The Getup Getaway
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thinking spring.
They call me “Jake” on the streets… because… it’s my name. I am located in the Pacific Northwest, which is just about one of the greatest places ever… if you travel around inside of it. I do things. I like to take pictures (surprise!), ride my bike, sleep, sulk, and eat. You know, human stuff. I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and work at a hotel… so you know… living this dream.
I was a curious child. My mom used to take a lot of photos of our family with old point-and-shoot cameras, and I would always chew o n them…. or try to eat them or something. Once I became a teenager, I stopped trying to eat cameras, and started using them for their intended purpose. I took a few (film) photography classes at my school, and really enjoyed all the processes involved with taking photos and printing them.
I don’t really like. I think it’s a little dramatic. I think I’m good at being dramatic with my photos… but do I like that? Ehhhh… The things I like about my photography are the things that people don’t get to see. Photography is and will always be (hopefully) cathartic for me.
I tend to be a fairly reserved, quiet, non-confrontational person… and so I suppose photography is my form of therapy/anger management. I feel like I’m venting when I’m rummaging around out in the freezing cold taking pictures. I feel the same when I’m editing my photos. It’s my time to be in control.
I think most of my themes (for me) are emotional in nature (get it!?). Obviously, nature is a big part of that. I consider myself an environmentalist, so a lot of my photos end up being some kind of dissonant personification of nature reflected off myself. I hope that makes sense.
My work is kind of inhibiting when it comes to making future plans. I do have plenty of locations I am planning on visiting (with a camera) when I get some time. The Bruneau Dunes and Payette River are certainly within my grasp.
Check out Jake’s Tumblr, and check out his other photography Tumblr, @activeoblivion for more good work.
Sometimes, the best thing to photograph is pure, bright color – as was the case at this abandoned restaurant in Austin, Texas.
Albion, Mich.
As a photographer, and as a designer at my former job, I find color to be tough. I love color, and I make sure that color is a big part of my work. But I’ve always had trouble getting color – understanding it intuitively.
So I’m trying to do more color studies like this one. Pick color as a subject. It started as a daily Instagram project for one week, but now I’m trying to do more of it.
Here’s to color.
Gueorgui Pinkhassov (via A set of photographs by Gueorgui Pinkhassov | Pavel Kosenko’s blog (English version))
Numbers 11, 23, 33, and 73 (above) are everything I love about color film photography. Just perfect.