We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessie McCall a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jessie , so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
The truth is I’m constantly overcoming it, but I do find that the more I lean in, and the more things I try, the less I feel like an imposter. But let’s start with music photography. I felt like a real newb when I first started. I look back at some of those photos, and while they have merit, they were not that good. The best advice I could offer someone is just do what you want to do, and do it as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to push yourself. Some people are great at the high stakes, fake it til you make it, dive into the deep end mentality. But for myself, I need to move slowly. Take jobs that push me, while not putting me in a position to overpromise if I can’t deliver. I remember when I got booked for my first big bus tour in 2015 by world-famous DJ’s Above & Beyond. I was SO NERVOUS and felt way out of my depth. But this was an opportunity of a lifetime and I knew I had to seize the day, They had seen my work, they had met me, they knew I was green, so of course I said yes. I learned and grew more on that tour than any job to date. I made lifelong friends and gained incredible experience. The truth is, you have to believe in your ability to figure shit out. And above your ability, your desire to do so. Know your strengths and lean into them. Don’t let other’s attitude towards you get in the way of your success. There will always be judgmental people, so just remember those with the most judgments usually lack self compassion and are hardest on themselves in their quietest moments. Approach life and your dreams with as much compassion as you can. Know that if you mess up, it’s rarely a case of life and death. Dive in! Or risk it for a biscuit, as my Australian friends say.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Who am I? What do I do?
Well, I am constantly pushing myself and exploring my curiosities and passions. I’ve been a professional photographer my entire adult life. It was about 8 years ago that I realized the reason I love photography is because it was my ticket to have conversations with all kinds of interesting people. I was a music photographer at the time, but I was beginning to get burnt out on the trajectory I was headed towards. Gone from home, traveling, working very late and long hours with urgent deadlines. I realized I didn’t want that kind of stress for the money I was making. Shortly thereafter, I became interested in underwater photography. I was inspired by an artist named Jamie who goes by @bird.ee on Instagram. That’s when I fell in love with a new way of photographing and connecting with people. From here, this led me to enroll in an 8-month coaching certification course. I’m wildly obsessed with human relationships and communication and wanted to take my learning and what I could offer to the next level. FROM HERE, I discovered the world of conversation card decks. At the time, I was living in Australia during Covid and couldn’t stray far from our apartment. So I bought an iPad, taught myself to draw and design and created Naked Conversations. A beautiful tarot sized card deck filled with questions to bring deeper understanding and connection between you and your romantic interest. I’ve been developing the Naked Conversations brand ever since. Now I am deeply devoted to all things human connection. I am currently melding my love for photography and community together into one world. I’ve been hosting these fine art, group photoshoots centered around natures elements like water, fire, wind and earth. I invite women to come together and join in on visual expression and collaboration through my lens. I just launched a retreat set for September 23-25 held in the Northern CA foothills, here where I live in Nevada City.
All this to say, I am constantly curious and constantly expanding my skills and offerings to align with what I’m most passionate about, from music to human connection to creative expression.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Firstly, I need to say, to each their own. We all have a superpower part of our personality, what is mine might not be yours. For myself, I’d say my sensitivity, my compassion and my curiosity have all been qualities that have helped me connect with all walks of people, which in turn has fostered bonds that have transcended the years. It’s important to be tenacious when you have a dream. I am constantly feeling beat down or like I’m failing, even after I hit.a beautiful milestone. That’s the life of a sole proprietor / gig worker / feast or famine lifestyle. It’s a whirlwind of growth. The moment I’m comfortable I usually end up mixing it up. I hate the low days, but the high days make it worth it.
The advice I’d give someone just starting out is know your values and follow them. They will be the pillars to which you cross-check if an opportunity or situation is right for you.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I’d love to get Naked Conversations into more people’s lives and hands. Maybe this is through retreat spaces, maybe this is through creative endeavors? I’ve seen how impactful these card decks have been and I want more people to feel their joy.
As far as photography goes, last year I had the distinct pleasure to work with Foreign Family and a musical artist who goes by Kasbo on a music video concept. We ended up collaborating on most of the visuals for his album, from cover art to me directing and producing his video for his single “I’m in Trouble”. It was an incredibly rewarding experience – I’d love to do more of that kind of work too.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jessiemccall.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlegreeneyes/
Image Credits
Jessie McCall
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
