Art is personal. It’s not just about creating something beautiful—it’s about sharing a part of yourself. As an artist, whether you’re working with a camera, pen, or brush, your work is a reflection of who you are, how you see the world, and what you feel. For me, photography and poetry have become the two most intimate forms of expression. Both are rooted in vision and emotion, and both are a way for me to share my soul with the world.

When I pick up my camera, I’m not just capturing moments; I’m curating the world around me through my eyes. Photography is a way of taking a snapshot of what feels meaningful in the moment. It’s not about just pointing and shooting—it’s about what you choose to frame, what you decide to leave out, and the feeling that lingers long after you’ve clicked the shutter. Every photograph I take is deeply personal. It’s a piece of my perception, frozen in time. The way light falls on a subject, the angle I choose, the colors that speak to me—these are all choices that reflect where I am mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Photography is a powerful medium because it gives me the opportunity to capture life as it is—raw, unfiltered, and real. But what’s even more special is the way a single photograph can resonate with someone else. When I share a photograph, I’m not just offering an image; I’m sharing a feeling, a moment of my life that others can experience and connect with in their own unique way. It’s like saying, “Here’s a piece of my world. I hope it speaks to yours.”

And then there’s poetry. Poetry is a different kind of personal. It’s not just about the words—it’s about how those words hold meaning, how they reflect the emotions I can’t always express in day-to-day life. Writing poetry is like breathing. It’s raw and unfiltered, and yet, when I put my thoughts into words, they become something greater. Poetry allows me to say the unsaid. It gives me the space to articulate the complexities of life, love, loss, and everything in between. There’s something about the rhythm of language that makes poetry a deep reflection of my inner world. Each line is a snapshot of my thoughts, a distillation of everything I’m feeling in that moment.

Like photography, poetry is an invitation—an invitation to connect with the deeper parts of ourselves. When I write, I often find that the words I thought were only mine end up speaking to someone else in a way I didn’t expect. That’s the beauty of both poetry and photography: the way they transcend the artist and become universal. They allow others to see themselves in what we create, and that’s where the magic happens.

As I think about these two art forms, it strikes me how similar they really are. Both photography and poetry ask you to look closely, to pause, to feel. In one, you’re capturing an image; in the other, you’re capturing a feeling. And both require vulnerability. When I share my photographs or my poetry, I’m giving you a piece of my soul. There’s a risk in that—what if it’s not understood, or worse, what if it’s dismissed? But that’s the nature of art. It’s deeply personal, and it’s always a risk. But it’s a risk worth taking because, at the end of the day, we create to be seen and heard. To express what’s inside of us, so that others can feel less alone.

Every piece of art I create—whether it’s a photograph that tells a story or a poem that captures a feeling—is a reflection of my hands and my vision. They’re more than just objects. They’re extensions of who I am, my heart, and my experiences. And when I share them with the world, I’m inviting others into my world. It’s a vulnerable, beautiful thing, and I believe it’s what makes art so powerful.

Art is personal. Photography and poetry, especially, are ways I can say, “This is who I am. This is how I see the world. These are my thoughts, my feelings, my heart.” And when someone else connects with it, when they see something of themselves in it, that’s when the real magic happens. That’s when art transcends the artist and becomes something universal.

So, the next time you look at a photograph or read a poem, remember this: it’s more than just an image or a set of words. It’s a part of the artist’s soul. And in that shared experience, you might just find a part of your own. That’s the power of art, and that’s why it’s so deeply personal to me.

~ Jess