Meet Jessica Kalina | Photographer, Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Kalina and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
It’s a funny thing… I have worn many hats throughout my professional life, and the path to each has almost always involved a moment or two where I’ve said that the price is just too high. Whether it’s that it’s taking too long to achieve my goal or that my self-doubt is getting the best of me, I have wanted to quit so many times. Underneath it is a desire to live the way I want to live and do what I want to do, so I have my little wobbly moment, take a pause, then keep moving forward on my path. Critical in this, of course, is that I am following my passions.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I come from a family of creatives: my great-great grandfather was a famous poet, my sister is a jewelry-maker and ceramic artist, and my mother attended L’Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris- just to name a few. I can’t paint a picture to save my life, and so I’ve always sought out alternative mediums to express what I was feeling. My first degree was a B.F.A. in Interior Design, and I spent the early part of my career specializing in kitchen and bathroom design. My mom and I opened a boutique design firm on Chicago’s North Shore, frequently having our work featured in magazines and HGTV. When I became a mother, it all became meaningless to me, and I decided to become a teacher so I could help children realize their potential and be there for my boys. It was around then (17 years ago) that I first picked up a camera, primarily to take better pictures of my family, but it quickly became an obsession. Again, I couldn’t paint with a brush, but with photography, I could paint with light. I treated it like a hobby while I concurrently taught middle school language arts. I would devour online tutorials and sign-up for photograph workshops to hone my art. Then during the pandemic, things took an interesting turn for my friend and I. Our Zoom cocktail hours were a little “extra.” She and I would create elaborate drinks that we didn’t want to forget, so we started to photograph them in gorgeous vignettes with studio lighting, and soon people started to notice. National alcohol brands would re-post our work, and of all things, tiki mug artists began to send us their mugs to photograph. In exchange, we’d get to keep their mugs! It was ridiculously fun, and I began to examine how I could turn my hobby into a business. With the encouragement of a party planner friend, I transitioned into events and portraiture. This past 1 1/2 years has been a baptism-by-fire in how to run a business, but I could not be happier. Sometimes people comment on the randomness of being a teacher- a very intense, full-time career- and being a photographer. To me, it’s very interconnected. I teach children how to read and write, and with my camera, I tell stories. In both pursuits, one needs to understand how to work with people, and I am very good at doing that. My story is typical in that it’s non-linear. Women are masters of reinvention, and I’ve just let my needs guide me to do what’s right for me in that momentI specialize in portraiture for high school seniors, branding, and events. For my seniors, I like to set-up an entire experience. Maybe they’ve been dreaming of dancing in a field at sunset, or perhaps they picture themselves with their guitar with the city skyline in the background. Whatever makes them unique is what I’m here to capture. Branding sessions are about communicating who my clients are and what they’re about. Branding should be refreshed once a year. I can help my clients create stunning, not-so-basic photos that represent them to their client. From headshots to a year’s worth of images in an applicable setting, I do it. I love helping people see the beauty in themselves through portraiture. It’s very intimate to look through a lens and try to express someone’s personality. I love that my clients trust me to do that. For events, my clients turn to me for a set of clean, vibrant images that capture the memories of the moment. I tailor the experience to fit their specific needs.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
That’s easy! I’d pick her up from the airport and stop off at Oakland Cemetery for a stroll before heading to Ton Ton Ramen at Ponce. If you’ve never had their brothless Invincible Dan dan Mazeman, you must. We’d grab a Miles Maquarrie cocktail from Kimball House, then boogie over to Kudzu Antiques to waste an afternoon in their vintage paradise. Our special dinner would be at Nadaire, Chef Kevin Gillespie’s new spot, and for lunch we’d head out to Roswell for Savory Gourmet on Canton Street for the best sandwiches in Atlanta.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Rachel Goldschein deserves a heap of recognition for her consistent encouragement in my photography career. She is party planner extraordinaire who has played in integral role in keeping my chin up and my sail focused.

Website: https://www.jessicakalina.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessica_kalina_photography/