Hello. My name is Jared.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been a storyteller in some form. Before I was a photogapher and filmmaker I made my bones as a writer, focusing primarly on journalism and copywriting. Still even before that I was taught to view and interact with the world in a different way than most due to being partially deaf. This enabled me to value slowing down, observing everything in as much detail as possible, and seeking clarity whenever I listen or express myself. Taken together, these experiences (and many others, naturally) give me the understanding and confidence necessary to craft compelling stories for my clients.

I grew up in rural, small town Indiana and always dreamt of exploring new places beyond my cornfield prison walls. Seeking to scratch my nomad’s itch I hopped from one place to the next (Jamaica, South Africa, Colorado, Arizona, and now Southern California), which helped stretch my understanding of the world and myself. In between all those moves have been countless trips to every continent except Antarctica (holding out hope for that last one some day). Currently I split my time between San Diego, CA and Phoenix, AZ, servicing clients throughout Southern California and the Southwestern states.

I took my first baby photographer steps in May of 2015 when I bought a budget-minded-yet-sort-of-fancy camera to take pictures on my hikes and camping/climbing trips. It felt like a faraway dream to somehow turn photography into a career, and I wasn’t confident I could achieve it. A year later a friend asked me to take photos of her and her family and insisted she pay me. Sometimes all it takes is a tiny show of confidence in someone, because the next day I walked into the advertising agency I worked at as a writer and turned in my two week’s notice.

All these years later and I’m happy I followed my gut.