Jessica McGlothlin

Thursday Nov. 1st, 2012

Jessica McGlothlin, owner of Fire Girl Photography, is a freelance photojournalist and writer. Montana is home but she is a wanderer at heart. Her most recent adventure took her to an extremely remote fly fishing camp above the Arctic Circle on Russia’s Kola Peninsula for six weeks. She has also recently relocated to northwestern Wyoming to work as a photojournalist for a local newspaper and to pursue a long-term photography project.

She has written for a selection of publications, including American Cowboy, Cowboys & Indians, American Angler, and The Big Sky Journal. Her work has been featured in art shows in Germany and Israel, and she is represented by photo agencies in Vancouver and Germany. Jess is on the team at the famed fly fishing blog ChiWulff and has grown up around the fly fishing and outdoor lifestyle. While her published work varies from equestrian magazines to investigative conservation pieces, Jess’ passion is in conflict photography, something that she is eager to continue to pursue.

While the majority of Jess’ work is editorial or goes to private collections, she is hoping to develop relationships with galleries in Bozeman and the greater Western region. Her online portfolio can be viewed at www.FireGirlPhotography.com, while www.FireGirlPhotographyBlog.com offers a blog format of her travel adventures and various photographic tips. She is available for contract work and is always willing to travel – plans for next year include Bosnia and central Africa.

For Jess, nothing beats the feeling of capturing an incredible image. She is learning that the journey to each photo is perhaps more important than the photo itself, and urges viewers to look into each image.
Each photograph has a story behind it.

Sometimes the story is happy; a feel-good story that brings good memories and evokes feelings of comfort and relaxation. Other times the story is a darker. Long hours, numb hands, dangerous people and dangerous situations. Her ultimate goal is to interpret the situation through the image so the viewer can glimpse a small part of another world.

That, to Jess, is the true beauty of photography. You have to be there. An image cannot be made from the darkness of a room. Great images come from dirt, sweat, and often, discomfort. They have to be experienced before they can be captured.
Jess is always eager to hear feedback on her work and is available to teach classes and small groups. She can be reached at firegirlphotography@me.com or 1.512.520.7104.