Behind the Lens with @Kerrie.J

Shea GuntherMaher

Downtown Sac is a place where incredible people achieve incredible feats, a place where dreamers are welcome. We are fashioning a bright future together, weaving heart and soul into the cultural fabric of the City of Trees.

We’re committed to cultivating Downtown Sac’s community of dreamers and have met many who are launching themselves on Instagram. The visual medium is perfect for storytelling, showcasing various forms of artistry, and connecting with like-minded folks via Instameets. Inspired by the dreamers catching our eye on Instagram and at local meet-ups, we decided to sit down with a few of them to hear their stories. We went Behind the Lens with three Instagram ladies and can’t wait for you to meet them, too!

Kicking things off, let us introduce you to the vibrant and driven lady known as @Kerrie.J…

“Connect with as many people as you can, I guarantee you will learn a lot and you may meet someone who will change or influence your life forever. Life is short, always go after your goals and most of all never let your passion for something die.” (photo courtesy of @_dayts)

Behind the Lens: Kerrie J.
Hometown: East Bay, CA
Occupation: Line Cook, Ten22
Instagram: @Kerrie.J

When and how did your passion for photography begin?

My passion for photography began about 12 years ago. When I was 15 I vacationed in New York City and was fascinated by the fast pace and bustling energy of the city. It grew even more when I was 20 and moved to New York City, I attended Hunter College as a Media Studies and Photojournalism major and couldn’t get enough of the architecture and landscape around Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. More recently I picked up photography again; after losing my Dad last year, photography became an outlet to express my feelings and led me to meet the inspiring and talented people in the photography community in Sacramento.

What are some of your favorite places to shoot?

Some of my favorite places to shoot are Downtown Sacramento and Old Sacramento, where the history of the city and its architecture are abundant. The Tower Bridge in Sacramento is always my favorite thing to shoot, for some reason every shot of it never gets old. I also enjoy shooting the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, so many awesome old bridges and it reminds me of where I grew up.

Photo courtesy of @Kerrie.J

If you could photograph anything, anywhere in the world, what would it be?

If I could do photography anywhere in the world I would definitely want to capture the countries that were my Dad’s favorite places to see, which were Austria and Italy. Since my favorite mediums of photography are architecture and landscape, I would love to see the countryside of Tuscany and the historic architecture in Rome, the Colosseum, Florence Cathedral, and the buildings and the Grand Canal in Venice.

What are some photography styles you’ve always wanted explore?

I definitely want to try doing more portrait photography and also capturing more candid moments, as well as more street photography. I would like to work more on long exposure shots and night photography. I would also like to practice different mediums like panning and long exposure shots during the day and learning to use neutral density filters.

Photo courtesy of @Kerrie.J

Where do you see your passion for photography taking you?

I see photography as always being a part of my life. My favorite thing about photography is being able to capture a moment in time and knowing that no matter how many times you take that shot it will never be the same each time. I also feel photography captures whatever a person is feeling at the time and can bring back a memory looking back at photos that have been taken. I see my passion for photography keeping me connected with the close knit community in Sacramento and hopefully expose more people to the arts and happenings around the city. I would love to continue to see photography inspire more people and showcase how beautiful Sacramento is.

Photo courtesy of @Kerrie.J

How long have you been on Instagram? What are your favorite aspects of the social medium?

I have been on Instagram for about 2-3 years now and first began sharing my everyday life but as I explored photography more I decided to share my photography as well. My favorite aspect of the social medium is having different categories to showcase different mediums of photography and growing together as a community. Instagram has opened up a way for local photographers to meet with each other and in doing so we all have different things and perspectives to share. I am grateful to have met up for a weekly gathering over the summer called #goodtuesdayz hosted by none other than the talented Will Thompson (@goodthompson), where I learned so much from these influential artists.

What’s one thing you’d want your followers to know about you or your photos?

Often times you will see I post quotes with each photo, each quote pertains to what I am feeling at the time or how I want the photo to be conveyed. My dad was a huge part of my life and since he never got to see my photography grow this past year, my goal is to improve and grow as a photographer in the community in Sacramento.

Who are the top 3 influencers you follow for creative inspiration?

@goodthompson – For always giving a different perspective of Sacramento and showing the love we all have for this city and of course creating the best meets for everyone to get together and share their love for photography.

@visitsacramento – For featuring artists, places and food around our city that make it a place for everyone to be #Sacramentoproud.

@_dayts – My very first Instagram friend whose photos of Sacramento capture the city that is his second home. He is truly talented and was the first person to show me how to shoot manually.

Photo courtesy of @Kerrie.J

What are a few things you love about Sacramento?

I lived in Sacramento in back 2011-2012 and fell in love with the city then, I couldn’t wait to move back knowing that I would still love the city; photography has given me the opportunity to see the city in a different perspective and makes me love it even more living here again. Of course I love the food scene in Sacramento, being a line cook in a restaurant in Old Sacramento, has really given me the opportunity to experience the Farm to Fork movement that has put Sacramento on the map, I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of the restaurant industry in the city. As I mentioned before, the architecture and history of Sacramento make me appreciate capturing the beauty of the city in all different forms. Even though I am from the Bay Area, I couldn’t be more proud to be living in this city, I think there are so many positive changes that are happening in Sacramento and I think as it is showcased it will draw more people into the arts community and visually see just how great our city is.

What hopes do you have for Sacramento’s future?

In the future I hope that Sacramento continues to grow and that we continue to grow together as a community. I hope to see Downtown Sacramento as a focal point for visitors outside of Sacramento and draw attention to the number of things to see and do in our city. In my time living here I have met so many wonderful people and have been able to explore every corner of Downtown, I will always have love for this city and will always be #Sacramentoproud.