For me, the creative process begins before a camera lands in my hands. The process often starts with a source of inspiration, such as a book, a sliver of a fleeting thought I managed to recapture, a conversation with a friend, a vision in my head, or even a photo or video taken with my phone months before I can create the photo that sat as an idea in my head for months. And even when the time comes to create that photo, there are decisions to be made before the shutter is pressed. Digital or film? What lens do I want to use? Do I need to add artificial light to this scene using flash? It’s a lot of thought for something that is over and done with in 1/500th of a second or even faster. However, it is not just the technical questions that need answering but also the ethical ones that are essential in knowing when to put the camera down.

I sometimes get asked and even question myself, “Why do I do this?” A simple, truthful answer could be, “Well, because I love it and it’s fun.” While true, photography is so much more than something I love. It feels more like an extension of myself, allowing me to enter states of deep reflection, making the most of my senses and analytical thinking.

To me, photography sits alongside other art forms as arguably the most impactful medium for expression and documentation. A camera is one of the few tools that allows one to use the sole sense of sight to evoke the other four senses with an immediacy that most other artistic mediums lack. Through sight, the idea of the photograph communicates and elicits emotion, complementing the senses alongside it.

Over and above that, a camera is one of the few tools that freezes time, serving as an archive of proof of life. In an age of social media where images move faster than ever, are created artificially, and attention spans are measured in seconds, I hope the work displayed on my site inspires you to make the most of your senses and emotions.

Thanks for looking and hope to work with you soon :)

-Jensen