TL/DR; (Too Long, Didn’t Read)
I have always been a creative individual with a love for technology. After an accident caused a 13-year hiatus, I recently began taking photos again. This site is my online gallery and portfolio and showcases my work across many subjects and styles. Thank you for visiting, and I hope you enjoy my work!
How It All Started
Growing up as a child of the 80’s, I was always very creative; constantly drawing, making new inventions, building amazing contraptions with my toys. I was imaginative and artistic, smart but disliked school, quiet but outgoing. One of the stories my mother likes to recount is a time when I was given the opportunity at a very young age to submit my artwork to an Academically and Artistically Gifted program, but chose not to. The reason for me declining this opportunity was because they wanted me to submit artwork that I did not enjoy creating. Even at a very young age, I was more interested in creating pieces that meant something to me, regardless of what people thought — my art is my own.
In addition to art, I was fascinated by technology. I was one of the fortunate kids that grew up with a computer in their home and I was intrigued by how it worked, the things it could do, and most importantly, what the insides looked like. I remember the talk of being able to read information and even purchase things from your house while still in pajamas because of this thing called “the internet”. It seems so silly now, but that concept was absolutely amazing. With my passion for art and my love for technology, I enjoyed several elective classes in high school that merged the two such as Digital Graphics, Computer Aided Design, and a new class called Web Design & Technology. I created my first website in 1994 on a now-extinct platform called Geocities. Who would’ve thought that my these experiences would pave the way to a career in Web Development, Programming, and Cloud-based Architecture that has spanned over 20 years?
Paving The Way To My Future
In high school, I also took a class that taught us the basics of a print shop; designing digitally and then printing on an offset printer. Part of the process involved taking our layouts that we designed on the computer and enlarging them with a giant camera that exposed very large sheets of film that had to be developed in a darkroom. We were essentially creating 32-inch wide negatives and this process is what ignited my love for photography. I began tinkering around with an Olympus 35mm camera and burned through so much film taking pictures of everything — the sky, my dogs, flowers, the barn. There was no real direction or specialization, just enjoyment in the process of creating with technology.
Fast forward to the early-2000’s when I purchased my first “real” DSLR camera; a Canon EOS 300D “Digital Rebel”. This thing was AWESOME! I could take as many pictures of nonsense as I wanted and simply delete the ones I didn’t like without having to spend the money to get them printed, just to throw out the bad ones. Now an adult, with adult toys, I started taking this hobby a little more seriously and joined a group of other like-minded folks that got together to take pictures. This group of photographers exposed me to new technique, processes, education, and a gentle critique of my work which all made me a better photographer. This group was instrumental in my personal growth on so many levels.
Sometimes Life Throws A Curveball
On November 2, 2008 I took my last photo, other than a few candid shots here and there, for close to 13 years. I was in a near-fatal accident that left me with a traumatic brain injury. Part of the damage to my brain affected my creativity and my enjoyment I had in the process of creating. I tried and tried to do the things that were so effortless before the accident, just to be frustrated and discouraged when I had to work hard for something that paled in comparison. Couple this with the other deficits I was experiencing and I quickly began to withdraw from many of the things that previously offered so much joy, satisfaction, and comfort.
The Re-Awakening
In early 2020, the world came to a screeching halt with the lock-downs as a result of a pandemic. SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19, swept through every nation like wildfire. Daily life as we knew it stopped and we were shut-in for the better part of a year and a half. During this time, I stumbled across an old portfolio of my photography and remembered the joy it gave and I began to think about picking up a camera again. It had been close to 13 years since my accident and I had gotten pretty good at finding ways around my deficits. So I did what I thought every other person with a TBI would do during a pandemic; bought a lot of really expensive camera gear. Taking advantage of my copious amounts of free time during the age of “everything you could ever want to know is at your fingertips”, I began taking photos again with the help of countless hours of YouTube videos. Technology had improved, I could afford nicer gear and lenses, other practitioners of this craft are able to share their secrets with the world…and here we are, sharing my recent revival with you!
Thank you. Thank you for visiting my site, viewing my photos, and taking the time to be interested in others’ journey. It is my hope that my work provides you with even the smallest fraction of the joy it brings me.
Sincerely,
Jay <3