Meet Jenna Saraco
“Jenna is a photographer and designer based in New York City. She has received a degree in graphic design from Parsons School of Art & Design. In 2013 she co-founded the lifestyle website Local Creative with friend Nicole Steriovski. Local Creative is a female driven creative collective and content creation studio, where brands large and small can source creative solutions rooted in community, collaboration and storytelling. Clients Jenna has worked with include Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, Lou & Grey, Ganni, EyeSwoon, Vestiaire Collective, and Eileen Fisher. ”
on her morning routine
I usually try to get up somewhere between 7:30am-8:30am, so I can be awake and ready to work by 9:30am. I get up before my boyfriend so I can take my time, it’s quiet...first checking to see what emails came in since the night before, then Instagram (recently I have been sucked into watching everyone's Instagram stories, even though I was never a snapchat user.) Once in a blue moon I’ll go for a run or jump rope. Then I’ll usually make an espresso for the two of us, and get started on some work.
on working from home
Maybe I’m lazy, but I work from home (Greenpoint) and it’s hard to get myself into the city if I don’t really have to be there for a meeting. I do most of my shopping locally or online. There are some really amazing vintage stores just around the corner from me (like Mahps, and Mirth Vintage) so I don’t have to go very far...everything else tends to happens online, and I’ve spent hours on Garmentory looking at their new arrivals. I’d like to think my aesthetic is somewhere between, 70's girl next door, and modern, minimal femininity…but the 90’s in me love a good white shirt and jeans.
“I’m a closet earth science nerd, and on a recent trip to San Francisco picked up this beautifully illustrated book on rocks and minerals. I love all the watercolor paintings inside this little guide.”
on her career path
I think getting into photography was only natural. My dad is a photographer, so growing up there were always tons of cameras, and film around. I would visit his studio all the time, and it became a place I felt comfortable being around. In school I always gravitated towards the arts, I loved drawing, and painting, but was easily frustrated by those mediums. It really wasn’t until college that I began to take photography seriously. I had a really great teacher there who inspired me, and really pushed the scale. I’ve been doing photography ever since, learning something new each year.
on her photography gear
I’ve always used Nikon, it’s what I grew up with. The first camera I shot on was a Nikon FM2, an early 80’s classic from my dad's collection. Today I still shoot with the FM2 35mm film, a Nikon D800E, 50mm f1.4 lens, and always natural light.
“I love using a coffee scrub on my face, and legs. I try to do it about once a week, but coffee is a hot commodity in our house and leftovers is rarely a thing. I use organic coffee grounds, and a little coconut oil, mix it together into a paste, and smear it all over my face. I like to let it sit for 20-30 minutes so the caffeine can do its thing before I wash it off. It gets the blood circulating, clears my skin, and the coconut oil acts as a really nice moisturizer. ”
on beauty routine
My beauty routine varies from summer to winter, but I’ve recently started to use charcoal soap to wash my face, and think it’s something I’d like to keep using throughout the year. It has antibacterial properties, and removes impurities from the skin, something that I find pretty necessary living in a city like New York. My summer makeup is minimal! Glossier Stretch Concealer under the eyes, loving the one from Glossier, and a little bronzer to feel glow-y (NARS Bronzing Powder). In the winter, I usually use a tinted moisturizer for some extra moisture (Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer or Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint), and blush to bring back some of the color that winter’s skin lacks. I’ll use a cleansing oil from Mullein & Sparrow to remove makeup, and rehydrate. For my hair, I leave natural most days. I just put it up in a bun when I sleep and it's good to go the next day. I add a small amount of Oribe Smoothing Cream to add a little moisture. In the summer it’s fun to use Captain Blankenship Mermaid Sea Salt Spray to emulate those beachy waves. I keep telling my friend Nicole that I want to get a perm. I’ve always wanted a full head of curls!
“With photography I feel I’m always learning, and changing. It depends on what I’m inspired by, and what I’m trying to evoke. Lately I’ve been trying to pull inspiration from contemporary, and 18th century paintings, and getting more in tune with color, painterly qualities, and composition. I can’t help but have a softness, and subtly to my images, as much as I would love to experiment with other edgier styles.”
top, vintage eileen fisher ; pants, vintage ; bag, oad new york
jenna's favorite movies
Annie Hall, Dirty Dancing, Before Sunrise, Finding Nemo
jenna's favorite places in nyc
Champion for coffee, it’s close to my apartment, and a nice excuse to get out of the house.
For lunch, Saltie in Williamsburg.
Transmitter park is a great escape, it’s easy to forget we’re surrounded by water, and just being out on the pier in the east river takes the edge off.
For shopping, Mirth Vintage is my go-to.