Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jesse Orlean. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jesse, thanks for joining us today. Before we talk about all of your success, let’s start with a story of failure. Can you open up about a time when you’ve failed?
In 2020, I moved to the Colorado mountains to pursue my passion for snowboarding and discovering the unknown. Near the end of my first season there, after over 110 days on the hill, I snapped my arm in half trying a new trick I had never done before. The trick was a frontside cork 720, a single backflip with two full spins (720 degrees). I was confident, but ill-prepared. The next nine months of my life were filled with doctor’s appointments, X-rays, MRIs, surgery, and endless physical therapy. When people talk about life having its highs and lows, these nine months represented my lows. This was the most severe injury and trauma that I had ever sustained and it affected everything into my daily routine.
Since the moment I got injured, over three years ago, there hasn’t been a span of more than five minutes that I haven’t thought about or felt my elbow. It gets uncomfortable, cracks and pops out of place, and is a constant reminder of turning points and changes throughout life.
I had such a great suppport system of close friends and family to get me through those nine months, starting with one friend, Madox, who initially got me into the ambulance. The day I got hurt I was snowboarding with Madox, who I had only met a few weeks before while snowboarding. We weren’t really close, or had ever hung out, in fact, at the time he was only 14 or 15 and I was 20. But we met up on the hill that day for some spring laps, and since then he has been one of my best friends. Madox had phone service when I did not and he was able to get ski patrol to help out within only a few minutes. He unstrapped my board and consoled me through that first shocking wave of pain, where, from my elbow down, my arm was literally dangling around, and supported me all the way into the ambulance. To this day, Madox is one of my best friends, and one of the people that helped get me through my lowest of lows.
A few days after the injury, I flew back to Ohio so I could recover with the help of my family and in the comfort of home. Not being able to use my left arm for several weeks after getting injured, and then again after surgery, my family’s unwavering support meant the world to me. They helped with making sure I had good food, got to all of my appointments, and helped me with literally every task of every day for several months. My friends from home who I could hang out and just chill with also meant the world to me. When you are at your absolute lowest of lows and there are still people who have your back and are a support system, it is important to keep them around.
Hurting my elbow taught me the importance of life. At one snap of a finger, everything can change. Life is delicate. Keep your family close and your day one friends just as close. My family and friends are the reason I was able to push through such a terrible injury. Since May, 2, 2021, the day I got hurt, I have been fortunate enough to put three full snowboard seasons under my belt totaling over 480 days on hill. I have taken up photography and videography as some of my most meaningful passions and have learned to slow things down within and outside of the realm of snowboarding. Being methodical is important, and so is risk management. Snowboarding has taught me more than anything and its lessons will stick with me forever.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Jesse Orlean and I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio which naturally sparked my interest in traveling and becoming familiar with the unknown. I moved to Colorado and lived there for seven years, four of which I was a snowboard instructor and got to play in the snowcapped mountains everyday. Snowboarding taught me to love a variety of activities, several of which I have taken up professionally, including writing, photography, and videography.
As a writer, I have worked on the SnowBrains editorial team for over three years now. I have written conditions and trip reports on the different mountains I have snowboarded at, have done product reviews for several companies including H&M, and have published academic pieces relating to historical events. I have always loved writing, but Snowbrains pushed that to the next level as their main media focus is everything relating to the mountains, outdoors, and adrenaline-seeking activities.
As a photographer and videographer, my main experience so far has been with my friends for fun. Over four winters in the mountains, I have captured thousands of photos and videos of my friends and complete strangers doing what they love. Being able to capture these moments makes them timeless and unforgettable. I have released several 30 minute snowboard films featuring myself, strangers, and my friends and have formed great relationships with people from different walks of life all because I had my camera(s) with me.
I have taken my photo and video to the next level by becoming a real estate photographer and videographer. I photograph everything from model units, to memorial gardens and beautiful landscapes and entrances, and am currently working on creating video parts for chefs and other on-site staff.
Something I love about media is how I can utilize and combine every piece of the pie. Using my own photos and videos in my SnowBrains articles is rewarding and I love being able to use my platform and social media to share my work with the world. I feel that my style of media, merging the fields of photo, video, and writing together, is distinct. It is not quite like Tarantino – yet – but it is a priority of mine to make sure that my audience knows I am the one behind the wheel.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
From 2017 to 2024, I lived in Colorado where I discovered my love for snowboarding, photography, and videography. In the mountains, it is easy to feel isolated from the world’s problems and only worry about how much new snow we will receive overnight. Recently, I moved back to Cleveland, Ohio to begin my adult life and find my long-term career path moving forward. Ohio and Colorado are very different, but I am quickly realizing that my passions will remain the same no matter where I live. Even though I can’t snowboard all 12 months of the year in Ohio, there are countless waterfalls, metroparks, and areas of uncharted nature to get lost in. I am quickly realizing that I can use my photo and video skills to make a difference in the world of business rather than just on my own time and for fun. No matter where you live, adventure can take you to new places and unlock new passions, but it is just as important to keep doing what you already love and always stay true to yourself. Being resilient and adaptable are things that I understand to be extremely important qualities, and having a positive outlook on life can make all of the difference.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is that each individual has their own creative style and that creative skills can be interconnected through a truly endless web of possibilities. I feel as if the specific direction I have taken of writing, photo and videography, is unique to me and is appreciated differently by everyone who sees it. I absolutely love the fact that friends and strangers alike have come back to me after seeing how their photos, videos, or articles turned out and wanted more because they appreciated my workflow, time-spent, and overall style. Being a creative is awesome because truly anyone can get involved, and there are infinite avenues that can be taken to share a story or a vision. Creativity is what separates us as humans and makes the ordinary extraordinary, allowing us to envision worlds unseen and stories untold.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jesseorlean.myportfolio.com/home
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesseorlean/ AND https://www.instagram.com/moosejoose.sb/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-orlean-217157182/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxk67mdLeH-NYDfaNSJAmVg
- Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/jesseorlean
SnowBrains Profile: https://snowbrains.com/author/jesse-orlean/
Image Credits
JP Douvalakis
Eli Zatz
Jacob McKinney