Introducing Our Newest Muse, Jenny Wall

It is with great pleasure (and a huge honor that I get to write this introduction) that I announce to you our newest Muse, Jenny Wall!

I first came to know Jenny’s work through Flickr several years ago. I can’t remember if it was in 2009 or 2010, but I do know that we were both still very new to photography, and we were also hardcore into our prop wigs around the same time (we still love our wigs, it’s just that wigs were new and SUPER exciting to us at the time) which resulted in an instant fellow-female-photographer bond. Jenny generously shares so much of herself through her photography, that it is nearly impossible to follow her work without feeling like you somehow know her, even if you have never met her in person.

Something that I love most about Jenny’s photography is that, when she posts an image online, what I see is always an exciting surprise – she is constantly evolving, growing, trying new things, and also documenting her daily life in an absolutely unique and beautiful way. I know that when I look at her photos, I will always be inspired and uplifted, and it is with excitement that I look at her photos. When I visit her blog, I know that I will be in for a treat – whether it be an escape into a story inspired by the past, memories and adventures, or a look into her day-to-day life, which is also filled with adventure.

I interviewed Jenny a few months ago here at Mortal Muses, so be sure to check out the interview. In the meantime, I wanted to ask Jenny a few of the questions that we did not get to cover in our interview:

What stirred your interest in photography, and what inspires you to keep shooting?

I just love pictures…so basically photography stirred my interest in photography. When I was really little I remember taking road trips with my grandma and I would use up every shot in her Polaroid One-Step camera. I just loved the sound of the shutter and the happy moment when I got to see the results. There is just something kind of magical about being able to freeze an instant in time. I love stealing those insignificant moments from life and keeping them for myself in a photograph. I also love that a single image can tell a whole story and it can be shared all around the world.

What do you love most about your own photography, and what do you think is most unique about your set of talents?

I’m always working towards improving my photography, so sometimes the work I did yesterday is my least favorite. I shoot in a lot of different ways, sometimes I shoot to create something beautiful and artistic and other times I just want to remember an experience or an adventure. I approach both situations differently but in both scenarios I want to create the best image possible. I guess I just love the challenge of learning and growing as a photographer. I love that I can look back on the things I shot a week ago and know that I’ve improved.

Who are some of your favorite photographers, or artists in general?

My favorite photographer ever is Robert Doisneau, I just love the beautiful whimsical way he captured the world. I also love Anne Menke, Lillian Bassman, Elliott Erwitt, and Roger Prigent, just to name a few. When it comes to general artists I have kind of weird taste. Some of my favorite artists are James Gurney, Brom, Gil Elvgren, Salvador Dali, and Norman Rockwell.

What is your favorite way to shoot and why – film, digital, both?

I’m a little ashamed to say that my favorite way to shoot is digital. Don’t get me wrong, I love film, I even have my own darkroom, but film is expensive and I’m a girl on a budget. The digital photography process can be really exciting for me. I love shooting without the stress of a limited number of shots, I love never having to guess if I got it or not and I love my big heavy camera with all the buttons and features! I especially love photo editing. I feel that I really get to express myself in Lightroom and Photoshop. I can tweak every detail until it is what I envisioned perfectly. Sometimes when I feel a little less perfectionist than usual I like to shoot through-the-viewfinder shots or I work on my pure black and white project. For me, film is more of a special occasion kind of shooting. When I get to do it I’m like a kid in a candy store but it’s a very rare treat.

If you could go back in time and meet anyone, who would it be (doesn’t have to be photography-related)?

Amelia Earhart. It is my goal in life to be a pilot, in fact most of my life right now sort of revolves around making connections and saving up for flight school. Amelia is one of my heroes and she inspired so many great female pilots. It is thanks to her that we have a wonderful organization called the Ninety-Nines, which really focuses on bringing more women into the aviation field. Currently only six percent of all pilots are women and only three percent of all airlines pilots are women. These are startlingly low numbers and I know Amelia would be devastated we haven’t evened the playing field yet. Amelia did not necessarily inspire me to want to fly but she does serve as a constant reminder to never give up. I’ve read numerous books written by her or about her and as far as I can tell she was an amazingly kind woman. She was also an amateur photographer, but not many people know that about her. I think Amelia and I would have a lot to talk about.

Please join me in welcoming Jenny!!!
You can follow Jenny on her blog and Flickr

~Anna~