Jess Steinfelds

Jess Gibbs is a coast-loving Australian living in the mountains of Northern California. She first picked up a camera when she was 15, in the days of film and darkrooms. She felt draw to a the idea of capturing glimpses of the world around her. Wanting to learn how to use an SLR while on a family holiday in Tasmania, she waited until they hiked into Freycinet’s Wineglass Bay to get a lesson on her mum’s old Pentax. She wanted to take her first photo in a stunning landscape. Since that moment, her desire has been to capture both the beauty and the feeling of a place.

‘It Is Still a Beautiful World’ is a project begun in a time of darkness but had since become a daily habit that she truly enjoys. The inspiration came from the last stanza of the Desderata by Max Ehrmann: “In the noisy confusion of life keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it’s still a beautiful world”.

Jess has always thought a photographer’s eye is a privilege. To see the way light falls, and colours pop, the shapes and textures and lines. It all comes together to make a beauty that others may cast their eyes over and miss. When Jess presses the shutter and takes a slice of that home with her she feels a sense of stillness and cal...

Bachelor of Creative Arts, University of Melbourne, Australia
Master of Cultural Heritage, Deakin University, Australia