Jessica Alvarez is a Photographer based in New York City.

jessicaalvarez01@yahoo.com

Since I was a child,  I have had a  passion for photography. I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and took any opportunity, such as classes and summer camps, to grow my skills as a  budding photographer. 

I have a Peruvian father and a South African mother. As such,  I’ve been given the chance to learn about different cultures outside my immediate environment. My parents have taken me on trips around the world. For this I am grateful to have had so many experiences to be with family, explore different cultures, other countries’ histories, meet different people,and of course, try delicious cuisines. I had the opportunity to capture my fond memories with my camera.

When it came  time for college planning, there was no doubt that I wanted to devote my  passion for photography and turn it into a career. I chose to go to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, since I’ve always loved New York City and I knew the possibilities for me there would be endless. 

In college, I was given the chance to really explore what I wanted to express with my photography. There were many challenges, and some failures, along the way, but those helped guide me to find my true voice as a photographer. I found my true passion in expressing myself in photos, particularly in response to the challenges I’ve faced. 

My project “Perfect Imperfections”, begun in my freshman year of college, made me for the first time feel  really vulnerable with the camera, about body insecurities. This  felt like my first stepping stone in the direction I wanted to follow.  In college, I continued with other  projects along those lines :   dating through modern technology, the stereotypical roles of genders, enduring the aftermath of sexual assault, and most recently, my senior thesis project, titled “are you here?”. In this last work, I focused on the struggles I have with trust and emotional intimacy in my relationships. This was my most vulnerable project.  It was also  my first show as an artist that was shared with peers, family, friends, and strangers. This embodies the type of work  that I would want to  pursue in the future. 

Now, having graduated in May of 2023, the future is open-ended and mine to conquer.  I’m beyond excited to continue  learning and working in different aspects  of photography.