DTS Community Story: Jessica Cardelucci

A DTS Community Story written by Jessica Cardelucci 

As a kid, I always loved photography and picked up a camera any chance I got. Throughout high school I was self taught and simply loved creating images. When I attended Chapman University, I pursued a degree in graphic design thinking it would be a great way to compliment my photography skills with a design background. Working for a photographer during college gave me some extra photo skills in my back pocket and taught me a lot about running a small business. I told my boss Ryan that as much as I loved photography, I wanted to pursue a career in design. I thought there would be more career opportunities which would allow me more time to enjoy photography as a hobby. Ryan actually sat me down and encouraged me to follow my heart and do what I loved… but of course me as a 22 year old figured I was right and I had my career goals set on graphic design even though Ryan, who was like a friend, worried I might regret it as he saw my natural passion for photography.

After I graduated, I went straight to work for a local design firm. Very quickly I realized I was not meant to work 9-5. It was painful to force my creativity in a box. With my previous knowledge about running a small business and skills I learned at my new job, I decided this was my chance to leave the design firm and give it a try being my own boss. Starting out was not smooth, I did logos for what seemed like pennies and a painful amount of revisions… anything to impress my clients and get referrals. I also taught myself WordPress because I heard so much about the system and was fascinated by it. After building a steady client base, I finally had a consistent flow of work and my business took off. I finally did it and created my own company I could sustain on my own. But something was wrong, I was so unhappy yet at the same time I had become my own boss like I wanted. I was also struggling with the design process, many clients boasted about how much they loved my work but I got a bit of anxiety every time I started a new project. Something about design never came naturally to me, it was just learned through my degree.

The next phase of my journey, I decided wanted to switch things up and start another company. From all my web knowledge, I had a tech startup idea I wanted to pursue and joined Chapman’s eVillage to connect with other entrepreneurs. One evening I met with a mentor and he took a look at my website and a few other side projects I was working on. He then asked why I was running my own company and doing so much, but wanted to start another. He questioned if I would be giving up my freelance company to pursue this new one. He actually caught me off guard, I was such a go-getter I hadn’t quite thought that through. He was right, I realized the time and effort I would need to make this company succeed I would have to give it 110% of my attention. I then took a step back and started to think about what it was I really wanted in a career. I then realized deep in my heat, I wanted to be a photographer. It’s been a passion of mine since I was a kid and has always made me happy to this day.

Not only did I wanted to be a photographer, I wanted to pursue the landscape and fine art industry of photography. Many of my favorite images were taken during moments and adventures that inspired me. I realized I wanted to go after a career that made me excited to wake up and work every day. A few people gave me a hard time saying that selling fine art images isn’t a career in photography, it’s a hobby. This was heartbreaking to hear, as I had finally decided to take a risk and pursue something I am passionate about. I decided I wasn’t going to let this stop me and I didn’t care what they thought. There are many notable photographers who have made a very successful career by selling their work. For example, Andreas Gursky sold a limited edition photograph “Rhein II” for $4.3 million dollars. I decided why can’t it be me? If they can achieve this type of success with their photography who is stoping me from achieving it, especially if it’s something I enjoy? So today I continue my journey constantly creating newer and better work while connecting with others to find more avenues to sell my images. I’m always open to new ideas and evolving my business model. I’ve also recently learned more about what inspires me as a creative, and I hope to create change through my sustainable work. I want nothing more than to protect the natural beauty in this world which inspires me. My work is filled with emotion and connects with people on a deeper level. My favorite part of my work is hearing other people’s stories and memories that are sparked by my images.

Following my passion is a roller coaster, I have moments when I feel I’m a complete failure then weeks later will have much success which keeps me striving for more. I’ve learned this is normal and it’s part of the journey. In the end of the day I think I’m the happiest out of most of my friends doing what I love. I’m thankful I discovered this early in my life and I know my passion will keep me going until I achieve the success I am after. As my dad told me after I had a complete meltdown one day, “You will get there, you are smart and a hustler. The secret to life is to just be happy.” If I could go back in time, I would have listened to Ryan. I learned the hard way you will never put 100% into something you don’t love. Currently I am so glued to my camera and computer my husband has to pry me away them. That’s the type of career I strive for, something I never want to give up!

Follow Jessica’s journey on Instagram and check out her beautiful images over at www.cardelucci.com