Jaclyn Acker Garland is a Chicago-based photographer whose work explores the complex, often unsettling realities of mental health. Through vivid color palettes and experimental techniques such as the Orton Effect and Intentional Camera Movement, she visualizes the emotional turbulence that many individuals experience but often struggle to articulate.
Although her father was a semi-professional photographer, Jaclyn is largely self-taught. She won a state photography award in high school but initially chose to study medicine. After leaving medical school and working in a series of practical roles—including helping launch a ticket brokerage in Chicago—she returned to photography as a form of emotional expression, particularly following her battle with postpartum depression and the loss of her father in 2024.
Photography became her outlet for healing and connection. Her work was featured in the 2025 group exhibition "Magnified, Beyond the Ordinary" at WITHINSIGHT GALLERY, and she is preparing for her solo exhibition at the Ravenswood Art Walk this September. Her work will also be published in the Chicago Photo Classes Fine Arts Book this December.
Jaclyn’s images aim not only to express her inner world, but also to invite viewers to confront the often hidden realities of mental illness with empathy and curiosity.