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

Hi Jessica, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Taking the Leap: How Risk Led Me to a Life I Love

For 18 years, I worked in the service industry. Fast-paced, demanding, and relentless. The money was easy, and I was good at it. I learned to move quickly, think on my feet, and solve problems as they came—usually at the worst possible moments. I helped build creative, successful businesses. I led teams. I hit goals. On paper, it looked like success. But something was missing.

People always say, “When you’re doing something you love, it doesn’t feel like work.” I used to brush that off as a cliché, until I started asking myself the hard questions: What am I passionate about? What actually makes me happy?

That’s when I thought about the camera sitting in my closet, untouched for six years. I picked it up again, almost on a whim. But the moment I looked through that viewfinder, something shifted. I remembered how much I loved being a fly on the wall, capturing moments as I saw them. I loved showing people what I saw, the way I saw it. Their reactions told me everything I needed to know: this was what I was meant to do.

I started learning again—shooting on my days off, on my breaks, editing late at night, and teaching myself the business of photography while still working 40+ hours a week. It wasn’t sustainable. I was burned out. Stretched thin. But I had a choice: stay where it was safe or take the risk and bet on myself.

I chose the leap.

2024 turned out to be the hardest and most rewarding year of my life. Leaving a steady paycheck to become a full-time freelance photographer was terrifying. But it was also the most liberating thing I’ve ever done. It wasn’t just a career shift; it was a lifestyle change. For the first time, I wasn’t living to work—I was working to live.

Since then, I’ve traveled, collaborated with brands I admire, and seen my concert and lifestyle photos featured in magazines across the country (Some Photojournalist pieces too!). I’ve watched my images wrap around Ubers in major cities. I even saw one of my photos on a billboard in Toronto, Canada, thinking, Is this real life?

And somewhere along the way, I discovered a new love: working with brands and products. It felt like second nature. After years of helping build businesses from the inside, I realized I could now support fellow entrepreneurs in a new way—by elevating their vision through my lens. Whether it’s showcasing the soul of a product or capturing the heartbeat of a brand, I’ve found so much joy in helping others succeed. I’m not just creating content; I’m creating connection, impact, and momentum for people chasing their own dreams.

The hustle hasn’t stopped. It’s only grown. But now I’m hustling for something I believe in. I’m building a business rooted in passion. I’m learning the delicate balance between rest and drive. I’ve found joy in the details, peace in the chaos, and purpose in telling stories through my lens.

Most importantly, I’m proud of the person I’m becoming.

Sure, the creative industry has its sharks. But it’s also full of dreamers, doers, and wildly supportive people who believe in lifting each other up. The community I’ve found has helped me evolve—not just as a photographer, but as a human.

If I can leave you with anything, it’s this: take the risk. Bet on yourself. Keep asking questions. Be endlessly resourceful. And don’t just dream—build the reality where that dream can live.

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 freelance photographer and visual storyteller based in Florida, originally from Seattle. After 18 years in the service industry—leading teams, building businesses, and thriving in high-pressure environments—I made the decision to follow a deeper calling. I traded stability for uncertainty, a paycheck for purpose, and comfort for creativity. And I’ve never looked back.

My journey into photography wasn’t a straight line. I always had a love for it, but for years, my camera collected dust while I focused on building a career in management. It wasn’t until I picked it back up again that I remembered how powerful photography is—not just as an art form, but as a way to connect, to document, and to make people feel seen. That moment changed everything for me.

Now, I run Light+Lens Media, where I specialize in capturing fast-action moments and emotionally-driven imagery across a variety of genres: concert and event photography, sports, lifestyle, brand campaigns, and storytelling for entrepreneurs, creatives, and community leaders. I’ve covered everything from professional boxing matches at Madison Square Garden, to CrossFit competitions, to music festivals, tourism campaigns, and local comedy shows.

At Light+Lens Media, I offer photography services that go beyond just snapping a pretty picture. I bring strategy, experience, and an eye for detail that helps elevate the vision of my clients—whether they’re athletes, musicians, small businesses, or national brands. My work helps solve the need for authentic, high-quality visual content that tells a story and connects with people. From product and brand photography to large-scale campaigns and editorial features, I help my clients show up in the world with confidence and clarity.

What sets me apart? I thrive in chaos and think outside the box. My background in business has shaped me into someone who’s not only creatively driven but also reliable, organized, and client-focused. I don’t just show up with a camera—I show up with intention, energy, and a genuine investment in the people I work with. I’ve been on both sides of the hustle, so I understand the heart that goes into building something from the ground up.

I’m proud of a lot—the billboards in Toronto, the Ubers in Nashville, the magazine spreads—but what I’m most proud of is staying true to myself and taking the risk to build a life I believe in. I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built through this work, the stories I’ve helped tell, and the moments I’ve been trusted to capture.

If there’s one thing I’d want people to know about Light+Lens Media, it’s this: I’m here to celebrate you. Whether you’re a business owner launching a new product, a musician stepping on stage, or an athlete stepping into the ring—I want to help you see yourself the way the world should see you. Through honest, powerful, and intentional photography.

So if you’re ready to level up your brand, document your journey, or simply tell your story in a way that feels real—let’s work together. Let’s create something bold and meaningful.

You can learn more at www.lightandlensmedia.org, follow the journey on Instagram @lightandlensmedia_, and connect on Facebook at facebook.com/light.lensmedia.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

In my view, one of the most powerful things society can do to support artists and creatives is to truly see us—recognize the value of what we bring to the table, not just as content creators or entertainers, but as storytellers, culture-shapers, and community-builders.

Support doesn’t always have to be financial (though paying artists fairly is huge!). It’s also about creating space—space for visibility, collaboration, and connection. That means showing up for local art scenes, uplifting small businesses, sharing creatives’ work, and investing in the people who are still building something from the ground up.

I think there’s something really special about taking a chance on the underdog. On the person who doesn’t have the biggest platform yet, but has the passion, the perspective, and the willingness to go all in. Sometimes the biggest creative breakthroughs come from the people who’ve had to fight the hardest to be seen.

If we want a thriving creative ecosystem, we have to build community, not competition. That means lifting each other up, staying curious, and being generous with what we know. Art grows when we grow together—and when we’re brave enough to believe in someone before the rest of the world catches on.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One of the most defining moments in my journey came early on when I was working hard to build my photography business and get my foot in the door with brands and clients. I’d reach out to potential collaborators, share my work, and try to build relationships—but more often than not, I was met with silence. It stung, especially when I didn’t have a huge social media following to “prove” my worth.

There were so many instances where people simply ghosted me or didn’t take a chance on me, assuming that because I wasn’t well-known yet, I wasn’t capable of delivering. It was tough not to take it personally, but I kept reminding myself that I was still building something meaningful, regardless of whether others saw it in that moment.

I remember what it was like to put my head down and lean into the hustle, just like I had done for so many years in the service industry. When I worked in management, it was a nonstop grind—solving problems, leading teams, handling everything that came my way without hesitation. That work ethic, that drive to keep going no matter the odds, carried me into this next chapter. I knew that just because things weren’t clicking immediately didn’t mean I wasn’t on the right path.

That silence, that rejection, became fuel for my fire. I leaned into that hustle once more, kept refining my craft, and continued taking risks, even when the opportunities didn’t come as quickly as I hoped. Over time, the right people noticed—the ones who valued hard work, persistence, and the ability to evolve.

That resilience has been a huge part of my story. It’s a reminder that you can’t let other people’s doubts or the absence of instant success dictate your future. If anything, it only made me more determined to prove that I was capable of far more than the numbers on my social media account could show. And now, looking back, I see those struggles as the foundation of everything I’ve built—and I’m proud to have pushed through them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lightandlensmedia.org
• Instagram: @lightandlensmedia_
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/light.lensmedia/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-moore-270453332

Image Credits

Jessica Moore