Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Sharp.
Jessica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I first moved to San Diego from Canada, I hard a hard time meeting people. I started doing project 365 in September 2018 which caught the attention of photographers in the area. One being Emmanuel Bonds, who was eager to learn. We started meeting up and exploring San Diego regularly and were hungry to polish and refine our skills. During our excursions, we met Jack Taylor and the three of us decided to open up our adventures to other local photographers so we could teach and learn simultaneously so we could all grow as artists.
We started SD Photo Squad in January 2019, where we had our first meetup on Coronado Island in front of the Hotel Del Coronado. Nine people attended! Our next event was in Glamis, where 40 people came out and shot with us and everything snowballed from there. Within one year, we grew from 9 to over 2500 local followers, over 10,000 tags, and an active community where beginners and professionals get together to shoot, create, network and practice in a safe place and learn new things from each other and collaborate on future creative projects.
We highlight local professionals and amateurs in the modeling and photographer community, help jumpstart portfolios and give amateurs a place to practice and refine their art while getting advice and feedback from professionals and create real relationships offline. We also partner with local pros and offer workshops, contests and VIP events for those who want to take their art to the next level. The San Diego art community is very inspiring, talented and giving and we are truly excited to be part of it!
Great, 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?
Nothing is ever a smooth road and every challenge is different for every person. Being a woman in a male-dominated industry where woman are typically in front of a camera and not behind comes with its own set of perks and challenges. There may be times when you feel inadequate and I think as an artist, it’s easy to compare your work to anyone and everyone. My best advice is to make friends with other women in the same industry as you.
Nothing is more powerful than a tribe of strong, talented and inspiring women working together and supporting each other. I believe there is room for all of us at the top and having a tribe of girls on your side is extremely empowering. We have plans for building the female photographer community in San Diego and host female-only events for this exact reason. This goes for men as well. Find a group of locals and figure out ways to help each other. Competition is all in your head.
SD Photo Squad – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are mostly known for our meetup events and contests and building the photography community in San Diego. We also provide paid gigs by partnering with local businesses and feature them every chance we get. One thing that excites me the most is watching photographers and models grow in their craft, start out at a © SD Photo Squad event, build a following and get published or signed to an agency or get so busy they don’t have time for meetups anymore. Watching people hustle and grow their talent is why we do what we do and knowing that we got to be a part of it, even for a short time is truly inspiring.
What sets us apart is that we’re constantly looking for ways to promote our people and provide opportunities for them to grow, learn new things and make money by connecting them with the right people. “We’re real and genuinely value our community” is the most common compliment we get. As for our clients, because we have access to such a broad spectrum of talent and styles, we are able to work within their budget and offer them a different variety based on their needs.
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
Yes, I believe women have many opportunities. I think our level of hustle is stronger because it is a male dominated industry and we offer that extra touch of love. As women, we like to make sure clients and everyone is taken care of which can truly pay off in this industry and sets us apart. Photography also isn’t always a safe industry and I think being a woman can offer a layer of safety for other women who are looking for something different but don’t feel comfortable doing with male photographers.
I also believe the industry is changing BECAUSE of women. The days where you have to be a 6′ tall skinny white woman are slowly fading away and we’re seeing a whole new perspective of women representing all shapes, sizes, ages, height and races emerge. It’s truly remarkable and I believe if it wasn’t for strong, badass women, that would have never happened.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sdphotosquad.com
- Phone: 619 363 3209
- Email: info@sdphotosquad.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sdphotosquad
- Facebook: Facebook.com/sdphotosquad
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