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Last night, I was in a meditative state of mind. So, I decided to watch “2001: A Space Odyssey” for the first time since my youth. What I had remembered as a dull, boring movie completely blew me away. Maybe it’s because I’m older now, and can fully appreciate Stanley Kubrick’s groundbreaking creative vision. Showing minutes of dark screens set against nothing but foreboding music … are you serious?! I sat there in a mix of wonder and nervous tension … how long he could get away with showing his audience a black screen? I was mesmerized. Maybe even startled. For an entire 148 minutes.

I’ll admit that I’m fairly jaded by the junk that Hollywood spits out in such formulaic fashion today. Still, I’m amazed how a “futuristic” sci-fi movie made in the 60′s could seem so fresh today. Kubrick’s deliberate, bold vision completely transcends the special effects—overcoming any notion that the movie might seem a bit dated. As the credits rolled, I was left with nothing but a sense of awe and a stirring of my imagination.

Photographers today can draw a lot of inspiration from a Kubrick movie … at least those who crave more than the simple joy of making “pretty pictures”. The intent of his movie making is very clear—every visual and sound stripped down to its bare essence. Nothing is included without purpose. No style for the sake of style. We may leave the theatre utterly confused by what we just saw, but our imagination … our conversations … our sense of awe … they have all been stirred.

Again, maybe I am too jaded by the formulaic processes that are eagerly offered and consumed today. So much of what is fed hungry photographers today in the mass market is superficial—often driven largely by marketing. And very little of it is concerned with helping artist’s find their own voice. We are taught how to be innovative in our technique, instead of how to stimulate innovation in the purpose behind our photography. Our favorite magazines are filled with articles that are more advertisement than inspiration. Workshops are trending more towards how to improve our processes, instead of how—or better yet, why—to take photographs in the first place. We are bombarded left and right with the apparent need to focus on upgrading our gear and equipment. I could go on and on.

I find no fault in finding ways to improve one’s art—especially in the context of a medium so full of complexity and diversity. After all, the creative possibilities within photography are limitless and overwhelming at times. We must explore, learn and experiment. Even the marketing and commercial education is necessary, if we are to stay on top of the mind-blowing diversity of our modern tools. But it seems that the hunger that lies in the heart of young and amateur photographers is largely overlooked—at least by the mass market outlets that are so readily available. And few of us have the time, money or desire to enroll in an education program that provides a more comprehensive foundation in the art of photography. So, most of the time, we consume empty calories. We are easily swayed towards form over function … style, over purpose. At worst, we can become bored with our own work … stagnant and uninspired.

Of course, there are exceptions. Many publications, artists and teachers are out there consciously devoting their efforts towards practicing a more meaningful style of photography—even helping photographers find a purpose in their own work. I thought I would devote some blog time to sharing some of these sources of creative inspiration. May they open your eyes … inspire you … or even push you out of the box. In the coming weeks and months, or however long it takes, I will share some who have inspired me.

More to come, very soon. And along the way, I encourage you to share those who have inspired you.

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February 24, 2011 by Jesse

Teton Winter

My girlfriend and I recently decided to visit Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming for a weekend getaway and some winter photography. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Valentines Day than freezing our butts off in one of coldest places in the lower 48. How romantic! As it turns out, it was one of the warmest weekends Jackson Hole had experienced in many winter weeks. Instead of the typical subzero weather, we enjoyed a “warmth” that was well above freezing. Topping it all off was a dynamic display of atmospheric conditions that lingered throughout the weekend and provided endless photo opps. These are some of my favorite from our trip …

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February 17, 2011 by Jesse

New Photos Added

I’ve been tinkering with the website lately, and have added many new photos to the online galleries.

New additions include:
– Three new portfolios have been added to the Portfolio section: Artist Favorites, Illumination and Wild Color
– All images from my 2010 Colorado fall colors shoot are now featured in the Recently Added Photos image gallery.

I am particular excited about the new Illumination portfolio. It’s a concept I’ve been developing for a few years. Most of the photos were made in the high country of Colorado during “interesting weather events”. In other words, I was pummeled by rain, hail and/or lightning storms just before (or after) the moments of light pictured in these photos. More than any other type of subject matter I frequently shoot, these are the moments that linger in my memory the longest—moments that drive me into wild places year after year. A collector-worthy folio of artist-made prints, featuring this all photos in this collection, will be offered in the very near future (at a cost significantly cheaper than buying individual prints).

COMING SOON: Photos from a recent winter shoot in Grand Teton National Park, affordable mini prints, posters, print folios

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January 16, 2011 by Jesse

Autumn 2010

September 29th-October 1st, 2010
Gunnison and Uncompahgre National Forests, Colorado

What took me just three days to shoot has taken me more than three months to edit and process. There’s nothing complicated about any of these photographs. They are all very simple, single-shot photographs – with minimal editing and processing. But the busyness of life has a way of distracting me. There are days when I would spend hours working on the thousands of photos I brought home from this trip. And then I would go weeks without even looking them. And despite how much I love sharing my work with all of you, as frequently as possible … I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.

Photography is my escape. It doesn’t matter if I’m out in the field for days at a time or locked up in my office staring at photos on my computer screen. It’s my retreat when life gets to be too overwhelming … or even too ordinary. I don’t think I’ll ever become a full-time photographer, because I love having this escape. I love to shoot what I want to shoot, when I feel like shooting.

On this particular fall colors trip, I decided to experiment and push myself creatively … maybe more so than I ever have before. The large majority of my trip was devoted to wandering through the intimate (and infinite) details of Colorado autumn. Aspen leaves quaking in the breeze. The abstraction of color and form jumping around on the surface of a quiet lake. Lone clouds drifting in the sky. The intensity of color that surrounded me with nearly every change of gaze. I almost found myself falling into a dream-like state as I wandered my surroundings from within the camera’s viewfinder. This is the experience I am trying to capture within my imagery – relying on my photographic tools to visualize these experiences in ways that would not otherwise be seen. It’s a process that inspires me and refreshes me – both in the moment and in the months that follow. I hope it does the same for you.