Where It All Began

As far back as I can remember, my father always had a camcorder attached to his shoulder. You know, the big clunky ones that required a VHS tape? Likewise, my mother always had a Canon in her hand. They loved taking us camping and going on road trips to visit all the national parks, documenting everything. I didn't understand it at the time, and I eventually became what my mother described as 'a pill' to be around whenever her camera and lens came out to play.

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Later in high school, my interest shifted, and I took some photography classes, including photographic development, long before the days of digital film. By the time I hit college, I was studying the business of fashion in NYC and had many opportunities to work on fashion shoots. Still, I didn't gravitate towards film because I was too busy pulling looks for shoots and styling models.

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Then one day, my stepfather bought a drone. It was simple mechanics, and there were no cameras attached at the time. We flew a handful of times, one drone after another, and as always, he would lose one in a tree, or the wind would take it. This piqued my interest, but without a camera, I still didn't latch onto the idea. I thought to myself, with technology moving at lightning speed, one day cameras will be added, one day they'll be able to fly themselves, and that's when I'll move on it.

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Eventually, those same role models in my life fell ill, one right after another; first my stepfather, then my dad, and then finally my mom. I was very active on Instagram at the time, so I finally decided to take myself seriously and spend more time editing iPhone camera shots, framing them out, finding foreground, looking for leading lines, and making my photos look pretty, not just for me, but for the first photographer I ever knew: my very ill mom, who could no longer travel. The same woman who packed my brother and me up in a minivan when I was 8 years old to drive from New York to Alaska for our summer holiday. Sadly, following in the footsteps of her late second husband and my dad, in 2021, she passed away.

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A year later, I needed to find an outlet for all the heartbreaking loss, so I opened up my MacBook and Googled, 'What are the best drones in the industry for a beginner'? That's when Stella 1.0 was born, aka DJI Mini 3 Pro. And, yes I name my drones. Once I got used to the drone, I was hooked. Right before Mom passed, she had outfitted my SUV with a rooftop tent, so I took my dog, Pepper, and my new drone on the road. I love nature and the natural healing properties travel rewards one with, especially during solo adventures. Marrying the two felt very organic. In 2023, I decided to take it a step further and obtained my Part 107 license. I'm now a certified drone pilot recognized by the FAA. This progression culminated in my 2024 enrollment in filmmaking course, marking the commencement of my journey into the realm of videography and cinematography. And, although I do not own a Canon like Mom did, I work with a Sony. Please do not judge me Canon lovers!

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Our lives, landscapes, and natural wonders provide truly incredible inspiration for photos and videos. I've been fortunate enough to capture such beauty through my lens and share it with friends, family, and followers alike. Before the advent of TikTok, reels, and short videos, I was recording family vacations and special moments in iMovie. These were rarely published online but, I think secretly I always loved creating. I've been lucky enough to go on phenomenal adventures at a very young age and later in life documenting my journeys every step of the way.

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xo,

Jen

 

Never stop exploring