We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Guevara recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I know not everyone is as fortunate to be able to consider their parents as examples and role models. I could not be more thankful to have been raised by two incredible human beings I get to call Mami and Papi. Both of them have been fundamental in who I am and therefore have impacted my life and career in innumerable ways. I think one of the most impactful things they did right was that they led and continue to lead by example. That saying that goes “kids don’t do what you say, they do what they see” might not have been popular while I was growing up, but it’s something they both modeled daily.

I remember seeing my father work two jobs to make sure we had all we needed. I remember seeing him literally give the clothing of his back if there was someone in need. I remember my mom showing up– for the recital, the spelling bee, to field trips. And also showing up at the table, to help us as best she could with our school work even though English was her second language. I remember how we may not have had all of the luxuries, but there was always an adventure to go on, a craft to make, a little surprise in the form of a heart shaped cake with powdered sugar on Valentine’s Day. I remember risks taken and the hard knocks of life that never kept them down. I remember strength, tenacity, patience, humility. I remember how they turned the noes from others into yeses, into possibilities. I remember love.

These lessons shaped me. They are a large part of who I am, of who I want to be and how I want for others to see me. It’s my desire that as a photographer I reflect love, passion, hard work, generosity, integrity and the other countless values my parents have modeled all of my life. But I do not want for it to stop with my work but instead permeate everything I do and everyone I meet.

Jessica, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am Jess and I am a photographer by trade. I was born in the hustle and bustle of Bronx, New York but raised a Georgia peach by Puerto Rican & Venezuelan parents. So I grew up on arepas, arroz con gandules and grits. To add to the mix, I married my high school sweetheart, Carlos who is originally from Guatemala. So we can add tortillas and tamales to my list of food staples. This year we will have been married twenty long and also short years. It’s weird how that happens. I am the mom to two teenagers (so far it’s not as bad as I had expected) and though I am biased– they are the greatest treasures on this planet.

Photography began as a hobby– photographing my kids and our travels mostly. But I officially took the leap in 2020 and launched my business. Lifestyle photography is what I enjoy most– there’s just something about the little moments that tug at my heart: the sweetness of a newborn nestled in mom’s arms or his tiny fingers wrapped around dad’s pinky, the joy and pride in the graduate’s expression as she walks down the campus steps in her cap and gown, the laughter and glances exchanged between a couple. It’s these things that make me tick.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I am still unlearning is perfectionism. Since I can remember I have been a perfectionist. It’s reflected in the grades I made in school, the way I accomplish tasks and it even influences the things I’ll try. Example: because I am not naturally athletic, for the longest, I wouldn’t even a attempt a sport. This mentality kept me from so much, the fear of failure kept me from countless experiences. So everyday I chose to unlearn perfectionism. Some days it’s easier than others, yet its through this unlearning that it allowed me to start this photography business. If not, I would have still be caught up in the research– cramming every possible course and reading every expert blog in order to perfect my skill and even then, I would have never gotten to a point where I would have believed I was finally ready.

I think we all have a lesson we learned from others or taught ourselves that needs to be unlearned because it is holding us back. Dig deep, wrestle with it and unlearn it, regardless of how long it takes.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The mission driving my creative journey is just to be a proponent of love and joy. It’s a privilege and honor to get to share my passion with others, but more importantly my desire is that the time spent together before, during and after the session will be remembered as a space where all the worries went away and there was laughter and joy and good times. After these last couple of years, I think we’re all in need of at least a little dose of this and it’s my mission for it to be infused in all that I do.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: jesscphoto
• Facebook: facebook.com/jesscphotoatlanta