When delving into the arts of photography, Jessica Rodriguez is no stranger to perfecting a photo with her skills. As an upcoming photographer, Rodriguez has established herself with her own business, Curly Frotography. A business centered around capturing sporting events, parties, personal portraits, and associations in which she works, Rodriguez has created a grand portfolio in a short amount of time. 

In order to understand her work and why she created this business, one must understand her background. 21-year-old Rodriguez is a senior majoring in sports and communication media (Sports CaM) with a concentration in public relations and advertising. On top of running her photography company, she is also working at the same time. She is a marketing assistant for the Rec Center and a beat writer for women’s basketball.

“I actually changed my major four times, sports and communication media has always been my minor so by the end of my sophomore year, I realized I was just going to keep it as communication,” said Rodriguez.

She explains that she’s always been in front of the camera, mostly for modeling, but has always been curious about the behind-the-scenes of a photoshoot. This sparked her interest in photography, which led to the creation of her business this past summer.

“Ever since I was little, I have always been interested in media. I was always on social media, always taking pictures,” said Rodriguez. “With my major, it introduced me to photography so I just felt like buying a camera with what I want to do with my career after college.”

Her first experience with photography was at the Rec Center, where she began taking pictures for intramural games and then began her freelancing journey. One of her favorite experiences during this time was working at the Boys & Girls Club.

“I worked at the Boys & Girls Club since I was 15 years old, during my time I won a free scholarship because I had won Youth of the Year in 2020. One of the gifts that I received for this accomplishment was a free ride to Rowan,” said Rodriguez. “I offered to be their media assistant and gave them a SWOT analysis, in order to pitch myself. I wanted to show them what I could bring to the company media-wise and demonstrate my social media presence.”

Her experience in freelancing allowed her to learn more about branding. She has now been involved with numerous other organizations like Steel Sports, Wilmington Blue Rocks, and more. 

Curly Frotography, according to Rodriguez, is based on her freelancing not just at Rowan but also outside of it. When she first started out, she focused on networking and exposing her business to the Rowan community. She likes capturing street photography and sporting events. 

Her main goal for the future is to work with a major sports team, preferably in the NBA, as a photographer. Since she’s in her last year of college, she is hoping to succeed in her classes and leave her mark as her business continues to grow.

“I would definitely tell first-year freshmen to not commit to a major so quickly because I changed my major like five times and it’s really hard trying to find that passion when you come out of high school,” said Rodriguez. “Try to get the full experience at college, because college isn’t just about partying, it’s about networking, and trying new things. Always say yes to opportunities, because you never know what more can come out of them.”

You can check out more of her photography on her business Instagram account, @curlyfrotography.

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