ABOUT
Hi, I'm Jenn!
I live a multi-hyphenated existence, but don’t we all, if you think about it:
Writer: features, interviews, essays, my newsletter tanjennts
Photographer: portraits, personal branding, events, travel, and others
Freelancer in all of the above
Specialty coffee professional: editor at large at Sprudge
Reformed marketer
Community organizer
Plant parent: mostly thriving indoor container garden & an outdoor container garden for edibles
Dog parent: I adopted my rescue dog Zoey in February 2020, right before the lockdowns. It has been a wild ride since then
But if you need a few sentences to neatly wrap it up:
I’m a San Francisco-based writer & photographer in specialty coffee, food & beverage, culture, and beyond. I’m also a personal branding photographer for creative business owners, solopreneurs, and anyone who wants more than a white background in their photos.
I’m inspired by the specialty coffee industry that I’m in, the creative clients I work with, and powered by chips (of all kinds).
In addition to writing in-depth features as the editor at large at Sprudge—an online, globally read specialty coffee publication—I also shoot a unique blend of documentary and lifestyle portrait photography for creative people and their work.
Regardless of the medium, I am most interested in creating a space of trust for my clients and interview sources to feel safe, seen, and heard. I love capturing people and their passions, in their place of work.
Working with people who love what they do is my inspiration.
And I’m most excited when I work with traditionally marginalized people, including women, non-binary folks, and people of color. I’ve found that these groups are more likely to have been told that they’re not enough, to shrink themselves to fit some outdated expectation, to be quiet. Whether we’re interacting through an interview or personal branding session, I aim to make you feel heard and respected.
My writing style is contradicting: I love direct communication but I also love the beauty and cadence of well-crafted, long sentences. And my photography is the same: I love colorful maximalism as much as I enjoy a dark and moody look.
Things to know about me:
Pie is better than cake. Sweet potato pie is better than pumpkin pie.
My superpower is being able to cut onions without crying. Obviously, I have no tear ducts (kidding).
Adopt, don’t shop (pets)
I am just short of being an extreme introvert, but I love wearing bold, saturated colors
My favorite chip flavor is salted egg
One of my favorite donuts is the simple passionfruit-glazed yeast donut at Firecakes in Chicago. A close second and third would be a mochi donut glazed with ube or black sesame.
MY VALUES
Provide a space of trust
A big one for me, because it’s necessary for interviews (trusting me to write about them authentically) and portrait photography (trusting me to capture them at their best). Surface-level interactions are not for me; I’m an introvert.
Be receptive and open
Dream big and try new things. Pay attention to what people tell me or what the universe tells me.
Learn, evolve, and share
I love learning new things or going deep on a topic. This is a reminder to constantly learn and evolve. I don’t necessarily need to share everything, but sharing what I can is one way to avoid being a gatekeeper.
Make an impact
Every impact is an important one, it doesn’t matter if it’s on an individual level or a global scale.
Embrace myself & my differences
Pay attention to my gut! It’s almost always right. Part of this is also to be true to me and make sure everything I put out aligns with who I am. I should be excited about new projects, not dreading them. Buck traditions and expectations.
Do the best you can
Life is hard and sometimes shitty. If I’m doing the best I can under the circumstances I’m given, and with the tools I have on hand, then that’s all that I can do. No beating myself up on this.
Current Projects
At any given time, I’m trying to conquer new skills and work on projects. Here are a few that I’ve been trying out:
- Spanish on Duolingo
- Edible garden in self-watering planters on my patio
Upcoming Travels
- None