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You are listening to Adorama narrated a collection of our favorite blog posts presented in audio format. Printique Winner Jen Maloney Reflects on Her Women's March Portfolio Written by Jacqueline Tobin Published on March 7, 2025 Photographer Jed Maloney decided to attend the New York City Women's March on January 21, 2017. She could not have imagined how much it would shape her life and career. Jen is a single mother and a female photographer who continues to carve out her place in the photo industry. That day becomes more meaningful as she reflects on it during Women's History Month. Capturing the energy of the Women's March, demonstrations were taking place worldwide that day in support of gender equality, civil rights and other issues expected to face challenges under newly inaugurated President Donald Trump, Maloney explains, When I woke up that morning, I felt an undeniable pull to be there. Even though I had a newborn shoot scheduled. I grabbed my Nikon D751 lens, a 50mm and my son's kindergarten backpack. Important because it was just big enough for the essentialswater, some nuts and my business cards and I was on my way. That split second decision paid off in ways she never could have predicted. I didn't go to the march as a professional street photographer. I went to someone who just wanted to capture stories. At first I focused on the women, but then I realized everyone there had something to say and they all wanted to be heard. That's when it hit my real gift as a photographer is the ability to reflect human moments, to capture something fleeting for someone else and freeze it forever. A Career milestone Winning the Printique Portfolio Contest the idea of preserving a moment in time became even more tangible when the Bedford, New York based documentary Street Wedding and Portrait Photographer entered a Printique Portfolio contest this past January and won. Printique, Adorama's sister brand, is not just a pro photo lab that delivers quality books, albums and prints on a variety of materials. It also actively supports photographers in developing their voice, their brand and their storytelling via artist spotlights, portfolio features, gallery shows and local community giveaways. They've been especially dedicated to uplifting women in photography. Case in point, we the Power of Female Photography exhibition this past May, which celebrated the talent and dedication of several female photographers including Lindsay Adler, Anya Anthea, Limor Garfinkel, Lara jade, Susan Magnano, Ms. Hatton and Monarris Maloney, who is part of Yellow Studio, an all female art collective in Cross River, New York, draws inspiration from the women featured in the We Create exhibit and from others like them. She is greatly Appreciative of the support system Printique provides for photographers like her who are looking to gain a stronger voice for their work and personal passion projects. This exposure is so pivotal for me in getting to the next level in my career. It's a chance for me to not just share my work, but also see my work and vision come to life through the printed image. The Power of Print as this article was being written, Maloney, whose prizes from the portfolio win includes a silk fabric cover photo album as well as a six month pro membership to Printique, was on her way to the lab's headquarters in Brooklyn, New York to be filmed printing a selection of images from her winning submission, with the big reveal of the final album captured on film as well. Meloni admits that in the past she wasn't integrating print into her client offerings, but always felt like there was something missing in her process. Today, she values the importance of a photo album or a print being included with every shoot. Quote There is absolutely nothing more satisfying than holding those cherished memories in your hands. It's a way to instantly connect with a moment in time. That's why printing my photos has become a huge part of my workflow, especially now that I am also exhibiting my work in group shows at local galleries where I live. Seeing my final product hanging on a wall in a gallery or in someone's home is so validating the evolution of a photographer's vision. With her printing, Quinn still feeling a bit surreal, especially for the older body of work being recognized, Meloni reflects again on how it all came about. I had just started my photography journey when I set out to shoot the Women's March. I was assisting a wedding photographer, Jean Pierre Uys, and one day he handed me a camera. He said he loved my storytelling and told me he'd love to see what I could do on the street. I accepted the challenge knowing that this event would be a moment people would want to remember. I wasn't wrong. The energy was electric. People just wanted to be seen and heard. For me, it wasn't just about learning street photography on the fly. It was. It was about figuring out what I wanted to say with it. The Women's March Finding Meaning in Every Frame Editing your own photographs can be an overwhelming task, but for Meloni, every image she selected to submit to Printique had special meaning. Her intent was to include a wide range of voices and faces, little girls as well as little boys, grandmothers, mothers and fathers, friends and strangers, all connecting in real time. One of my favorite shots from that day, which I Included in my Printique submission is of a little girl perched on her dad's shoulder, right next to a sign that read, the rising of the women is the rising of us all. Then there's the image of an older woman with a walker standing beside a sign that simply says Rise up. And there was no way she could not include the larger than life presence of a proudly costumed Wonder Woman attendee who captures the resiliency and strength of the entire day in one frame. These photos are real, connected moments. They document not just a protest, but a period of history. That's what documentary photography is all about to me, not just capturing something, but making sure people feel it. Final Takeaways One unexpected but cherished lesson from that day of the march, says Meloni, is about the power of limitations. I only brought my 50 millimeter lens, mainly for simplicity, but it ended up being a gift. That lens forced me to be right in it, to be with the people, not just observing from the sidelines. A 50mm lens sees like the human eye. I wasn't zooming in from a distance. I was immersed in the energy, the power, the feeling of it all. At times she had to step away, walk a couple of blocks, take a breath, then dive back in. It was overwhelming, but in the best way. My hope is that when people look at my photos, they see them through that same emotional lens that they feel that sense of connection. One photo that still resonates with her to this day is one she says wasn't even her best technically, it's of two women holding the same sign that says, a woman's place is in your face. I took it quickly as they were looking at each other and laughing. That moment makes me realize we all just want to be seen and heard at the end of the day. Meloni's experience with the Women's March has enabled her to offer some stage advice for other photographers and creatives like her. Go blindly in the direction of what brings you joy and trust your intuition. You can view some of Meloni's winning photos and her portfolio on the blog post this has been Printique winner Jen Maloney reflects on her Women's March portfolio, written by Jacqueline Tobin. Read for you by Nikki Haller for more posts like this, check out the 42s blog at adorama.com. blog links are in the show notes. Be sure to follow adoramannarrated on your favorite podcast app and leave us a review if you enjoy the content. Remember, create no matter what.