Jenna Valente
- Anna Lilli Garai
- Aug 12
- 10 min read
Jenna Valente is a photographer and poet based in Portland, Maine. She focuses on portraiture and works closely with the people she photographs, aiming to create a calm and respectful space. Her background in journalism and environmental work influences how she observes and documents others. She often combines text and image, using everyday language and natural light. In works like "Oiá," "Reverie," and "Soften," she reflects on identity, care, and how people present themselves when they feel at ease.
Q: You see portrait photography as a way to support self-love. How do you help people feel safe and seen in front of your camera?
A: We live in a world where we are constantly inundated with images and videos telling us what we should be and what we could be if we only purchase this supplement, wear these specific clothes, subscribe to this "wellness" influencer’s blog, or eat a very niche diet. The beauty standards bar is set at impossible heights for us to reach because, realistically, the bar doesn’t exist. It’s a mirage made by artificial intelligence, in Photoshop, or by teams of content creators, designed to reflect back our deepest wounds and insecurities.
What I’m describing is one aspect of a much larger, deeply flawed system that surrounds us with illusions carefully crafted to touch on our most sensitive points, created by those in power who thrive on making us feel like there is something wrong with us, that we’re the problem.
That’s because the more time we spend questioning our self-worth, silencing ourselves, and feeling like we’re not worthy of love and respect, the less time we spend embracing each other, learning from our collective lived experiences, building community, and organizing against those who abuse their power. In the push for continual self-improvement, we’re losing ourselves and community along the way. We’re losing sight of what makes us beautiful, our differences.
So, what does all of this have to do with my approach to photography? Well, it’s everything, really. Whenever I feel overwhelmed by a massive problem that I, alone, cannot solve, I ask myself, “What are some things I can do to positively influence the situation?” For me, fostering self-love, one person at a time, one image at a time, is an act of rebellion. I’m helping people remember who the f*ck they are. That rebellion starts with us feeling safe and secure within our bodies and in our communities.
My photos are steeped in authenticity and feeling because creating a safe and secure environment to co-create in is my top priority. To do this, I completely decenter myself from the session. The moment is not about me. I am merely a guide, hype woman, and a vessel for people to explore and express themselves. I am there to meet people where they are at on any given day. This includes understanding how much experience they’ve had in front of the camera, how they’re feeling in their body, what kind of headspace they’re in, considering the power dynamics at play, and so on. Also, asking for consent before I touch someone, for example, if I want to adjust a strand of hair, move a piece of clothing, or help someone into a pose, and asking for clarification on how much direction someone wants to receive.
The way I see it is, if I am asking someone to do something as vulnerable as being immortalized by me through my camera, sometimes in very little to no clothing, then I can at the very least offer the grace and space necessary to ensure they feel comfortable, seen, and safe enough to do so. If that means hanging out for a while before the camera even enters the equation, I’m perfectly fine with that.
When I look at an image, I can always tell when someone is comfortable and feels safe with the photographer or not.
You can see it in the eyes and body language. I’ve personally had experiences working with other photographers where I’ve been in front of the camera and did not feel safe, in control, or comfortable. I never want to feel that way again, and I never want to be responsible for causing harm in a situation that is meant to boost confidence. Safe environments, for portrait sessions and beyond, are rooted in humility, patience, and understanding. That is the foundation on which I build my collaborations.
There are no words to describe the feeling of delivering a set of images to a person, essentially holding out an offering saying, “Here, this is how I see you, and you’re beautiful just the way you are” and for them to genuinely see themselves looking back, and I don’t mean at a surface level, I mean at a soul level. For them to say, “You really see me.” Chef’s kiss. It doesn’t get any better than that. It’s a feeling I think I’ll chase my entire life, witnessing someone witness themselves, and loving what they see. That is art in its highest form. That is art in its healing form.
Q: What keeps you coming back to the idea that every person is truly one of a kind?
A: Have you ever met two people who are exactly the same? I haven’t. Even identical twins have differences in their appearance and personalities. We are a living, breathing expressions of our unique genetics, environment, and lived experiences. None of us incarnate here on Earth and walk the same exact path in the same exact body as someone else, and that is the coolest thing in the world to me. What a wealth of knowledge we have available to us, as long as we’re open-minded and curious about each other. I love people watching, and I suppose portraiture is just a more intimate form of that. I could sit on a park bench or in an airport bar for hours just observing the world moving around me, taking in the endless variations of energy, fashion, and language. Yes, there are billions of people on the planet, and yes, many are similar, but if you look close enough and take the time to get to know someone, you’ll find each of us is truly one of a kind.
You are the only you that has ever and will ever exist. That’s special. For our paths to cross during our limited time here, and for me to have the opportunity to create with you? That’s a gift.
Q: In works like "Oiá" and "Soften" you use natural forces like storms and water. What do those elements mean to you personally?
A: We can learn a lot from natural forces like water and storms. Mainly, to flow and not force our way through life. Earth, water, fire, and air are never trying to be anything other than what they are. They show up fully as themselves, and that’s a powerful lesson in authenticity. Some days we are a storming, swirling, raging mess, and others we are still, patient, and peaceful – it’s beautiful all the same. In this era of hyper-perfectionism, remembering that we are humans and humans are messy, we make mistakes, some days we feel great, other days, not so much – and that’s okay.
It’s what we are here for: to be, to love, and to learn. Nature is messy and it’s beautiful, and so, too, are we.
Generally, I prefer portrait sessions to take place outside, particularly in a place that’s meaningful to the person I’m working with. There is preparation that takes place before the session in terms of the look and feeling we’re aiming for, but I like to co-create with the space, to let it tell us what it wants to be, to honor the place. Nature is such a powerful healer as well, and I find that people tend to be a lot more at ease outside than in a studio with bright lights pointing at them.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been astounded by how we were all born into a place as beautiful as this, a place that provides us with everything we could possibly need to survive. I feel like I say this all the time, but we really do live in a moving art piece. Whether it be the season, the flora, the wildlife, the weather, or our human interactions. Life is one long improvisation happening within a fully custom, unique set. Just as we discussed how no one human is the same, I also feel this way about each day.
Sure, some days might look similar, but you will never again wake up and experience a day exactly like today. Each one is a brand-new art piece in motion, and I pull a lot of inspiration from that.
A major concern of mine is how detached so many of us have become from the ecosystem we are a part of. Our socially constructed environment has desensitized us from the natural one, the one we were gifted with, the one that actually matters. There’s no way around it, animals – self-aware ones or not – all require clean water, air, and food to survive. If we don’t have a healthy environment to live in, literally none of the other made-up stuff that we spend so much time and energy worrying about matters. It’s that simple, but again, the people who have amassed exorbitant wealth and power would rather convince us that we should abandon this planet and move to Mars instead of changing their behavior to benefit the collective. Greed is a sickness. I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here on Earth and doing what I can to call attention to the broken system and the solutions to right the ship. Art is one way that we can do this. I’ve also been a full-time climate and social justice advocate for the past 15 years, working with grassroots and frontline communities to organize, influence policy, and remove barriers that keep people from raising their voices. My love for this planet is so strong that I have a hard time thinking about doing anything other than loving it and doing what I can to protect our home. If you’re fed up with corporations and billionaires exploiting and abusing the heart and soul of this planet – and the most precious people and cultures on it – this is my call for you to take steps, no matter how large or small, to speak out. You don’t have to be perfect in your advocacy; we just need you to get out there and do it.
If you’re not sure where to start, this is an open invitation to connect with me, and I can help.
Q: "Reverie" feels more quiet and inward. How do you approach a shoot when the mood is softer or more introspective?
A: I live in the middle of the woods, surrounded by nature. I am so happy and at peace here. My default settings are introverted. I love quiet. I love alone time. I need those moments to show up with a full–or as close to full as possible–social battery when I find myself in groups or crowds, so softer, more introspective sessions come more naturally to me than the loud, over-the-top, extroverted ones. I can do both. I spent years living in cities and doing concert photography, but I prefer the soft, sweet, romantic moments in life.
We hold so much inside, and that weight can be heavy. Our inner worlds are just as complex as the outer one. I think providing a safe space for people to explore that and creatively express themselves can be cathartic, both for me and for the person I’m working with. We’re all seeking connection and to be seen, so I try to approach all sessions from that place, to understand and bond. Portrait sessions require me to be in tune and aligned with the person’s energy, to mirror it.
In terms of actions I’ll take to set the mood for a portrait session, music choice is important. I usually like to make collaborative playlists so the person I’m working with can make sure the songs that get them into the headspace they want to be in are represented.
Q: You write poetry and take portraits. Do those two ways of working come from the same place for you?
A: I think they both are ways for me to process and make sense of the world, while also sharing my experience to connect and build community. They differ in that photography is my love letter to the external, the people, places, and things around me. A way for me to tap into the collective consciousness and share the view from where I stand. Almost like my eyes are a window, but not like that saying, “the eyes are the window to the soul,” almost the opposite. I’m sharing how my soul sees you – or the world – through the windows of my eyes. Maybe I’m reaching too far for the analogy there, but you know what I mean.
While I’ve always enjoyed photography, it’s something I didn’t pick up until I was in my 20s after I had saved enough money to buy my first camera. Cameras are expensive, and affording them is a barrier to access for many. Finding a piece of paper and a pen or pencil? Now, that’s much easier to find.
Poetry is deeply personal to me. It’s a dive into my inner world. It’s an ode to my introverted self, the part of me who feels everything so deeply, who is on a never-ending journey to understand myself and all that I’ve been through. Being a writer was never an option for me; it’s who I am. If I go too long without it, I feel an energy building up inside that needs to be released onto paper, or else I’ll be an anxious, antsy mess.
I started journaling as a child and haven’t stopped writing since. At some point, journaling morphed into poetry, I think, because I like the creative challenge of expressing complex emotions, relations, and experiences in as few words as possible. I try to write one poem a day, no matter how good or bad I think it is. The beautiful thing about doing a small act of creativity every day for an extended period, like writing a poem, is that one day you’ll look back and realize you have an entire body of work to explore and share if you so choose. That’s how I ended up with enough poems to publish my first book, "Young Love or Something Like It," which is available for purchase on my website.
Q: You’ve photographed so many different people and moments. What’s something you’ve learned from being behind the camera all these years?
A: The biggest lesson that I’ve learned, and I’m still trying my best to put into practice, is how important it is to show myself the same love, support, and care that I show to others. We, so often, are our own harshest critics. That’s the full circle moment on this creative journey, the very thing I’ve been offering through my art is the very thing I’m seeking, unconditional love and support, from myself and others. Some things I do to help with this are to create without expectation, to allow myself to play and try new things without the pressure to share or be “good” right away – or even at all.
Also, safeguarding room in my schedule to “do nothing” has worked wonders for my mental health and for creative inspiration to come through. Hustle culture isn’t healthy. We weren’t built for that; we need room to breathe, room to just be.
Lastly, meeting those inner intrusive thoughts with curiosity, not resistance. Exploring where they come from and in what ways they are actually trying to keep me safe. Asking the version of myself who is saying those things what they need in that moment? And also, questioning if I would ever say those things to anyone else? Generally, the answer is no.
Connecting with people and celebrating all the ways we are different, similar, unique, and beautiful has been an incredibly healing experience for me. It’s something I’m eternally grateful for.