Meet Jorden DeGaetano | Photographer & Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jorden DeGaetano and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jorden, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Something that has guided me throughout most decisions in my adult life has been avoiding the risk of playing life safe. To me that is the greatest risk of all time. While comfort and stability are great, I knew I had to take the risk of giving up stability and certainty in the beginning, in order to gain traction in running my business. My time had to become my own and not belong to anyone else; working for someone else was no longer working for me – pun intended. While jumping out into the unknown and trusting the process takes patience, the juice is totally worth the squeeze when you see the fruits of your labor. It’s not always easy, but in the end, fruition is a result of your energy.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I always tell people that being a great photographer, for me, starts with a strong intuition. Being intuitive is how I’m able to read the energy in the room – literally and figuratively. My camera is just the vehicle for that intuition to come through, capturing everything from design to lifestyle to portraits in it’s natural, nostalgic and emotive form.

As they say, comparison is the thief of joy, and as an artist it was really easy for me to fall into this state of mind early on. Throughout my career though, and with more experience, I think I’ve been able to find a way to express my art stylistically in a way that speaks to who I am, even though shooting the range of interiors and design to portraits isn’t exactly the “niche” that everybody wants you to have. I’ve never liked following rules anyways, and I’ll never box myself into just one thing. Potential clients want to see you really strong in just one area typically, but I’ve made it this far and have no intentions on ever limiting myself. This year I have a couple really exciting projects that I’m working on, all very different from each other, and I can’t wait to share them with the world!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a sucker for hidden gems; little restaurants, cafes or bars that are off the beaten path or super unexpected. A plus if it’s Italian. Grab a glass of natural wine and the focaccia at Bacetti in Echo Park, or listen to some vinyl with a cocktail at Gold Line. The best sandwich of your life exists at Gjusta if you’re on the westside, Wax Paper if you’re out east. Get in the car and go for a drive through the Santa Monica Mountains, you’ll surprise yourself with the amount of nature you can run into in a short 45 minute drive at sunset. I’m always searching for the meditative and calm amidst the chaos of the city.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Just a short 6 weeks after I was born, my cousin Alison was born. We have spent the majority of our lives together. We joke that we were twins in our last life. Over the years, she has been my rock, someone who always pulls me back to center, reminds me of the “why” in life, and has been a major source of inspiration for me for 30+ years. As kids, we were both artistic and creative, collaborating on all the things (including putting on a Spice Girls themed concert for our family as kids – ha!) Today, she has channeled that creativity into becoming an Interior Designer – and because of that, she is the original reason for me getting into shooting interiors and design. That energy, that history, and that love permeates throughout the spaces she creates, and it is an honor that I get to capture her essence.

Website: thecitizenofearth.com

Instagram: @_citizenofearth