Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jaina Cipriano. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jaina, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I didn’t pick up a power tool until my mid-20’s. Once I did though, I couldn’t put them down. I read ferociously about building. One blogs advice has always stuck with me – “If you can’t get to the end of a project, realize you did it wrong and have to start all over and do it happily, you’re not made for the DIY life.” We learn by doing and re-doing. Reconceptualizing my failures as experience helped me step back from the pressure of learning something new and allowed me to rapidly prototype and explore new materials and tools.

The more I learn, the more my confidence builds. Also the more I learn the more I realize I don’t know. It’s a good balance. Keeps the ego in check!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am an experiential designer, filmmaker, and photographer exploring religious and romantic entrapment. I use built spaces to connect with our neglected inner child. I create handcrafted photographs, build immersive installations, and direct films that invite viewers to confront their own darkness and find healing through emotional catharsis and play. I am also the founder of Finding Bright Studios and the executive director of the Arlington International Film Festival.

I’m passionate about continuing to make Boston a little bit weirder by creating large-scale, permanent immersive installations that use play to leave visitors feeling transformed. My goal is to inspire you to confront the internal narratives you carry and give you permission to rewrite your future.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Shotdeck is the most incredible online space of film stills – I craft look books and proposals almost entirely from this website.

Hyperallergic, Colossal and Burnaway all have monthly, curated lists of calls for entry.

For my fellow photographers out there – Aidan Avery curates a weekly list of photographic calls, carefully vetted to be actually beneficial to your career.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Harvard Business Reviews Must Read series is wonderful and their book on Resilience helped me get through the pandemic. Creativity and business require deep resilience.

The E Myth is a great read and I always come back to one of their sayings: are you working in your business or on your business? If I am too busy working in my business how will I have the time to prepare for growth?

Contact Info:

• Website: jainaphoto.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/jainastudio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jainaphoto/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaina-cipriano-71166415b/
• Twitter: https://x.com/jainastudio
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jainastudio