We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jon Engele. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jon below.

Hi Jon, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

The beauty of any artistic industry is that it is chock full of small little trends and trendy styles for the moment, but I think the sort of elephant in the room, especially for a lot of the photographic industry these days, seems to be AI, because AI art really made a big splash in the scene and even now people really don’t know how to handle it. Especially in the realm of photography, which deals with the reality of a scene and the world around us, AI has really muddied the waters to the point where a lot of people aren’t sure what’s real or not anymore. I can’t even count how many times people have come to me sure that my own art is not real, generated with AI, or whatever and I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t a little frustrating. As a photographer, I do not in any capacity use these algorithms for my work, but the reality is that this is one of those genies you can’t just put back in the bottle anymore. AI image generation is here to stay. But I certainly don’t think it’s all doom and gloom for traditional photographers. This medium isn’t going anywhere. And in a lot of ways I think there may even be a greater appreciation for true photography that does capture reality because of the questions that have come up because of AI

Jon, 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?

That’s a bit of a big question. As a start, I’ve always been interested in photography since I was a child and couldn’t helping thinking that my parents Canon A-1 35mm camera was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. But when it comes to landscape photography there is a clear line that I can draw from my world travels to the work I do now. Way back in 2015 when I quit my job to travel around the world my two closest companions were my skateboard and my camera. They were the mediums through which I took in and experienced each new country, and even though my trip did end, and I would look back and lament to myself how I felt the photos I took could be so much better, that was where the seed was planted. Seven years later when the travel bug started biting again, I told myself I’d get the kind of shots that I’d wished I’d been able to get in 2015, and in that sense I think I succeeded very well. Landscape photography and the location itself, the place where I am shooting are inextricably linked. Unlike other forms of photography very little is staged, very little can be controlled, and so much of the experience is tied to the travel aspect – the getting there, the being there, the energy you feel while you’re there.

It was from all this that Jon Engele Photography was born, and as I continued to put my work out into the world, I discovered first that I had a very unique style of editing and a certain way of looking at photography. What sets me apart from so many others I see is that my photographs try to recreate the emotional sensation that the locations I shoot bring up in me more than anything. I have always had a post processing style that could be described as “painterly,” and I like that because the locations I shoot so often have had this almost supernatural or surreal feeling to them, and I’m so happy to be able to recreate at least a small piece of that feeling I had when I was there shooting.

The second thing I discovered, however, is that I love to teach. And as I’ve continued my business, my favorite aspect of this side of things is without a doubt sitting down with a client and teaching them ways of looking at art and techniques to achieving a sensation that they didn’t know before. One of the best feelings in the world!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I think there’s a lot of “conventional wisdom” out there that discourages artists from creating or putting their work out there, or really taking the dive that they wish they could because they “aren’t ready” yet, and even when they do it’s even easier to get caught up in the “numbers” game of social media. I think it’s very easy to look at Instagram or tik tok or wherever and feel daunted by big accounts with huge numbers and feel like your numbers are the reflection of your quality and worth as an artist. And that just simply isn’t the case.

The fact of the matter is this. If you are waiting until you’re ready to do something, you’ll never actually do it. Because the only way to really start is to take a deep breath and take that first step. And even once you do, just know that social media is not a reflection of art. Big numbers are nice, but they more reflect marketing ability and how many algorithm boxes you can check than anything. Don’t get too hung up on that stuff.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Absolutely. Even as a creative I sometimes wonder what drives me to do the things I do. But one of the things that a lot of people have a hard time wrapping their head around is the idea that passion actually edges out profit motive when it comes to art. At least for me. I have received many requests, and had many people offer me other photographic gigs doing very profitable photography work that I don’t have that passion for, and seem confused when I tell them that I’m instead going to a risky and dangerous part of the world to take a chance on some sketchy weather to get some new shots that make me unreasonably excited.

Paradoxically, when it comes to art, I truly believe that passion and authenticity will outshine hard nosed business practices every time. And even if they don’t, that’s not why I got into this business in the first place. I have no interest in the succeed at all costs mentality, and that means I have never felt burnt out. I have absolutely worked my a** off to get here and have the clientele I have – no question. People vastly underestimate how much time and effort is required to do this work. But I never want to lose the forest for the trees.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Jonephoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonengelephotography/

Image Credits

Jon Engele