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

Alright, Jonathan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

When it came to learning photography, a large portion of knowledge just came from simply doing. I did do personal education here and there, but for the most part it was the result of going out and shooting photos. when it comes to photography, understanding light is probably the most crucial thing to it all. Your framing, composition, and concept can all get better over time, but if you don’t have a fundamental understanding of lighting, you will constantly set yourself back. one of the barriers to learning a new skill is feeling that there is so much you don’t know, and finding a place to start can be overwhelming. I think it’s important to remember, with anything, it is a passion, not a chore. So have fun with it. try things that you know won’t work, get weird with experimenting and take away what you learned from it. In the end, have fun with it but keep a record of what you learn each time you go out. Thats going to be the best way to become the artist you want to be.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a stock broker by day and a Photographer the rest of the time. I first picked it up as a hobby, all of my friends had cameras and would go out on these adventures just for the sake of getting good photos. I first started with my iPhone, tagging along and trying to get instagram worthy photos myself. As time passed i found i have a genuine love for it, so i bought my first camera. that was the start of it. I would go on shoots, set up collaborations with local models and other photographers. This would carry on into my start of college, where i would meet my best friend and future business partner who was also very passionate with photography. As time went on and graduation came closer, we both started playing around with the idea of starting a photography company. Making a way for our passion to become sustainable by starting Oak & Sable images. We provide photography for fashion, dance, and business/ product, and one of the tools we utilize with projects for clients, is our attention to detail and care. We don’t just simply show up at the location the day of the shoot, rather we are involved from day one on the project, and position ourselves more as business partners that want to accomplish success along side our clients. It is such a rudimentary thing, but showing and proving that you are invested will go a long way towards satisfying clients and their needs.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

So, I obviously knew of this, however i wish i knew the importance of this sooner rather than later. But with that being said, Photoshop. As a photographer first starting out i really over looked the importance of learning photoshop. I will not lie, it has a learning curve, and it may take hours to learn and understand even the simplest of functions. But if you want to maximize your images, and even push the limits of quality past what your current gear can capture, make learning photoshop a priority. you don’t have to be an expert right away, it will take time. But it will enabe you to take your images to the next level, and in todays industry, it will help you get a keep up with the competition.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the process. The countless hours of work make you feel tired, but not drained of your energy. I believe that’s when you know you have a passion for something, you have been working on it for hours, but feel more motivated than ever. From planning, to shooting, to editing, every step makes you excited for the next, and when the outcome is better than you hoped for? there aren’t enough words to describe that emotional high, because it will give you the motivation to start planning for the next project.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oakandsableimages.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sojonnyboy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oakandsable