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Jess Dales
@jess.wandering
Content creator based in the US
Introducing Jess Dales
From Washington State, Jess Dales began pursuing her passion for photography and the outdoors nearly four years ago. As she rediscovered the benefits of the outdoors, she began to travel and explore the world to determine what made her happy. And that wasn’t the comfort and safety of a high-stress job as an attorney.
When considering when or how to make a career change, she says, “I think we all have the answers inside us. Sometimes they are just buried a little deeper than others.” Before becoming a full-time adventure and lifestyle photographer, Jess was a lawyer. She notes, “as a lawyer I didn’t really feel like I had any creative outlet – so I was missing that. I do think you can be very creative as a lawyer….I just wasn’t inspired in my work..”
Since becoming a photographer full-time, she has collaborated with many photographers, most notably Quin, @everchanginghorizon. But she has met “many other amazing, talented, inspiring humans from all different backgrounds.” Actually, this is the most beautiful thing that travel has allowed her to do.
Is she had to choose her favorite photo, that “would probably be a picture of me walking down the beach on my first trip to Kalalau. Hiking the Kalalau trail in Kauai had always been a dream, so to actually be there was totally surreal and I feel like the photo really captures the essence of that experience for me.” And this is exactly what Jess’ life is all about. To experience and capture special moments is what she lives for. As she says, “you never know where the road will lead, but don’t be afraid to take a leap into the unknown!”
Interview
Welcome Jess! Adventure and the outdoors have been really important since your childhood. Yet, it was only a couple of years ago when you eventually rediscovered the wildness (if I am right…). It is quite impressive how we can immerse ourselves in projects that we don’t really feel passionate about because of what “society” dictates. On the other hand, not everyone discovers something they can call “my passion.” So, in this regard, I would like to know, how important was for you first of all to rediscover your passion for the outdoors? Secondly, I would love to know, how important is for you to keep traveling and exploring the world?
Rediscovering the outdoors has been hugely important to my overall mental health and happiness. I was feeling particularly lost and aimless a few years ago, and spending time in the outdoors didn’t exactly answer any questions for me, but it gave me room to breathe and take a step back. I needed that space to escape from all the noise around me and figure out what made me happy. Traveling and exploring the world is important for my self-growth, but I think it is secondary to just being able to get out into nature, whether that’s abroad or in my own backyard.
In the same way. As I mentioned before, many people don’t find a passion ever. Do you think that finding that thing you love is important? If so, what would you recommend doing to all those people currently trying to figure out what they are passionate about?
I do think it’s important to find things that make you happy. But I think it’s just as important to realize that that doesn’t look the same for everyone. It could be that you find passion in life’s little details and pleasures – and that awesome! I also don’t think you necessarily have to drop everything and pursue your passion as a full-time career. Sometimes it works just as well to have a job you enjoy, that can support your passion on the side.
If you are having trouble figuring out what you are passionate about I think it can help to look back on your childhood. Almost every little kid can tell you what they want to be “when they grow up.” Of course, you might not still want to be a firefighter, or an astronaut, but it’s worth thinking about WHY you wanted to be those things, and then go from there! I think we all have the answers inside us. Sometimes they are just buried a little deeper than others.
Interestingly, your passion for the outdoors has opened you many opportunities! Opportunities that we all enjoy because of social media. In this regard, you mentioned, “I’ve always believed that the most important part of having a successful social media business is continuing to value quality over quantity.” What mindset has allowed you to reach your current artistic level? Would you describe yourself as a “perfectionist”?
I am a perfectionist with some things, but at the same time I realize that perfection is a bit of an illusion, so I try not to get too caught up in it. If I waited for things to be perfect, I’d never do anything! I think when I made the comment about quality over quantity I was talking about photography, but even more so the community you create on social media. It can be hard not to get caught up in numbers, but I think in the long run focusing on building a strong community by adding value where you can, rather than just a large one, will be much more rewarding.
Creating can be something really satisfying for many us. I don’t know if as a lawyer you were missing this part of life. What do enjoy the most about the creative process of photography?
As a lawyer I didn’t really feel like I had any creative outlet – so I was missing that. I do think you can be very creative as a lawyer, or really in any profession if you are inspired by your work. I just wasn’t inspired in my work. I think what I enjoy most about photography is visualizing an image that you want to create, and then figuring out all the logistics necessary to bring that vision to life. I also tend to work mostly with other photographers on a lot of the photos I post, so I’m super into the collaborative aspect of the creative process.
"I’ve learned so much from working with others on projects."
You mentioned, “Don’t wait for the right time. Because it will never come. When I started I was working a full-time job. I was hiking, camping, and backpacking – not inherently expensive activities. I rarely traveled more than a few hours from home. I had a used camera with one lens. And I had no idea what I was doing. Point is, you don’t have to start by jumping into the deep end. But you do have to get wet.” Looking back in time now, what four pieces of advice would you give to yourself at the beginning of your professional career as a photographer?
I think I would just tell myself to be less afraid. Less afraid to think outside the box of what others were doing, less afraid to put myself out there, less afraid to reach out to others for help, and less afraid to take that initial leap of faith.
There are many landscape photographers sharing real value in terms of visual content as well as written content in Instagram. Yet, they are not able to grow as “influencers.” What are the three strategies that, in your opinion, allowed you to grow in Instagram?
I’m not going to pretend to understand the Instagram algorithm, or why it is that some accounts grow, while others struggle. But working with someone like @everchanginghorizon as closely as I have has been tremendously beneficial. He has a real genius for researching new fun locations and has taught me so much about composition and photography in general. I owe a lot of my success to that partnership. Also, in some ways I am the face of my account, and I think when there is a human element present, it can be easier for people to identify and connect with what they are looking at. I’ve always just tried to make my account as approachable and human as possible through transparency and trying to engage with anyone that is sweet enough to take the time to engage with me! And I’m sure there was a dash of luck in there too!
Regarding “The Stories behind your favorite photos”…Wonderful! Probably the section I enjoyed the most in your website. It is not common to read this type of content on social media. Yet, I think that it is more “realistic” and tells better the story. Why do you think that many influencers are afraid of sharing this part of their lives? Do you think that being honest and realistic has been and still is an important part of your success as lifestyle photographer?
From the very beginning I’ve found that people have been super receptive and appreciative of transparency. Social media is so curated that it can be really hard to distinguish between what is “real” and what is artistic expression. And in a lot of ways that blurred line is one of the things that I love about photography. But that blurred line can also be detrimental when people start comparing their real life—with all the ups and downs—to highly curated moments in time. When I realized that was happening I decided to try and be more open about life, photos, and the stories behind them.
As a traveler and photographer I am sure that you have more than one SD memory card full of amazing moments and experiences. It can be quite hard to delete a picture sometimes, even if the quality is not excellent…We can feel really attached to all our photos. However, if you had to choose, which picture would you say is your favorite?
That’s so hard! But if I had to choose just one, it would probably be a picture of me walking down the beach on my first trip to Kalalau. Hiking the Kalalau trail in Kauai had always been a dream, so to actually be there was totally surreal and I feel like the photo really captures the essence of that experience for me. I’ve been lucky enough to find myself in locations that seemed completely unattainable to me a couple years ago quite a few times now – but that was the first. So it’s special.
What is the most beautiful thing that travel has allowed you to do?
The most beautiful thing that travel has allowed me to do is to meet amazing, talented, inspiring humans from all different backgrounds.
What are the three most valuable personal lessons you have learned traveling?
Traveling has taught me that there is no one-size-fits-all definition of success, and that it’s okay to have goals and aspirations that don’t necessarily align with others, or even with a former version of yourself. It’s also taught me the importance of being able to let go of the things that we can’t control. Things go wrong all the time when traveling, and I’ve had to learn to rethink about those events not so much as “wrong” but as opportunities to go in a different direction.
"But the most important thing that traveling has taught me is to appreciate the people at home. Time is the one thing we can never get more of. Constantly being away from family and friends has really driven that point home for me."
Is there any artist/photographer who has inspired your art? Can you name three?
So many! I don’t even know where to start, especially if we included living ones, and I don’t want to leave anyone out. So I’ll just say that when I was little my parents took me to an Ansel Adams exhibit and it absolutely blew my mind. That was the first time I remember being completely captivated by someone’s art and wanting to create my own.
Any new projects coming up or countries you will be visiting soon?
I’m actually really excited to be headed to three countries that I’ve never been to in the next couple months! I don’t want to jinx it though, so you’ll just have to wait and see where I’m headed! I feel like nothing is a sure thing these days until I’m actually on the plane. I’m particularly looking forward to these trips because I’ll be able to work with some organizations that are making moves to protect the places we play in. And I’m super keen to be part of that!
