BEHIND THE LENS

My name is Jolene, and yes, I know the song. I know the Dolly Parton, The White Stripes, Miley Cyrus, Ray La Montagne, and Cake versions. I lived in Trinidad and Tobago for most of my life, and it has made me who I am in every way. I love color, warmth, and creativity above all else. I am grateful for the 20 years I lived there because it gifted me with a rich and complex perspective of this world.

I am 35 years old, but I always forget how old I am. Not in a romantic 'age is just a number' way; I just forget how old I am. I think once I turned 30; I stopped counting. I am an Enneagram type 7, which means I have spent my entire life chasing dreams. I LOVE to learn new things, and I am always signed up for a course or talk that helps me grow.

I have two kids wonderful kids who drive me nuts in every way, but also fuel my creative fire and life ambitions. I became a family photographer when the thought of returning to a 9-5 job after my daughter was born did not feel right. Before kids, I spent my adult life circling the commercial photography industry; laying breadcrumbs as I jumped from one specialty to the other. Once my daughter was born, I knew it was time to follow the trail back to where I started. Through mom groups, I heard many parallel narratives around the general exhaustion and guilt from forgetting to document the growth of their family as time quickly passed. I figured I could lend a helping hand.

The transition to motherhood was one of the most overwhelming experiences in my life. The fierce love for my children punctuated with bouts of postpartum anxiety and depression. I know how all-consuming (albeit rewarding) the job of a mother can be, and I know how easy it is to lose yourself in it. So often, I hear new mothers say they just want to feel like themselves. This is why I chose a lifestyle approach to Photography. It's not an attempt to fake a perfect life, It's an attempt to focus on your best self—an ode to the perfect moments that keep you pushing through tough parts.