FAMILY AND CHILD PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY IN ROCHESTER, KENT
Hi, I’m Jessica, the co-founder and photographer at Athena Portraits. Photography is my passion and I’m fuelled by creativity and an authentic love for capturing life’s genuine emotions, those that turn an ordinary moment into an extraordinary, forever memory. I love to transform everyday chaos into timeless portraits. Expect quirky charm, real, heartfelt smiles, and photos that celebrate your unique family's story - no posed perfection, just beautiful, honest love for life that you’ll cherish forever.
So, a little bit more about me.
Besides being a passionate photographer I love being creative. I enjoy spending an afternoon messing around with paper and paint, brushes and palettes, marker pens and sketchbooks. And when I’m not doing that, I love spending time walking my dog in the woods, tinkering about in my garden trying to keep my herbs and flowers blooming, and chilling with the kids. I have two of them, both boys, both teens and both as neurospicy as I am, which makes for an interesting family life, if not a particularly conventional one.
I guess this means that I function well with other neurodivergent people, kids and adults alike: if you’re a bit funky, I feel comfortable and at my best around you.
My ADHD means that spontaneity comes best to me, but if you love routine and careful planning (which some of my family members who tend to autism prefer so I know all about that), that works for me too.
I have family members who have mobility problems and have to use wheelchairs and other mobility and visual aids. This means that varied abilities are all part of my day to day life, so that making a range of adjustments to make the people around me feel comfortable are simply a natural part of spending time with people.
I come from a large family: I have two brothers and three sisters and all of us are pretty creative people. My eldest sister is a published author; my older brother is a wizard on tech and writes computer programmes; my middle sister is brilliant at crafts and making stuff; my younger brother is a bass player in a rock band and the youngest of the bunch acts, directs and produces musical theatre performances. I’m the family photographer and love it!
I have a dog called Molly, who you will see from time to time in my gallery. She is a rescue dog with the loveliest personality. We also have three cats, all girls, all utter divas.
My other loves are spending a bit of downtime in the wilderness - woodlands are great and so are long stretches of beach. I live in Kent and am really lucky to have access to both. But I am also hugely sociable and enjoy a nose around quaint little shops like those we have in Rochester, where we live. Craft fairs, farms, animal rescue centres, garden centres and only very occasionally the gym is where you are most likely to bump into me - I’m the woman with the camera!