Jennifer Carr is a landscape, nature and travel photographer and photography educator in Washington.

Seattle Refined: How long have you been creating? What mediums do you work with?
Jennifer Carr: In high school, I took a semester-long photography class that taught us to develop film. My camera was an automatic, so I doubt that I learned much in the way of photography technique, but I loved the opportunity to see my images appear in the developing tray.

My interest in photography grew after we purchased our first home and wanted to fill the walls with beautiful imagery. I bought a few books and began studying the art of photography, practicing on the local landscape and landmarks. After a few years, I had more than enough photos to fill the walls of my home and exhibited at my first arts and crafts festival. I spent many years selling my work at local shows, along the way adding in-person photography lessons. I caught the travel bug and began filling my passport with stamps, expanding from a regional landscape photographer into a full-time travel photographer. A few years ago, I introduced The Saltwater Retreat, an immersive photography retreat designed to inspire and connect like-minded women with a passion for photography. When our cross-country move to Seattle separated me from my local mentoring clients, I began offering online private and small group mentoring, getting a jump start on virtual meetups. I love getting to know aspiring photographers in the Seattle area through in-person photography lessons, and I continue to host the Saltwater Retreat three times a year on the East Coast. I am hoping to add a West Coast location in 2025.

Can you tell us about your artistic process and how the different stages work into it?
I would describe myself as a mindful photographer. I prefer to slow down and fully experience a scene before I begin photographing it. I teach my students to use their five senses when they are creating photographs to help express what they are experiencing in that moment. This better helps us depict our feelings in the image.

My images are minimally edited single-frame images. I prefer to spend my time in nature, not sitting at a desk on the computer.

Tell us about where your inspiration for your art comes from.
What I love most about photography is an image’s ability to take a viewer with you on a journey and to make them feel like part of the story. I love photographing the way that I experience the world and sharing it with others who might not be able to visit the locations that I have been lucky enough to see. My love of the outdoors has strongly influenced my photography. I feel the most inspired when I am outside, letting the calm and quiet surround me as I connect with my surroundings. Through photography, I have found a way to express how I feel when I am immersed in nature.

Do you have a specific “beat” or genre you like best – nature, food, profiles, etc.?
Nature is my happy place. Whether it’s sunrise over the Atlantic in my hometown or the night sky hanging over Mount Baker, photographing nature brings me peace and joy.

Do you have one piece of art that means more to you or is extremely special to you?
“Dawn Patrol Surfer” is a favorite of mine because it was the first photograph that I fully visualized before taking the picture. My husband and I were walking to a surf spot in Costa Rica, and I pictured him standing on the shoreline with the silhouette of the board, sunlight streaming towards him as the waves broke in the sea. This is a piece that holds personal meaning both in my growth as a photographer but also in the memory it evokes.

What experiences in your life have affected your art the most?
I recently came upon an old photograph in a shoebox at my parents. The photo is the sun setting over the Chowan River in North Carolina, where my grandparents had a river home. As a child, I spent weekends playing in the river waters, digging for arrowheads and broken pottery on the shoreline, and learning to appreciate nature. I framed that photograph and put it on my desk because it evokes a specific sense of belonging — like all those childhood moments led me to where I am today. I was raised a girly girl in frilly dresses, lace socks and Shirley Temple curls. And while I still prefer a cute outfit, you’re more likely to find me covered in dirt on a trail than in heels.

If we want to see more of your work, where should we go to find it?
The best place to view my work and learn about my offerings is my website. I also regularly share on social media on Instagram.

What is next for you? Anything you’re working on right now that you’re really excited about?
This summer, I’m super excited to be holding an exhibition at my favorite Seattle winery, Tinte Cellars. My work will be on display from late June to late August and I will be partnering with the winery to offer a photography workshop to their members and the general public.

I’m also in the planning phases to bring The Saltwater Retreat to the West Coast in 2025. If you’d like to attend, shoot me an email at jcarr@jennifercarrphotography.com to get on the waitlist!

Lastly, how do you take your coffee? (We ask everyone!)
Blonde with a sprinkle of sugar! Since moving to Seattle, I’ve discovered that I’m a true fan of the dark roasts, and I’m always looking for new roasteries to try!

About ‘Artist of the Week’: This city is packed with artists we love to feature weekly on Seattle Refined! If you have a local artist in mind that you would like to see featured, let us know at hello@seattlerefined.com. And if you’re wondering just what constitutes art, that’s the beauty of it; it’s up to you! See all of our past Artists of the Week in our dedicated section.