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

Roderick, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

My photography career and my studio are far apart in age. I started photography a little after starting college in 2006. I just recently opened Cleveland Sky Studios in 2020. My photography started because a friend asked me to take event photos at his DJ’n event since I was tagging along, using his camera with almost no experience, I haven’t stopped shooting since then, that was in 2009. Cleveland Sky Studios was birthed after 11 years of training, education, and on-the-field experience in the photography industry, at the time I had just moved back home from NYC and saw potential in the industry so I wanted to set up a post here for the city and to represent for those who come into the city seeking talent. Honestly, my photography career took hold of me and not the other way around, so every idea I had was executed but not always how I planned initially. I spent two years independently educating myself on photography, after which I enrolled in a vocational school, Hallmark Institute of Photography in New England. I moved to NYC and spent 7 years working and gaining experience in photography, briefly stated.
I formed the idea to build Cleveland Sky Studios after moving home from the Big Apple and realizing I could essentially service my art the same way I did in New York which was through my studio. Initially, I would shoot out of an extra room in my apartment. After about a year I was able to obtain and house my studio in a space in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland. I utilized this space as my studio for one year before I moved closer to Downtown Cleveland, the Superior Art District. Having the photography clientele from years of shooting and the experience from being in the industry already made it very easy to build and create an infrastructure you see now as Cleveland Sky Studios.
The steps and moments that came after my initial thought were that of a mild roller coaster. To elaborate there weren’t any hiccups that I couldn’t manage or hadn’t encountered before but there were so hiccups still. Currently, we are in our second space, we added an adaption to CSS which is a Fine Art Gallery extension of the studio where we do gallery exhibits for local artists in our spaces. The days months and years to follow included a lot of ups, downs, slow periods busy moments. You name it we’ve encountered it as a small business should, Smooth waters never made a great swimmer. In order to move past the idea phase it took a lot of self discipline, ambition, dedication, and sacrifice. I truly had to see it before it was actually there so it could come alive.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a Photographer, Studio Owner, and Textile Designer from Cleveland, Ohio. I spent most of my career on the East Coast. I studied in Western Mass, trained, and worked in New York City, and now I’m back home wearing the hat as an owner of multiple small businesses. I got into photography as a hobby but soon turned it into my career. I spent many years studying, practicing, and administering my services to an array of different types of clients in all types of industries, medical, culinary, sports, education, entertainment, fashion, you name it. I provide photo and video services of all sorts, including editing, shooting, creative directing, assisting, set building, etc. I own a studio where I facilitate studio and camera equipment rental. Training, workshops, and internships are services we provide through the studio as well. Outside of this photography business, I got into textile designing or rug making in simpler terms. Shortly after making it a hobby, I made it into a business where I have just as many clients within this business as I do the other two. Last but not least we host other artist and often presents my works in gallery exhibits at the studio. CSS and I provide and facilitate photography and art-based needs with quality services and affordable rates. I am most proud of the studio, I’ve learned the more we provide for it the more it returns the favor. I think what really sets me apart from others would be the I’m user friendly.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Coincidentally my business partner for my studio is my younger brother. We are two of four children, he’s the youngest and I’m the oldest, both moved out of state for our careers and recently moved back home, he moved back 3 years after I did. The idea for the study and the actual studio was already birthed by the time he entered the business, with him he brought in the concept to facilitate an Art Gallery adaption of the studio. This idea is very new but has been moving at God’s Speed. Already we’ve hosted 3 exhibits for working with about 15 different artists and vendors. Currently, we have an ongoing exhibit featuring a local artist Brunowazhere.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What helped me build a reputation within the market was being a people person, I believe that 50% if not more to winning the client over. For example, anyone can drive you in a taxi drive but if you want a more pleasant driver. This can be the same for any industry. If every photographer had the same level of skill one of the main things that would set us apart would be our ability to make the client feel comfortable with working with you.

Contact Info:

• Website: shotsbyrod.co
• Instagram: instagram.com/shotsbyrod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shotsbyrod
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shotsbyrod/
• Twitter: twitter.com/shotsbyrod

Image Credits
Roderick Jackson