Check Out Jessica Cooper’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Cooper.

Hi Jessica, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi! I am Jess, and I am a new San Diego transplant from Pittsburgh, PA.

When I was about 10 years old, my family gifted me with my very first camera, and it did nothing but take off from there. I started by taking simple photos of my pets, and plants around my house and neighborhood. Following my first trip to Europe in high school, that is when I fell in love with landscapes and cityscapes. I came home and I scrapbooked, and I scrapbooked, and I scrapbooked. I never spent so much time, and effort on a singular project. I immediately enrolled in a film and digital photography class when I came back from my trip, and my teacher couldn’t pull me out of the dark room.

I’ve found that with a photography eye, you can learn to appreciate things from a whole different angle. Viewing the same things I saw everyday suddenly became much more exciting, and intriguing. A flower is no longer just a flower, but the home to parts of our natural ecosystem. A building is not just a building, but a peak into historical culture. A sunset (my favorite thing to photograph) is not only a sunset, but proof that everyday can end beautifully regardless of how it started.

And my story mirrors this sentiment quite well. My new life in San Diego is quite the adventure, and I cannot wait to share my adventures with everyone who follows along!

Thanks for reading, and I hope to connect soon!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course things don’t always go smoothly. If anyone has had a smooth ride, please let me know how it’s done!

I think the biggest part of photography that people don’t realize is that there is a ton of behind the scenes work. Yes, the final product is usually easy on the eyes. The process of getting there is really never easy, though. A lot of times, you’ll find that the perfect picture has a 10 second window to be captured. This 10 second window might also be at 5 o’clock in the morning. It involves hours of editing, and it involves searching through hundreds of not so great photos to find that one that really strikes the eye. It’s not all glam!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I enjoy a little bit of everything!

My specialty tends to lie in landscapes and cityscapes. Part of the reason I love these in particular is because when I first got into photography, not many people specialized in this domain. The majority of photographers that I encountered were portrait artists, and I’ve always been someone to color outside of the lines. I never wanted to be “just another photographer.” I mix it up, and I’ll do portraits for friends and family, because it’s always good to have a portfolio that covers all of the bases. My professional and artistic goal is to showcase my pieces in businesses, and homes all over. I would love nothing more than to have a talking piece that brings people together to share stories and ideas. I want my pieces to be something that strikes an eye, not because it’s commissioned, and personalized to the new owner, but because the new owner found a personal connection to an unpersonalized piece.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think everyday in the field of art can be risky. Right now, I do all of my work on the side in my free time, but investments in art do not always pay off in the way you might hope that it does. For me, personally, it’s a lot of upfront costs to purchase my materials (lenses, bodies, printing materials, digital editing). And these are also behind-the-scenes things that people don’t always take into consideration. Photography is a combination of natural skill, acquired skill, and equipment. It’s not something that just happens overnight. You have to know-how, and when to take photos, and you have to practice, practice, practice. Additionally, you’re not going to capture those wall murals from a phone camera!

Contact Info:

• Email: jessicacooperphotos@gmail.com
• Website: www.jcooperphotos.com
• Instagram: @jcooperphotos