Whose House? Ginaya’s House.

Big picture: A focused Ginaya Jesmer is passionate about photography

Kaitlyn Emslie Farrell

Everyone and their dog is a “photographer” these days. Whether it’s for Facebook or your weekly (or hourly) Instragram selfie, you know how to point and snap. But, for Ginaya Jesmer, 19, photography is a passion, a career and a life. 

“It’s always been something in my life. It just seems like it’s something I’m supposed to do,” Jesmer says. 

Jesmer says she’s not concerned about the amount of people calling themselves photographers. 

“The more time that goes by as I do photography, the more gigs I get, the better I get at it, the more passion I have for it,” Jesmer says. “I’m not really competing with other people, it’s more that I’m becoming better myself.

“A lot of people start doing photography and then they realize there’s the business aspect of it, there’s how you have to represent yourself, then, they just drop it as soon as it gets tough. For me, I like challenges.”

When she’s not taking photos, Jesmer likes to kick back with her two radio shows on CKUW 95.9 FM. Static on the Prairies airs Mondays at noon, while Only Cowards Sing at Night takes over the airwaves on Sundays at 5 pm.

Whether it’s photography or radio, entering a creative field can be difficult, but Jesmer has some advice.

“You definitely have to be passionate for it. If you don’t have passion you aren’t going to make it,” Jesmer says. “It’s a lot of networking, a lot of meeting people. If you’re passionate about it, pursue it. If you try hard enough, things generally work out for the best.”

1) Poster

“That one I actually got at Unmasked. It was an art exhibit. The artists did five minute sketch paintings and that was one that they did.”

2) CDs

“Accumulated over the last year. A lot were given to me by bands or I got them at the concerts.”

3) Books

“Those are my favourite artists. Really depressing stuff.”

4) Cameras

“Well, I’m me. The one on the left is a film camera given to me by my uncle. The other one is the one that I shoot with all the time, a Canon T3i. I want to upgrade soon.”

5) Headdress

“Me and my friend made head dresses for photo shoots. It has horrible big ping pong balls holding it up.”

6) Wok

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“I cook things in it from time to time, like stir fry and deliciousness.”

Published in Volume 68, Number 20 of The Uniter (February 13, 2014)

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