Media in Minutes

From Psychology Major to Global Wildlife Travel Writer & Photographer: Jessica Kelly's Unexpected Journey

• Angela Tuell • Season 5 • Episode 12

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Ever wondered what it's like to lock eyes with a wild gorilla or swim alongside marine iguanas that snort salt to regulate their bodies? Jessica Kelly takes us behind the scenes of her fascinating career as a wildlife travel journalist and photographer, revealing how an unexpected path led her from psychology studies to documenting life on all seven continents.

Jessica's story begins not with journalism school, but with a simple food blog called "It's Pop, Not Soda" that unexpectedly opened doors to food competitions and cookbook collaborations. When COVID claimed her event planning job, she transformed crisis into opportunity, taking over a travel section for a local newspaper focusing on nature-based destinations. The turning point came during a life-changing trip to Botswana during green season, where witnessing mothers with their baby elephants and lionesses hunting together left her forever changed. "It was just incredibly moving," Jessica reflects, "I felt like a different person after that trip."

We dive deep into Jessica's most memorable wildlife encounters, from exploring the Galapagos Islands (where she insists everyone must snorkel) to trekking with gorillas in Rwanda and spotting tigers on safari in India. She offers practical wisdom on balancing healthy fear with respect when photographing powerful creatures, selecting ethical tour operators, and the gear she uses to capture her stunning images—from her Sony camera to her strategically chosen mini drone that skirts weight restrictions in many places.

What distinguishes Jessica's approach is her authentic passion combined with journalistic persistence. She shares candidly about the less glamorous aspects of travel writing—the constant adaptation required, pitching stories for a year before getting a response, and finding unique angles when everyone on a press trip experiences the same activities. For those following in her footsteps or working with travel media, her advice is invaluable: allow time for organic discovery, lead with timely angles and never lose the excitement that makes each destination special.

Follow Jessica's adventures on Instagram at AdventuresAreWaiting as she embarks on upcoming expeditions with National Geographic to Portugal's Azores, Alaska for grizzly bear photography and French Polynesia for her first scuba certification. Her story reminds us that the most rewarding paths are often the unexpected ones.


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Angela Tuell:

Welcome to Media in Minutes. This is your host, Angela Tuell. This podcast features in-depth interviews with those who report on the world around us. They share everything from their favorite stories to what happened behind the lens and give us a glimpse into their world From our studio here at Communications Redefined. This is Media in Minutes. On today's episode, we are talking with travel journalist and photographer, jessica Kelly. Jessica specializes in wildlife travel. She's written for publications like the Travel Rob Report, smithsonian, condé Nast Traveler, insider, thrillist, matador Network, lonely Planet, islands Time and many more. Jessica has traveled extensively through 60 countries and on all seven continents and calls upstate New York home. Hi, jessica, hi, how are you? I'm doing great. Thank you so much for being on our show today.

Jessica Kelly:

Thank you for having me. I'm excited.

Angela Tuell:

Yes, I'd love to start with you giving us some background on your career up until this point. Did you always want to be a journalist? Oh my gosh.

Jessica Kelly:

It's a bit of a weird story. The short answer is no. I went to Buff State in Buffalo, new York, for psychology and marketing. I did not go for journalism. It sort of unfolded. Naturally it was something I. So I created, in about 2015, a blog after somebody told me, like, oh, you always know the best spots for wings or margaritas or whatever and for someone new to the area like me, this, it would be really helpful if you put out advice.

Jessica Kelly:

So 10 years ago, I started a blog called it's Pop, not Soda, because everybody calls it pop in Western New York. So I started this blog called it's Pop, not Soda and it led to just a bunch of things that I didn't expect it to. I was judging food competitions, I was helping write cookbooks, and that snowballed into me writing about food nationally, internationally, and that went on for years on the side to my full time job where I was an event planner. So, fast forward, a couple years I did the same thing when I wanted to start writing about travel. I started a blog called Adventures Are Waiting that's why my Instagram name is what it is and just wanted to get some travel writing samples out there, start talking about trips that I've taken and start telling stories with the goal in mind of writing for other publications. And it kind of happened the same way.

Jessica Kelly:

I started doing some travel stories for local publications, then national, then international and during COVID actually, I moved out to upstate New York where I met my now fiance and, after losing my full-time event planning job because of COVID, I got an unusual opportunity during a time where people really weren't traveling, to take over a travel section in the local newspaper out here when they wanted to focus more on like nature-based trips New York, catskills, adirondacks on like nature-based trips New York, catskills, adirondacks. And then that broke into like New England because we're very close to a lot of New England destinations and then branched out from there. And then, when things reopened and they went back to the old way of doing things, I was able to kind of take advantage of some of these invites and start branching out and writing about travel more and more. And yeah, I've been doing it full time I think four years now. But it's kind of like a weird COVID story. You're like travel would really be what you'd be writing about then. But it worked out Right.

Angela Tuell:

Covid is not really where most travel writers got there and started their careers. So that is wonderful to hear and in preparing for this episode I saw that you love to dive into stories through food, culture, wildlife and adventure, but for the last few years you've really dialed into wildlife travel. What has made that one of your favorite topics?

Jessica Kelly:

I've always loved wildlife, but I would say the turning point was probably end of 2022. I went to Botswana with a company called Desert and Delta and we went in December. It was green season, so a little bit off season, but that's the time where all of the wildlife have their babies and it was just the most amazing experience I've ever had. I mean seeing seeing wildlife in their natural habitat with their young. It's just incredibly moving and I felt like a different person after that trip. It was just very humbling to witness those quiet, instinctive moments, um, you know, just like a mother with her baby elephant, or like lionesses all together, or even we saw some mating like just watching them, just interacting with each other the way that it should be, not at a zoo, but like seeing how they act in their natural environment. It was so special and ever since that trip, I feel like it was a turning point for me. Where it's? I still focus on other topics, but it's definitely my biggest passion.

Angela Tuell:

Wow, that's awesome, and I know that you've had a ton of experiences. You just mentioned a few, and then you wrote to me with a bunch of them as well. What are some of the ones that stick out the most in your mind, besides the ones you just mentioned?

Jessica Kelly:

Oh gosh, I get this question a lot. It's a tough one to pick a few, but can I name a few?

Angela Tuell:

Yes.

Jessica Kelly:

Okay, people love to ask what the best place for wildlife. One of my go-tos is the Galapagos Islands. If you're going to go to the Galapagos Islands, please get in the water. It makes me crazy how many people go there and don't snorkel. Really, oh, you're missing so much the amount of wildlife that you see in the water there from just, oh my gosh, all different kinds of sharks, hammerheads, um, white tips, black tips, um, just all different. And then, um, the marine iguanas diving down, that slither through the water like snakes and they eat the algae off the rocks and then they have this ability to come back up and sun themselves to get warm again, and then they snort out the salt to like regulate their bodies. Yeah, they're bizarre, little freaky creatures. I love them so much. But just the Galapagos, the bird life and then the marine life. Unreal, and I would say another one definitely worth mentioning is trekking to see gorillas in Rwanda. They are so human-like. We share 98% of the same DNA with gorillas.

Angela Tuell:

Wow, I didn't know that fact.

Jessica Kelly:

The way that they interact with each other is the way that they interact with their babies. There's these gentle moments and it just, oh, it was. I was an emotional wreck the whole time watching them. It was so special and, yeah, those are probably two of my very favorites, but I mean, the list goes on and on. I can talk about them forever.

Angela Tuell:

I'm sure, and so to me some of those. They sound fantastic. It sounds a little scary too, coming close to some of of those wild animals like sharks, maybe the gorillas. How do you face those fears, or do you not have that fear?

Jessica Kelly:

rush up against my leg or, you know, diving with sharks, but I think that a little bit of fear is healthy.

Jessica Kelly:

It's extremely important to never lose sight of what these animals are capable of yeah, when you're around wildlife often, um, I think it's natural to gain a little confidence, which can be useful, but it should never replace respect. Um, these are very powerful, unpredictable creatures, and it's crucial not to let familiarity breed a false sense of security. If that makes sense, most of the time they're not interested in you, as long as you're respectful, um, but you should always act with awareness and humility. That mindset will keep both you and the animal safe.

Angela Tuell:

Yes, and I'm sure always going with reputable companies and guides when you're going. Oh gosh, yes, yeah.

Jessica Kelly:

It's so important. If you're going to I actually will touch on that a little bit but do doing your research is really important, not only to make sure that you have a good guide, but just like to make sure that you're going with an ethical company. Everyone's kind of. A lot of companies have caught on to the fact that that's important to people and they'll call themselves ethical. But you have to do your research and make sure that you know they are yes absolutely Right, because you can say you are anything you want to say, exactly.

Jessica Kelly:

It's like people saying they're the best pizza in New York. It's like, yes, you're probably not at all.

Angela Tuell:

Or like the worst if you say the best right Exactly. Are there any wildlife encounters you have yet to do that are on your bucket list?

Jessica Kelly:

oh my gosh. Of course I I feel like I'm open to like any and all experiences, um, but I would say a couple massive ones. On my list right now is to get to the arctic circle. I'm specifically focused on either Svalbard in Norway or the Canadian. Arctic is supposed to be a great spot for polar bears, so that is very high on my list. Madagascar is extremely high on my list. I've watched many documentaries and 90% of the plant and animal life on Madagascar is unique to them and I just feel like experiencing that would be something so incredible. The Pantanal in Brazil is a great spot to see, like big snakes and big cats.

Jessica Kelly:

Sorry, I don't know if I want to see big snakes, I feel like I'm giving you literal nightmare fuel, but for those who want to see them, they do have.

Angela Tuell:

I like the big cats, that's cool.

Jessica Kelly:

You can see pumas. It's a great spot to see jaguars, they have anacondas and it's supposed to be just booming with wildlife. And also Borneo. I would love to see orangutans um, I got to visit, just got a little taste as part of a bigger trip um, but I would love to go back to malaysia and explore that further and and do some treks and see what we can see, um, but yeah, those are definitely the biggest ones on my list, but I'm I'm always open to anything yeah, and I feel like it's kind of a trend.

Angela Tuell:

It's the same, as you know, general travel as well. The more you see, the more you want to see.

Jessica Kelly:

Oh, the more you learn about too. Like there are things that I had no idea even existed until I met other like-minded travelers who also love these kind of adventure trips, and you know they're like oh, did you? Like? I last year I went to India to do a tiger safari during a trip where I was working with a hotel chain called the Lila Properties they're beautiful, by the way. I was writing a story for Rob Report, but I added on this tiger safari and was incredible, and I learned about it from my friend, laura, who was in Botswana with me and mentioned that you can do that, and she was the one that even put it on my radar because I just I assumed that they were so rare. I mean, they are a little hard to find. People go and don't see them, it happens.

Jessica Kelly:

But yeah, I didn't even know that existed until I met her and she told me that I did, yes, and I I went fully prepared to, not because you know, I had heard stories of friends in the industry who, uh, went for a couple days and and didn't see any. And then, yeah, I actually met someone who used to be a guide there and he said he took a group there 10 different times and he's like I was very unlucky and never saw them and we went and I don't know if it was because the day that I was there it was an unusual time to travel to India, it was April and it was very hot, very, very, very hot. So the guides kind of knew they're going to be near the water sources and that's where we found them all so other. So that was lucky. That's the one perk of being in India when it's boiling hot there.

Jessica Kelly:

Right, you want to see the tigers, yes, but yeah, we saw a mom and her two cubs.

Angela Tuell:

So where are you mostly writing for currently?

Jessica Kelly:

Currently I write for the Travel. They're under Valnet and they are just a wonderful team of people. They focus on providing travel-related content. They do a lot of industry news and wildlife topics, discovery topics and features and they just cover a lot of great material and the team is really fun to work with. They also are really receptive of my ideas, so I love working with them. I do some stories for Rob Report that are more luxury-based. I do some kind of fun stories that are a little more off-kilter and quirky for Thrillist. But yeah, I'll of, I'll also kind of just look at the topic and see, you know, this would be great for for this contact and sort of go that route. I don't have anyone that I really regularly contribute to other than the travel, yeah.

Angela Tuell:

So so how do you find your stories or decide what your next story is going to be? I?

Jessica Kelly:

I feel like it's just got to come to me. I know that's a tough one for PR and you know I get that. They have a job. You're PR, you get it, but like you know, but sometimes as a journalist you need to go on the trip and just it needs to come to you when you're meeting different people and stories can happen kind of naturally, based on you know, even like things that go wrong during your trip, and I mean that in the best way, like for example, I was rerouted and had a super long layover in Kenya.

Jessica Kelly:

This is like one of my favorite stories if you have time. So I had like a really long layover and I was like you know, if I have over eight hours, I'm like, can I get out of here? Like what can I see? And so I looked into it and it was right around the time they got rid of their visa requirements into it. And it was right around the time they got rid of their visa requirements so you could leave the airport. And I found a company who, for $120, would pick me up from the airport in a safari vehicle and bring me on a safari to like, yeah, to Nairobi National Park and then bring me back to the airport and I saw rhinos for the first time, with babies, and zebras and hippos, and that's what I did during my layover. So that is awesome.

Angela Tuell:

Right and I wrote about it for Thrillist.

Jessica Kelly:

That was one of my favorite. That's so fun, but it's just like you know. So sometimes you go with a plan Right, but then sometimes something better happens and you just like you know. So sometimes you go with a plan right, but then sometimes something better happens and you're like this is a story, this is a story. So they it's like you know, if it's a great angle, I'm all for it, but other other stories or other short form features need to come to you when you're there, I think.

Angela Tuell:

Yeah, yeah, that makes complete sense. What is the most challenging thing about your work? You know being a freelance writer and what do you wish others knew maybe about this career, but likely don't.

Jessica Kelly:

I would say the first thing that comes to mind is just the constant need to adapt. You're always navigating, shifting deadlines, changing expectations, always navigating, shifting deadlines, changing expectations, evolving platforms. There's literally no autopilot and you have to stay sharp and stay learning and stay open to reinventing how you work. What I wish more people understood is that I me and other writers I'm sure share the highlights you know, and there's so much to be grateful for in this industry, the experiences we get to have. But it's not all, you know, just good times and good publication pieces. It takes persistence and discipline and a lot of behind-the-scenes hustle to make this work sustainable. That challenge is also what can make it exciting. You're never kind of stuck in one lane.

Angela Tuell:

Yes, yes, that is so true, so true. You know, it always seems a lot, of, a lot of people are like oh, what a dream life. And you travel the world and it is amazing. I'm sure that part of it, but it's work too. I mean, you're there trying to work while you're on these trips, or you have to come back and actually write to make money to live.

Jessica Kelly:

Or things are pulled out from underneath you all the time. I mean it, just it happens. Budgets, and you could have the best relationship with somebody or an editor, and just it happens a lot and you have to be able to shift your focus and adjust.

Angela Tuell:

Yes, yes, very flexible, I do Very flexible, it can be tough, but you know, it keeps it exciting, I guess. It's not for everyone, right?

Jessica Kelly:

No, and that's what I'm like there's a lot of good people are like, oh, how'd you get started? I'm like, listen, there are a lot of great writers out there that could produce great content, but it's the persistence of like you have to be but like almost like the level of spam, right, like you have to. Just like I followed up before I I'm working with a different thrillist editor. Now this this editor has since left, but they used to have an editor, andy, who I worked with for years, who was in charge of their, like, food and travel section, and he was great and we developed a great friendship, worked together often, but before that I followed up for a straight year with ideas and it was like I was ready to send one last Hail Mary. And it was like I was ready to send one last Hail Mary and he responded after a year from my first email saying, oh, I've been meaning to get back to you and I'm just like huh okay, that's what PR professionals and travel writers have in common.

Angela Tuell:

We're doing that to you guys.

Jessica Kelly:

You have to be like annoyingly persistent. I mean that in the nicest way, like don't harass people, but right, but follow up.

Angela Tuell:

Yeah, there's a good balance and yes, and then there's some journalists that don't want to be followed up with at all and some that do. Where do you stand on that?

Jessica Kelly:

oh, I don't care. I mean, I think following up is fine and I usually, you know, try to get back to everyone. The only things that I really ever ignore, I would say, is if somebody sends something that is just so out of left field and it just shows that maybe they were sending it to just a mass list, instead of really being like, oh, she covers this, or doing the research. Oh, she covers this or doing the research, um, but yeah, other than that, I'm happy to be like oh, it's, even if it's just a quick, like I can't go, or it's it's just not the right time. But let's stay in touch. You know I try to. Yeah, I'm perfectly fine with people following up okay.

Angela Tuell:

Okay, that's good to know. What other advice do you have for pr professionals? You know who maybe would want to host you on a trip or or when pitching you story ideas.

Jessica Kelly:

I would say my biggest piece of advice is lead with a strong and, if possible, timely angle. I guess, like the nicest I mean, this is the nicest way. If they can't, uh, easily answer why this story matters right now, um, it's probably going to be a tough sell to editors. Just from my personal experience, I'm always looking for ideas that are not just interesting but relevant, something that adds to a larger conversation or uncovers a fresh perspective. And, you know, don't be afraid to pitch something fun or unexpected.

Jessica Kelly:

If there's genuine excitement behind the idea, I would say just, you know just, and wildlife is my focus, but I do other things as well. So, as long as there's a, you know there's a good angle, and be willing to to talk to the people that you're reaching out to and really dive into what their interests are, yeah, and I would also say, sorry, I have a few pieces of it. No, it's good. I would also say you know, leave a little bit of time in the itinerary as you're planning the trips for journalists to find their own stories as well. Journalists to find their own stories as well. Um, nothing, I can tell you from just talking to other people being on these trips. Nothing seems to annoy them. More is when than when. Things are over scheduled and we have no time to kind of branch off and and find the different angles that we're good at finding, if that makes sense.

Jessica Kelly:

Yes, yeah, so that's the advice I would give.

Angela Tuell:

I would say yeah, and especially on a group trip, you know where you're all doing the same thing. It's so essential to have that time, because you all can't find the same story and go back to the same editors or you know, with those same stories.

Jessica Kelly:

Exactly.

Angela Tuell:

We must talk about that. You are not only a writer, you're a photographer as well. Was that always a passion of yours, or how did it come about?

Jessica Kelly:

You know it was, yeah, All through, even high school. I would say even as a kid I loved taking pictures. But, like when I was younger, middle school and high school I used to scrapbook and take a lot of photos. And even all through college, I was always the one with the digital camera, which then turned into, you know, the DSLRs and all the professional gear later on. But it has always been an interest of mine. I love capturing memories, I love going back and looking at them and I would say it has, yeah, it has always been a passion for sure.

Angela Tuell:

So do you still have the professional cameras or do you use your iPhone?

Jessica Kelly:

Oh, I do both the iPhones take great photos and, honestly, I've been on some wonderful trips and honestly, I've been on some wonderful trips, especially with I love National Geographic and Lindblad expeditions and I went to Antarctica with them and they actually had classes on iPhone photography and that was going to be geared more towards maybe the bit of an older crowd of how to just get good shots on your iPhone. There are so many tools and settings that will get you phenomenal photos and they work really well nowadays. They work really well nowadays. But I will say, once you get really into the professional gear, the pictures just don't. They're just at a level where I have a hard time using just my phone unless I'm going on a city-based trip. I pretty much always my DSLR whenever I can yeah, even for city trips, but especially if there's wildlife involved or anything, the photos are just so crisp. I use a Sony a7 III and it's great with a 24 to 240 millimeter lens and it's the perfect blend of like getting close-ups and getting those further away shots and it also takes really wonderful videos that you can use on, you know, instagram, social media. I also love GoPros. Gopros are wonderful. Use them all the time and upgrade them constantly because every update they really seem to push the limits of the color coding and the white balance and they do a really great job.

Jessica Kelly:

And then I have a Mavic Mini drone. It's not as good as the larger drones, but drones have a lot of requirements and restrictions and the Minis are often under the weight limit restrictions so it's kind of a loophole. So, like um, for example, I'm going to french polynesia in august and we're going to be doing some footage of the whales, hopefully. And I brought up my drone and she gave me all the restrictions how we would have to go through getting it approved, and then goes, wait, is it a full size? And I was like no, it's a mini. And she was like, oh, that's fine, it's under the weight limit so it's under the weight back so it's.

Jessica Kelly:

it's a good piece of equipment where you don't have to worry about that as much. Yeah so, yeah, so that's what I use. But I love photography and capturing the moments, and it is important to take a step back and be in the moment. Sometimes I forget to do that. I have to really tell myself you know, take your face out of the camera, I feel you there.

Angela Tuell:

Yes, yeah, I love it. Do you prefer? Do you use your own photography then, with articles?

Jessica Kelly:

Yes, anytime I can. There's definitely some situations where you know we'll use Shutterstock or things for news articles or things we have to pump out quickly. But if it's features and I'm writing about my experience I always like to bring in my own photography whenever possible. I would say probably, like 85% of my articles are my photography.

Angela Tuell:

Okay, okay. So what are you the most proud of in your career so far? I know the travel writing career hasn't been super long yet, but what are you the most proud of?

Jessica Kelly:

It might be unexpected it's not any award or anything like that, but I think I'm most proud of my persistence, the fact that I've kept it going, because it's I've been writing for 10 years on the side and so I'm newer for it being my full time gig. But I've gotten the ability to, you know, keep it evolving and stay true to the work, even though, even when things are uncertain or difficult, freelancing, especially in this field, demands constant adaptation, like we talked about, and I'm proud of the way I've built a career, you know, staying, chasing that momentum and making it something sustainable and meaningful. Yeah, and I'm just kind of excited to see where else it goes.

Angela Tuell:

Yes, that is definitely something to be proud of. What about before we go? Where are you the most excited to travel, to coming up?

Jessica Kelly:

I have some good ones planned. So this week I'm heading to. I mentioned that I love working with National Geographic and I'm going to experience one of their land expeditions. So we are actually going to Portugal and we are going to visit Sintra and Lisbon and Porto, but we're going to the Azores with a marine biologist and a volcanologist, which I think will be some incredible content. Yeah, because the Azores is all volcanic rock, so that will be very cool to have her perspective yeah um, after that I go to alaska and there's a big focus on what we can see snorkeling.

Jessica Kelly:

So cold water snorkeling, oh wow. And then grizzly bears um, so we're gonna try to film the grizzly bears. This will be my second attempt. It's weather pending when you can take those little planes out, but yeah. And then I'm supposed to get PADI certified. Finally, I mostly do free diving and just snorkeling, but I'm finally supposed to get SCUBA certified and go to French Polynesia. So some great things planned this year.

Angela Tuell:

Those do sound fantastic. I do need to ask about the grizzlies. So you take a plane and just see them from there, or do you land and be on land by them?

Jessica Kelly:

Yeah, so you will be on land with them and how it works. So I think back in 2022, I went to film the black bears and the grizzlies and at the time the weather wasn't cooperating. So what you need to do is take a small seaplane out to where they are. At the time, we were going to lake clark, um. This time I have to look at where she has been going. It's somewhere else. We're still kind of organizing that itinerary, but you see them in the water hunting for salmon. They wait for them to come upstream and catch up and they're just like fat and cuddly looking and amazing.

Angela Tuell:

Wish they were cuddly, right, Don't cuddle them though.

Jessica Kelly:

Right, they're generally. You're usually on a boat actually, where you can kind of see them pretty clear. But, you're sort of out of their way, so I'm excited about that.

Angela Tuell:

I will keep my fingers crossed for you. That would be awesome. How can our listeners connect with you online?

Jessica Kelly:

I would say I mostly post my photography and I'm really active on Instagram, so if they followed me there, I'm I'm a follow backer. No, it's not an official term, but you know it's like. I love to connect with people who love travel and love animals and so, yeah, so it's adventures are waiting underscore some. Almost every version of my name, jessica Kelly, was taken, so I used my old website name, but, yeah, so, adventuresarewaiting underscore, and I would love to connect with people who you know are curious about it, have similar interests and, yeah, just want to see some fun pictures. I would love to see theirs. So, yeah, I would say that's the best way.

Angela Tuell:

Wonderful. Thank you so much, Jessica.

Jessica Kelly:

Oh, thank you so much for having me, Angela. I really appreciate it.

Angela Tuell:

That's all for this episode of Media in Minutes, a podcast by Communications Redefined. Take a moment to rate, review and subscribe to our show. We'd love to hear what you think you can find more at communicationsredefinedcom slash podcast. I'm your host, Angela Tuell. Talk to you next time.