Phylecia Jones is a travel and adventure photographer who captures the beauty of the natural world through stunning images. At 36, Phylecia retired from her role as a Computer Scientist with the US Navy and initially pursued photography as a creative outlet while building her first business. Her love of travel inspired what has become an incredible body of work capturing her adventures. We caught up with Phylecia to learn more about her work, career, RV Life, and advice for photographers who are just starting out.
Hi Phylecia! Tell us about yourself — when did you first become interested in photography and how did you get to where you are today?
After a few years of running a solo business, I realized I needed a hobby. Running my business was starting to burn me out and I was craving ways to focus my creative energy. Living a life one foot in the world of science and engineering, my STEM degrees, and the other in dance and baton twirling has always been a fun dichotomy. When one side starts to weigh me down, I know I am off balance. So my search to revamp my creativity began.
Having a hobby isn’t a new concept, but as an adult, it was a bit foreign. I tried scrapbooking, t-shirt designing, knitting, and other crafty outlets and I had the attention span of a fish. Like most things in life, I was looking everywhere else, except in front of me. I already had a photography site that I kept for years to share over 15 years of travel memories with my friends and family. When I started to really look at my photos, I knew this was going to be my new thing. My husband and I researched a camera and lens and once it was delivered, I never looked back.
“My best advice for those wanting to get into travel photography is to just get started. It is easy to get caught in the vortex of the internet trying to find the perfect blog post that will give you all of the tip and tools. They are helpful, but the one thing that will get you going is to pick up your camera and become amazing at your craft.”
-Photographer Phylecia Jones
You’ve traveled to over 200 cities, 39 states, 19 countries, and 36 national parks (and counting!). What is the most beautiful, striking, or memorable place that you’ve photographed? Are there any places still on your photography bucket list?
One of the hardest questions I get asked these days is which is my favorite location. At times, my answer depends on the day and the mood I am in. I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit so many places that I never take any of them for granted. I can always find beauty in a location, even when it is not a favorite.
For now, the most memorable location I have photographed has to be sitting on the river’s edge of Furnace Creek in Katmai National Park (Alaska) watching brown bears catch salmon. Being able to capture bears 15ft away from me was at times terrifying, but unlike any experience I have ever had. It is hard to put into words how majestic those creatures are, especially when they are focusing on salmon and not you.
As far as a bucket list of places to photograph, my focus for the last few years has been visiting all of the US national parks. I am currently on an RV trip visiting all eight of Alaska’s national parks and it has been a trip of a lifetime.
Is your personal journey reflected in your photography? If so, how?
Since I tend to focus on landscapes and outdoor adventures, I think my journey is more reflected in my writing on my blog than just pictures alone. My goal over the last year has been to tell a story with each of my photos and my locations. I am currently touring the US in my RV with my family and each location brings a new feeling or perspective to my life. Every shot brings up memories, hopes, dreams, and optimism of the future because I get to travel and photograph places that many I know have never visited or will only see as wallpaper on their laptops.
As your career has progressed, how has your aesthetic or subject matter shifted over time?
As my career has progressed, my subject matter has not changed and I am still experimenting with my aesthetic. I initially was lured into the world of filters and heavy editing of photos. For some reason, the more I learned about editing, it felt as if I was sacrificing the location and its original beauty by removing even the tiniest element of the scene. I made up my mind that I did not want to alter photos too much so that I can try to deliver what my eyes were seeing at the moment. Unfiltered beauty.
What would be your dream creative project or subject to photograph?
My dream project would be to take a group of novice black and/or brown women hikers to Grand Teton and Arches National Parks. I want to memorialize their awe, and joy, when they get to experience the landscapes for the first time. A common theme from my travels and hikes is that I wish more people who rarely experience the beauty of the United States and its national parks, get a chance to visit at least one because they will make you see your life, and all of the things you work hard for, differently.
How has being part of the Black Women Photographers community impacted your career? What are the benefits for photographers to be part of a photography community?
Being a part of the Black Women Photographers community just gave me the confidence that I can pursue a career in photography. During 2020 and the pandemic, I switched all of my social feeds to only follow landscape and travel photographers. During such a dark time, all I wanted to see was beauty to remind myself of my humanity amongst the chaos. After a while, I noticed that very few, almost none actually, of the photographers were women and not one was a black woman. When this group popped up on my feed, I instantly joined and started spreading the word. The community brings so much value to those who are expert photographers and those just getting started. Having a place to get answers to questions or to peek into the minds of others is simply priceless. And the support is phenomenal.
Many places you photograph require hiking, climbing, bouldering, and more to reach. What is your favorite gear to bring with you when you need a light load? And what is your favorite camera and lens when you don’t have to worry about gear weight?
A lot of my photography requires me to get out and get hiking, or sometimes kayaking, which means I have to keep things very light. I cycle between my Lumix G Series Panasonic, a GoPro when I need my hands free hiking up hills or bouldering, and a 360 camera when I know a cliff is going to be nearby.
For my camera, I use a prime 9mm lens if I am going to be up and close to mountains or epic landscapes. If I know wildlife will be on or near a trail, I will take my 100-300mm telephoto lens. For the most part, my go to is a 12-60mm lens which works for just about any situation I am in when hiking or walking around a city. But honestly, when I am moving fast or hiking light, my cell phone, Samsung S22 Ultra, is my ride or die. I follow the adage that my best camera is the one I have on me… and I rarely leave home without one.
How do you see the photography industry changing and how are you adapting?
With AI becoming a major factor in the world of photography, the industry is on the verge of deciding how it wants to move forward. We are getting closer to where the simple use of words can create realistic scenes and compositions in a matter of minutes. For me, all I can do, and have been doing, is try to and stay authentic. I have cut back on some of the third-party editing of photos and use in-camera filtering and processing instead. Since travel photography does not have a distinct definition, I am using that to my advantage to create my own way of showcasing my travels. My path is to stay as true to my travel experiences and tell more stories along the way.
What advice do you have for new photographers interested in travel photography or living the RV Life as a photographer?
My best advice for those wanting to get into travel photography is to just get started. It is easy to get caught in the vortex of the internet trying to find the perfect blog post that will give you all of the tip and tools. They are helpful, but the one thing that will get you going is to pick up your camera and become amazing at your craft. Once you are comfortable with your skills, then decide on a path that will elevate your career to where you want to go.
When it comes to living the RV life as a photographer, that is just a bonus on top of everything. RVing gives you the ability to move slow and really take in a location to find the right shot. I have enjoyed my time in my RV because I get a chance to see popular locations differently and give myself more time to compose scenes that will showcase my unique viewpoint.
What are you working on now and what’s up next for you?
At the moment, I am working behind the scenes and improving my skills with editing video. I recently became a Black Women Photographers x Nikon Grant recipient which helped me to upgrade my laptop. It has been an absolute game changer with my productivity and what I am able to create with the thousands of video clips sitting in my memory cards.
