Today we’d like to introduce you to Joelle Rosen.
Joelle, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I always wish I could spill my life story to someone who can put it into a poetic tale of a strong feminine artist who eats lots of cheese and conquers the world (ok, maybe leave out HOW much cheese). But until the day I write (dictate) my memoir (lol) I’m stuck with trying to tell my own story so here’s a synopsis:
I grew up in Mobile AL with a quirky New Orleans mom and a musician dad. Don’t worry, it’s not as cool as it sounds, we had a very conservative family, but me and my mom would secretly gush about our love for R&B and have living room dance parties. Luckily, I had a mom who wanted to put me in magnet schools where I got to express myself through the music and dance. But it wasn’t until college, taking a basic photography course under a Journalism degree, that I started taking photos. Three cheers for sort of using your college degree, right?!
I always loved exploring places and taking my friends, dressing them up, doing their makeup, and shooting a roll of film (sorry about that guys, my taste in fashion has gotten WAY better). Anyway, I kept doing it and eventually I was getting people who wanted to pay me to take photos of them. I was shooting every weekend while in college and working other jobs.
Being in Mobile AL, I didn’t have too many opportunities to pursue fashion and editorial work, but I did everything I could. Mostly, I was doing a lot of basic portraiture and shooting with model friends or whoever I could in the meantime to pursue a more editorial style. Eventually I moved to Atlanta which has been an incredible growth experience. After being in Atlanta for about a year, I got to transition into shooting in my style as my main career and it’s been TOTALLY scary but COMPLETELY fulfilling. It takes a little while to really know your style and I think its comes with knowing yourself. I can’t believe I get to be creative for a living. It’s still hard as ever but I’m slowly building my world and working at it every single day.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’ve refer to my photography style as “retro dream-grunge”. I’ve always wanted to create work that portrays femininity, strength and combines energetic color with a timeless aesthetic. I want it to inspire people to feel beautiful and feel like they can express themselves. It’s so fun living in a city with such diversity, there are endless possibilities for locations and subjects.
I love shooting with individuals as well as brands. It’s amazing when you can connect on a vision and create images that represent someone’s personal or company aesthetic. I’ve always liked styling and directing so I usually do a little bit of everything for my shoots. A lot of my images will feature things from my own wardrobe which is full of color and fun vintage pieces.
What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
Art has always reflected the social climate. I love that we have more access to local artists through social media. People can share and relate to one another through someone’s work and that is incredible. It brings people together.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Website: www.joellegrace.com
Instagram: @joellegrace
Facebook: Joelle Grace Photography
I also sell prints of my work so feel free to ask about prints of any of the images you see!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joellegrace.com
- Email: joelletakespictures@gmail.com
- Instagram: @joellegrace
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoelleGracePhotography/
- Twitter: @joellegrace
Image Credit:
Blue Fringe: Olivia Hargrove @themetalromantic
Bright Blue Blonde: Adrienne Wiest @thevintagepicurean
Black and White: Danielle @daniellachappella
Hands: Erin Henry @soil.mate
Red Tights: Alexandria @af.bryant
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
