Life Behind the Lens with Photographer Jessica Montgomery

This week Ryan chats with internationally renowned photographer Jessica Montgomery. Originally hailing from Oklahoma City, Jessica moved to Syracuse, NY in 2018 to handle the photographic needs of Stay Fresh, a creative agency started by Tommy Lincoln. While most photographers are known for a niche talent, Jessica captivates and controls the still image no matter the subject. Jessica is known for her 31 Days Of Halloween project in which she plans and collaborates shoots with different models to share her imagination and storytelling capabilities every day in the month of October. This level of quality and dedication is seen in every project she tackles. Whether photographing beverage cans for 1911, models for publication in Selin or IMIRAGE, toys for Jay And Silent Bob, or action shots at summer concerts, Jessica’s knowledge of lenses and how to arrange her subjects makes the result jump off the screen every single time. In this conversation Jessica talks about growing up and finding a passion for photography early in life courtesy of the toy Suzy Snapshot and the affordability of 110 film cameras. She discusses the value she found building a creative foundation in art school before focusing her attention exclusively on the mechanics and capabilities of her camera. Shifting to the professional sphere, she shares her start as a wedding photographer and the eventual move to Syracuse to take on accounts like Beak & Skiff, Ayrloom, Oh My Darling, Glazed And Confused, Funk N Waffle, Syracuse Cooperative Market, Salt City Market, Elevate, LM Social, and dozens of others. Jessica goes into depth on the narrative aspects of her work and shares examples of how her imagination takes off when the ideas start flowing. It’s an engaging conversation about the infinite depth one can explore when they truly love their chosen medium. For more information on Jessica Montgomery you can find her @jessica.stayfresh on Instagram and Threads or visit www.stayfresh.design.   For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok, or email [email protected].