Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Gillette.
Hi Jessica, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Growing up, the arts were my jam. Music, theater, literature, movies, museums–I loved it all. I played classical instruments from a young age, performed in choirs and theater companies, attended CalArts for college and graduated with a BFA in Acting. After college, I moved to Los Angeles and focused on my interests to pursue acting and music. My twenties felt like a workshop for the real-world business of a career in the arts. The reality check hit me hard. Every day felt like a hustle, between working multiple jobs at restaurants waiting tables, balancing auditions, acting classes, and some less-than-healthy relationships. It wasn’t until the beginning of the pandemic when I picked up a camera for the first time and actually thought to myself “I wish I knew had to actually use this thing!”
I had a Canon 2ti I received as a gift that sat on my shelf collecting dust for years. Because of the quarantine mandates, I finally had a pause in my life to sit in silence and reflect on what I really wanted out of my life. In a way, I always envied fine artists like painters, sculptors and photographers because of their ability to create something from nothing using only their tools and their imagination. As a performing artist, I found it difficult to balance my need to consistently create but had to rely on the approval or opportunity given to me by someone else. I saw in that camera an opportunity to create art on my own terms–so I ran with it. It was a relief to take a step back and go behind the lens for once. I learned how to use the settings, how to frame, retouch my images, and spent the entirety of the pandemic putting myself through my own photography school. I bought myself a basic lighting kit from amazon and would sit in my tiny studio apartment shooting self-portraits. Eventually, when I felt like I had enough basic skills to not totally embarrass myself in front of other people, I asked some of my close friends to model for me–and it just grew from there.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Photography has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. It came at a time when I was at my lowest, and it gave me purpose. It’s given me the opportunity to explore pieces of my soul and share those fragments with others. I’ve struggled the common technical things, as all new photographers do–learning how to remain confident in your abilities in front of a client or model, how to stay true to yourself as an artist, how to manage a set, how to learn lighting and equipment, etc…
This might sound pretentious, but I’ve approached this creative endeavor with the perspective that I have nothing to lose. No one came to me and said, “Jessica, you must become the best photographer of all time. You must succeed.” I think in some ways, alleviating the artist’s dread and focusing more on how lucky I am to have people coming to me wanting to have their picture taken has made this journey the most liberating and creative time I have ever experienced! I am humbled and so very grateful.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m mostly interested in creating arresting images that convey a story, emotion and beauty in its absurd conflict.
I find inspiration from the models I shoot–their faces, their energy, their story and their background. I research a lot, and find influence from some of my favorite writers, playwrights, painters and photographers. I have this need to create images that will heighten us out from our daily reality. I’m an energetic and dreamy person who finds daily life quite boring. I embrace my photography as a privilege to escape, to examine and to play.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, my mother predicted that I was going to become either a dramatic actress or a stand-up comedian. Neither of those things happened, but I think that I’ve still got that dichotomy within me. As a youngster, I was a people-pleaser, a sweet kid–with a bit of a wild side. I always told myself that whatever it was that I wanted to achieve; I could and would. The arts and human psychology has always been my biggest interest. Growing up, I watched a lot of movies. Dark, twisted, psychological, romantic and heartfelt stories and scenarios swirled around in my head. I was definitely the type of kid to stare out the window of the car, longingly imagining I was the main character…
In my twenties, I decided one day that I wanted to be a competitive boxer. So I walked into Wildcard gym in Hollywood, asked for a coach that would train me for real–none of that pretty girl boxing stuff–and for a few years, I dedicated myself to training as hard as I could. I fought during the days and waited tables at night–sometimes with bruises and black eyes. I was one of the only female fighters in the gym at the time, but I usually find myself in male-dominated fields of work. Part of that, I attribute to being raised by my mother–who quite honestly, can beat a man at their own game at almost anything. My mother is a badass rock drummer, master carpenter and taught me a lot in my youth about how to be a self-sufficient woman. Gender stereotypes were never a big issue for me. I kind of do what I like, regardless of how many men might be in the room to scoff at me or underestimate my gusto. My philosophy for most things in life is that if you’re going to do something, do it well–trust yourself and don’t be afraid to take risks. Tap into the fear, the darkness, the silliness, the insecurities and the pure absurdity that’s within you–and the rest will follow.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jessxgillette.com
- Instagram: @jessxgillette
