Welcome to my page, depending on who is reading this, you may already know a little bit about me or learn a little bit.  I do appreciate the support I have been given over the past few years as my business and life have grown and matured.  I’ve been the kind of person who just “goes with the flow” and makes the best of what has been given.  I learn to find good qualities in everyone and everything because to me, life is truly too short.

Jason age 20

she didn't like my shoes!

I graduated high-school, and like most teenagers, went to college with an idea that I was going to find myself there, become whoever it was I was suppose to become.   I grew up in Petersburg, a small town 20min north of Toledo.  A town where you could leave your door unlocked at night, you were friends with your neighbors across the street and your personal business seemed to be everyone’s to share.  Parents went to work, kids went to school and we always seemed to meet around 600pm for dinner.  Not much changed around that and  nobody ever really did anything extraordinary.  Yes, normal was something you could rely on from most everyone.   That “small town” feeling of being safe and comfortable all the years I lived in Petersburg was what I look forward to visiting each time I go.  Growing up I seemed to have more ambition than most around me.  I loved watching movies and getting lost in the stories.  I loved sports and competing, I even fantasized about being in sports professionally, as most boys did I think.   Most people were content just hanging out in each other’s garages talking about hunting, sports or work and although I played all the sports and did work, I didn’t have much interest in it after high-school.  Creatively I was always into something to keep my mind active.  I tried drawing and sketching, like my sister, but lacked the talent and the patience for anything good to come out of it.  I took painting and C.A.D classes in college, worked through these Art electives thinking I would discover what I wanted to do.  I loved music and thought I could try that and see where it takes me.   I took piano classes for years, but lacked the discipline to practice.  I took music theory and even studied classical music for a semester.  I really enjoyed all these things but never focused or took it seriously enough for it to go anywhere.

While in college the first couple years,  I tried a career in modeling.    It was nothing I ever thought about until someone said I should try it.  So I did and for about three years I went through the motions of doing photo shoots, casting calls and traveling to conventions.  Again, I was just “going through the motions” but didn’t really have my heart in it either.   So there I was, 21, being told I have the potential to be something great (with modeling) but I needed to make the decision to spend more time modeling or finish school.  (my agent thought my schooling was distracting me)  I seemed to not have anything pulling me in any direction, but I felt I needed to finish school… so school was my decision.  Modeling was a fun part of my life,  I met many interesting people and it was exciting, so I am not sure where that would have taken me.  At this point in my life,  my creative outlet had shifted to video production.  I had no clue what I was doing or how to produce or edit but I knew that I loved movies and the process of creating scripts and characters.  I had several friends that were artistic and enjoyed writing also, so we started to combine creative forces.  We spent hours and hours writing scripts and putting together ideas for short films.   I had always kept a journal since I was a teenager and loved creative writing so this was something I really enjoyed doing.  We spent an entire summer working on several video projects that were mostly for where I worked.  We didn’t make any money or go to Hollywood but it was eight guys doing what they loved and having a great time doing it.   I continued to focus on video production and started a production company hoping to pick up work.  For the first time I felt I found something I really loved doing and could possibly make a career from it.  I changed my major to the closest thing I could find that would allow me to use college resources to help me and that was Cyber Arts.  Unfortunately, the college was still very limited on their resources in the video production area and I was told I needed to go to film school.  I began to look for classes, conventions or seminars in Hollywood that would give me formal training on multiple areas.  It was great! I could learn the skills without the expense of film school.  The other disappointment was  that no matter how much training one can have,  you still need the equipment to do a job, which I did not have.  Who was going to hire me?

At this time, my buddy and I were pretty regular on throwing parties at his house.  The normal shenanigans were taking place as they should at a party!  My buddy Shawn was there with his fiance, they decided to tell me about their dilemma. They had a snag in their wedding planning, they needed a photographer but didn’t have a lot of money to spend on one.  Shawn knew that I had been working with video for years, but he thought maybe I could take pictures too.  I told him I took one photography class in college and I had to borrow my sister’s camera to get in the class.  Despite me having limited photo skills and admitting to not even owning a camera, Shawn  still needed someone desperately.  So I thought “well, this is a good time to start doing work for money finally.” I offered to do a package deal for him, “I’ll do the photo and video for one low price.” Anyone that knows me and my 15 years of retail knows I like to sell packages!

That was August of 2002, exactly one year after I graduated from college with my degree in Cyber Arts that I had both no use for and no money to pay it back.  I hung it on my wall in a $3.99 frame and began working on my business.  In my one photo class, my photography professor would quiz us on what we learned. I usually got Cs, I never did like studying.  She would always tell me “Jason, you have a great eye for photography”    “Jason, your pictures always tell a story” and I replied back “yeah, too bad I don’t know what in the hell an F Stop is!”  I got an A in the class, but never did learn what an F Stop did.

I have  been working with photography professionally since 2002 and it’s been extremely rewarding for me personally and creatively.  I’ve worked with many people and truly am honored to know that I helped create lasting memories for families that will endure for generations.  Along the way, I’ve learned the ups and downs of being a father to two beautiful daughters.  I love them and want them to be proud of me daily.  I see things differently and more openly than most people do and find appreciation for the smallest of things.  I try not to take anything for granted today and try to see the good in everyone and that translates well into my photography work.  Every photo should tell a story and every photo should captivate and provoke an emotion.  It’s a way to express my creativity, but more importantly, it is the best way to help you see things the way I see them.   I’ve still only taken one photography class, but I do own my own cameras now!

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