We recently connected with Jessica Uhler and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I began learning photography in the high school darkroom, and continued on in college. I loved it, but once I was out of an environment where I had access to a lab it wasn’t feasible for me to continue, Once digital cameras became mainstream I started teaching myself and taking classes online. There are so many excellent educational resources for creatives online. The most impactful experiences for me have always involved other people and critique. Getting feedback on what you need to improve, what’s not working is so important. In-person intensive workshops with master photographers. collaborations with peers have been invaluable. I don’t know that I could have sped up my learning, per se. I believe you are only ready to absorb certain lessons and grow in certain ways at just the right time, when you are ripe for it creatively and experientially. One thing I would tell myself if I could go back to earlier in my career is to learn form the masters and not pay as much attention to the “industry” of photography. My ultimate desire is to make art that is true to my vision and speaks something true about myself and the world. It’s easy for that to get lost in a sea of voices if I’m looking at what others are doing as a template for myself.

Jessica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a documentary and fine art photographer based near Seattle, Washington. At the heart of all my photography, whether for clients or for myself, is a desire to see the poetry of things, the beautiful quotidian. When I photograph families, I don’t style them and put them in beautiful light. I want to be with them, in the real moments of family life in their home, showing them how beautiful their ordinary, messy, perfectly imperfect lives are right now. I have three grown children and one at home still. I know how quickly these days pass (and slowly, too) and I believe the real world, our real lives is what we will want to look back on. I feel the same about a wedding day- I want to capture what the day felt like, not just what it looked like. The craft and vision of photography plays a huge role in my work. I’m always working on making better photographs, and almost always in situations where I don’t control anything. Yet, that’s the joy and spark of creativity for me- to notice and pay attention to what captures me, what stops me. This becomes a part of my visual language and my unique voice. I don’t shy away from harsh light, shadows, chaos, and that seems to be unique especially with family photography. Photography is a spiritual practice where I have to be very present to myself, to the moment, and to those in front of my lens. In that sense my sessions are a completely different experience than most family photographers offer.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’m always circling back to this question internally, in part because my brain can get stuck in ruts of task- oriented thinking (part of the challenge of being a creative and a business owner and also probably having a brain with undiagnosed ADHD.) I don’t want to lose focus on the larger motivation and WHY behind it all. In part, it’s a compulsion to create that’s always been a part of how I’m made. It’s a part of who I am and I feel most alive when I’m tapped into the Source of creativity, noticing, exploring, playing, following an intuition, making something that gives voice to a deeper part of me or says something about the world. A major theme in my work is finding the beauty, transcendence even, in the mundane. It’s not just a part of my creative practice, but how I want to be in my life. So it’s a life philosophy, really, that encompasses my spiritual experience and awareness. If I can point others toward that experience and awareness as well it feels even more fulfilling and complete.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

When I think about all the life paths I might have taken, I can’t imagine any of them being fulfilling if they don’t involve a deeper search for creativity and an outlet for personal expression. It is rewarding, being in search of beauty, in pursuit of a creative idea that propels me forward. It’s also incredibly challenging because of course you still have to figure out how to pay the bills and run a business, if you are a creative entrepreneur. I think we each are like a small piece of stained glass making up a much more grand image, but we all have a unique way that we refract light. I think being an artist in some form or another will always be a part of how I reflect light.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jessicauhler.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessuhler

Image Credits

Jessica Uhler

photo of me (black and white) by Katherine Emery