Oral History Feature | Jessica Maceda

Jessica Maceda, also known as the Wayfaring Wanderer has made her living in the high country as a photographer for many years. A former winner of the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition at the Turchin Center for Visual Arts. We asked her what are the most important skills for a photographer to have.

"Aside from the technical aspect, what helps me a lot in my business is my personality and how I interact with people. Because when you are getting your picture taken it is uncomfortable and you feel awkward and so if you can put those people at ease that are in front of your camera you are going to get more natural images than if you’re not making them laugh and interacting with them in different ways. I feel that’s also just as important as the technical aspect. Because when I first started I knew how to interact with people and connect with people on a personal level but translating that to good photos was a different story so posing was another big thing I had to learn. And I’m still learning how to interact with people the best way to get the most natural looking poses."

Photo by Ashley Warren @naturalcraftphotography

Read their full interview at
blowingrockmuseum.org/see/wataugaworks