website
https://www.jessicayesenia.com/
Instagram (business)
https://www.instagram.com/jessicayeseniaphoto/
Instagram (personal)