For Los Angeles-based photographer, Jesse Jennings, the ocean is more than a backdrop—it’s a sanctuary. A storyteller at heart, Jesse weaves emotion, movement, and style into every frame she captures. Her journey began in the high desert of New Mexico, but it was the water that taught her stillness, challenge, and grace. Today, she floats between worlds: fashion and sport, loss and discovery, past and present. Through her camera, Jesse invites us into her version of paradise—fluid, imperfect, and deeply alive.
I’m Jess — a photographer focused on capturing the intersection of sports and fashion. While I’ve been told to be mindful to not let my career define me, photography has profoundly shaped both my personal and professional endeavors. I like to think that life is simple, but finding balance is hard – photography has taught me to constantly be searching for different perspectives, challenging myself creatively, and seeking joy in the small things.
I grew up in Roswell, New Mexico, and moved to LA after high school to attend college where I eventually picked up a camera and fell in love. As I began shooting in the water, I noticed a significant lack of female surf photographers and simultaneously was eager to push myself in bigger waves. That challenge evolved into a career pursuing some of the world’s best waves. Along the way, I realized my passion for working with professional athletes and telling their stories extends beyond surfing to all sports.
When did you start photography and what was the spark?
I won a giveaway for a water housing for my iPhone 7, which allowed me to take my phone into the ocean. After a few swims taking photos of friends and empty waves, I was immediately hooked. In an increasingly fast-paced world, swimming in the ocean with my camera quickly became the only place I could find stillness. Eventually, the limitations of shooting with an iPhone pushed me to challenge myself both technically and creatively, leading me to purchase a DSLR camera and water housing from Craigslist. I haven’t looked back since.
Name of location and why you decided to choose this place.
Paradise is, for me, exploration. Exploration of self, of culture, of people, of relationships, of love and laughter but also of grief and loss. It’s the ability to balance life’s highs and lows, embracing both simultaneously. Paradise is not a destination, but a state of mind that allows and encourages curiosity and criticism of life as we know. Growing up in a small, isolated desert town, I believed paradise was a physical place—anywhere but ‘here.’ That belief instilled in me an insatiable curiosity to explore beyond the familiar. Through personal and professional travels—from Indonesia to Australia, the Maldives to South Africa—I gained profound insight into new worlds, cultures, and perspectives. However, after unexpectedly losing my mother in 2018, travel became less about discovery and more about escape. Over time, I came to realize that my “happy place” wasn’t tied to a location but rather a way of being—one that welcomes both beauty and adversity. Today, I’m grateful to say I live pretty close to paradise, most days.
What makes this destination Paradise to you?
Because this place eliminates the inherent need or illusion to perpetually chase happiness, and instead to be present and embrace all things life throws at you :)
Type of Camera used
Canon R5
Mentawai Islands, Indonesia – There is nowhere more peaceful and simultaneously dangerous than clinging to the seafloor while set waves roll over you - true balance. A surfer ascends back to the surface.
Oahu, Hawaii – Two friends share a special moment.
Pipeline, North Shore – If paradise was a place...
Waimea Bay – Luke Shepardson on the winning wave of the 2023 Eddie Aikau. This moment really puts into perspective of the scope of the waves that day.
Mentawai Islands, Indonesia
Oahu, Hawaii
Pipeline, North Shore
Bali, Indonesia – My best friend enjoying a moment of stillness between sets - so many moments had to align for this one and it was years in the making. One of my most cherished memories to this day.
Follow along with Jesse here
