Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jaadyn Rogers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Jaadyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
The earliest moments of curating my world of photographs began when I was in the 8th grade. At this time, I certainly didn’t understand how the quality of my gear would make such a difference. I specifically remember purchasing a $50 point-and-shoot camera from Ebay, hoping to achieve what at least $1000 worth of equipment would actually produce. When I look back, I notice the combination of sheer curiosity and ambition that manifest into how I operate today. Eventually, I upgraded to a DSLR camera and gravitated towards anything that caught my eye. Wether it be capturing my friends or the perspective of being the passenger while my mother drove to everyday locations, I made it intentional to relay a dramatized version of my perspective. Personally, I don’t believe anything could have been done, or a avoided, to jump to my current state of artistry. I faced a number of setbacks that bring me deeper into standing on the “why” of my intention for pursuing photography on a grander scale. My biggest obstacle was doubt within my ideas, along with the need for perfection. Once those thoughts were silenced, I honed into my skills in
Jaadyn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Jaadyn Rogers and I am a digital creator & photographer, coming from Long Island, New York. From a young age, I’ve been immersed in the world of theatre through stage performance and production. Through this, my passion for the arts persisted and soon moved into taking on roles as a creative director for conceptual photoshoots. Many of my ideas come into fruition from vivid imagination and joy of storytelling. To distinct my images from others, I often focus on the variety that color can bring to the final look. The lack of, or emphasis in, saturation that can be seen through my work closes in on the primary focus of what is being relayed. The process of curating an idea or message through a still image takes myself further into my appreciation for the art. I’m most satisfied with the way I’ve consistently transformed individuals into representations of specific events and memories. Photography has served as an outlet for expression and a tool of communication. I look for people that share a similar engulfing interest; and want to convey engaging conversations meant to bring in revitalization amongst everyday art.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My creative drive can be summed up by one word: representation. As I develop on how I want my images to be digested by an audience, I look to produce visions meant to inform and challenge anyone who pays attention. As a black creator, who also identifies as queer, it’s almost impossible to separate my personal journey involving identity with my art. I’ve noticed in past low moments, my misunderstanding of self came from lack of representation. The boxes that I would be asked to confirm within, felt limiting. Even in the event that I was exposed to unorthodox reflections of who I came into being, the individuals presented still Carrie’s a characteristic of normality, leaving me to feel alienated. By attempting to leave a perennial mark on my viewers, I strive to create a platform where different is appreciated. Although many of my subject are not queer identifying, I still use their willingness to be apart of my work to carry a message that boxes are non-existent through this perspective.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Establishing a strong clientele for me will always be based within community. Developing personal connections with those who look for you to execute a vision strengthens the end product. Through these years in which my photography has progressed, I have found word-of-mouth brings forth my most intriguing projects. The power in community opens new opportunities for me to grow as an individual, and more so, an artist. Social media has also served as an aiding source. Being able to translate my personality into a digital platform and communicate with like- minded creators offers me endless connections.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jaadynrogers.wixsite.com/creativeportfolio
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaa.dyn/
Image Credits
Jaadyn Rogers