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

Alright, Kaylen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with 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?

Risk-taking is something I never really partake in outside of the artistic world. In school I would always stay between the lines, follow directions, and never question the rules given to me. When it comes to art, all of that goes out the window. With my artwork, specifically editing, the only thing I do is take risks honestly. So many ideas could fall flat on their face, but I wouldn’t have any work to show today if I didn’t try different approaches, reach out to unique characters, and just take risks. Throughout my artistic career I’ve found that risk-taking opts for more experiences that can build your portfolio and expertise in all mediums of art because unlike some other fields of work, you have to create opportunities for yourself. After graduating from my art high school in Jacksonville, FL, I moved to St. Petersburg, FL, to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Multimedia digital communications. My first year of college I didn’t know anyone, so it was like starting my connections for photography from scratch. One of my co-workers at the time was starting up a business where people of color could vend various things such as clothing, art, jewelry, etc. without vendor fees and they asked me if I wanted to sell photography prints. I had never sold my work before although I had so many photographs that I was proud of; suddenly none of them seemed good enough to print to sell. My co-worker encouraged me and making that risk was one of the best ones I’ve taken for my artistic career. I gained so many meaningful connections from the market and that single event helped me (and still is) with taking risks with my art beyond the creating aspect.

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’m Kaylen Sifon, a photographer located in Saint Petersburg and Jacksonville, Florida. I’m 20 years old and currently a sophomore at USF. I’ve been interested in all mediums of art since I was a little girl. I started dancing when I was 5 then lost interest around middle school. I was a scrapbooking pro around age 8 and was writing poetry by age 12. Within this timeframe I was constantly creating stories to tell my family and making short videos on my super awesome (cheap) kids’ camera; So, in middle school taking a film class was a no brainer for me. I thank my teacher Ms. Ford for motivating me to turn my stories into short films. After that I carried on my interest in film to high school where I spent 4 years writing, shooting, and producing short films. Simultaneously, I was doing photography on the side. It started with my friends modeling for me then other people reaching out to me via Instagram with interest in my work.

My personal style is highly reflective of my work, especially through my editing process. Much like my fashion I’m kind of all over the place, always trying out different styles and looks. I’m very scatter brain which I think is a benefit in my case because my ideas never stop coming.

As of now, I sell prints/zines at markets and do shoots for brands or personal shoots. As for my own projects, something about me is I don’t like using skilled models in my photos. I love the look of a person who doesn’t know how to pose for the camera just yet; it feels more organic and real. When I can make someone feel that they look like the best version of themselves I know I’m a worthy photographer.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

A resource I wish I knew earlier in my creative journey is mentorship. A lot of people think art is a lonely field, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve found many photographers I look up to without trying to replicate their creations, which I think is a major problem with the art world right now.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part about being a creative is being able to see growth in real time. Looking back at my past works honestly shocks me every time. You’re able to put a visual on how you were feeling at a certain point of time or what you used to be interested in. The fact that all of this can be recognized through your artwork feels so fulfilling to me. Some people are embarrassed by their past works, but I view it as a timeline of myself. I have pictures of myself throughout the years, but they can only go so far when I can’t remember my thoughts and emotions at the time. My artwork that demonstrates those feelings is a reward within itself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylensifon/
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@kaylenross