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My favorite part of this series is that I’m not just focusing on designers but I’m focusing on all sorts of creatives. And Jennifer is just that. Jennifer has a great eye for photography + design. I’ve loved following her blog about her travels and all of the amazing food she’s making and photographing. Dream job, right? She’s super talented and I love that she used to want to become a pastry chef! Read more about her below:

Tell us a little about yourself:
Hi! I’m a food lover who enjoys exploring the world and experiencing new things. On a day to day basis, I work as a designer and photographer in Los Angeles, CA.

Describe your path to becoming a designer + photographer:
Growing up I loved to watch Food Network my dream was actually to become a pastry chef. I took a summer program at a culinary school and realized that maybe it wasn’t the right path for me… (mostly because they told me I had to also learn how to butcher meat but all I really wanted to do was decorate cakes!) I ended up studying graphic design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I really loved photography too but at the time I didn’t really know what my options were besides weddings and fashion.

When I graduated I worked for an event marketing company designing for big corporate companies like Nintendo, Mercedes-Benz and Coca-Cola. Outside of work I continued to take photographs and started blogging about my travel adventures and recipes I loved. Overtime I began to get inquires about my photography and slowly my photography business blossomed. In 2012 I took a leap and started my own business – in a way it feels like I’ve come full circle – though I’m not decorating cakes I’m designing and photographing tasty things which almost feels the same as being a pastry chef.

What’s a typical workday like for you?
I think the life of freelance is never typical, when you’re juggling multiple clients and projects one day I can be at a shoot, another day editing from home or visiting a client at their studio. I actually love the fact that the days are always different because it keeps things interesting.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?
There are so many parts about my job that make it so rewarding – with every project I learn something new. I’ve been able to help business owners kick-start their business and build a beautiful site with images. Being able to help other business owners make their dreams a reality is something that will never get old.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced?
Hmm… there are a few but for me I think it has been balancing the types of projects I take on and making sure they are projects I want to be working on. Work doesn’t just come in every time you finish a project sometimes they overlap and sometimes you might have a little lull. When I have a lull it’s easy to get caught taking projects because I’m worried about the next paycheck.

Who is inspiring you at the moment?
My friends Justina Blakeney and Jeanne Chan they’ve both been doing some amazing things lately and I can’t help but be inspired by their creative forces and talents!

Any advice you would give to someone wanting to be a designer or photographer?
Get out there and shoot/design. Watch videos and google what you want to learn more about. With technology these days you can learn anything you want with the power of the internet and the only way to get better is to keep doing!

“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.”
― Malcolm Gladwell

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Find Jennifer here:
BLOG | TWITTER | WORK