What 2024 And Beyond Looks Like For Me

I can honestly say that I am happy with what I was able to accomplish when I started Photography. I was taking classes and our local Community College to be a Chemical Dependency Counselor . So While I was taking classes I was learning all sorts of cool things. As the course started coming to an end, students would have to start shadowing established counselors. I started to get a first hand look at how drugs were ruining families and people.

There came a time when I was sent to a place for kids who where having trouble with you name it they used it. That was the point I new I was not cut out for this career. I could see myself taking the job home. The you see the life that some of these kids come from and some of the families too, It was hard to imagine. God blessed me with a wonderful family and I am forever grateful……

Anyway………I was taking photos as a hobby and was finding out I wasn’t terrible at it so I continued to pursue it, I dropped the Chemical Dependency Class and dove head first into the visual arts department. I started to learn all I could about Photography. I had a couple of good teachers at school. Both of them were already established photographers. Once I learned how to properly work a camera and learned about lighting and how to use it in photography, I was off to the races.

I started out photographing just about every and everything. School was nice because on whatever part we were learning it came with a photo assignment. Once day you’re grabbing a defuser and a classmate and learning about shutter speed and aperture and the next you’re out shooting a landscape…. HERE IS A HINT…..I LOVE SHOOTING LANDSCAPES AND CITYSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY.. Well to speed the story along were gone skip the boring parts of wedding and senior photos and get right to the point…..

I will no longer be photographing portraits anymore. However I am not completely done with photography. I am going to pursue my passion for landscape and Cityscape photography full-time. My goal is to create a Chanel that I can bring all of you with me on an adventure. I plan on filming our adventures, I will give a little commentary on where we’re going and things like that. I am also going to be a full-time member of the Money Showers Podcast, I will be giving my thoughts and opinions on things in the culture today and many other things. We have been recording roughly 4 weeks and were just working on a few things and we will be ready to rock and roll.

I will be transforming this website and as well as my social media to reflect a total different look. I will be selling affordable prints so if you’re interested in any of my collection, you will definitely be able to get one… So, I just want to say thank you to everyone who I have worked with over the years, you were the ones who believed in me when at times I didn’t believe in myself. Sao thank you and I will see you all soon!!!!!!!!!!

Love your Boy,

Jax

Water Over The Damn

I’ve always been that guy if everyone is saying this is the cool thing or this what’s up, I immediately do the opposite. I wasn’t always this way, I too use to desire to be at the “Cool Kids Lunch Table”. I even made it to that table. After many years of being at that table, I came to find that it’s not as cool as it looks.

You see, at that table there is zero loyalty. You call everyone at that table your “ Brother” or “Family”. When in reality you’re the furthest thing from either of those things. You’re not loyal nor are you family. You’re merely a group of gossip girls/guys, ( Yeah, guys Gossip too”).

Now before you think I’m standing on a soapbox, I’m 100% guilty of this. I’ve gossiped and I guarantee people gossiped about me. ( I probably deserved some of it too). It’s a hurtful feeling knowing people and friends speak ill of you, and to think I’ve made someone feel this way. I am ashamed of myself and my actions for doing so.

I found the only way I found any peace was by turning to God and surrendering my life and choosing to follow Jesus Christ! I realized I am a sinner ( by nature ie born this way) repented of my sin nature and I CHOSE to FOLLOW CHRIST! I say it twice is because it is a choice. I’ll talk more about that in later posts. Once I did that, I learned how to forgive, I learned to forgive because when you forgive someone, Jesus removes all that hate and anger for whoever wronged and just takes it away. So when you forgive someone, it’s for your benefit.

So my advice it to Choose to follow to you is, take a real personal evaluation of yourself and be honest. You can’t lie to God, He already knows. Surrender yourself to God and Choose to Follow Christ! It’s not an easy journey, but soon you’ll realize that all the BS in life, Jesus will make it “ Like Water Over The Damn”.

A Great Day For Off Roading and Senior Portraits

So last Sunday I spent the day with my cousin and His family doing Senior Portraits for his son. I watched Stephen go from a infant to a child to a teenager now he’s all grown up. I realized the other day, or maybe I have always known that as the kids keep growing up, I am growing too. I guess in my spirit I am forever young. In the reality of things, I am getting older by the day. I am seeing the world as a blessing and I am grateful to be alive and able to pursue.

So to keep the story moving forward, we spent the day at Frontenac Farms in Red Wing Minnesota. They have a few hundred acres and allow off road vehicles to drive on the property. I’ve done some off roading before, but nothing like this! There was a couple of times my butt puckered and I was questioning my own existence. I would definitely do this again. Below are just a couple images I took of this wild and awesome adventure.

Not Your Average House.

It’s not your conventional house, but this is more than just a house. This is a Home. My Mom was big on entertaining her family and friends. She loved hosting parties, Christmas Eve was her absolute favorite holiday to host. I can remember as a kid looking forward to my cousins coming over. Heck, the entire family really.

We would sit down to Grandma Roses homemade pasta and sauce recipe. Pull apart bread salad and dessert. The house was filled with family, laughter and love.

In the same fashion as my Mother, I am in the process of building the ultimate gathering spot for family and friends. I want to make memories that my kids and especially my Grandchildren will remember… So to me, this unique Home is perfect for my unique and beautiful family….

Winter Seems to Last Forever

It’s April 1st and Winter doesn’t want to give way to Spring. So on April 1st we woke up to a little over a foot of snow in the western burbs of the Twin Cities. We normally get a decent amount of snow here in Minnesota, but this recent snow storm has brought us snow like you get in the mountains of Ca.

I use to be a huge fan of winter. In fact I would be out and about more in the winter than in the summer. But in my old age, I’ve become less and less interested in doing that and find winter to be at odds with my current physical abilities. Unfortunately as I’m getting older, my body is really starting to let me know how much we don’t like winter

. The arthritis seems to be worsening with each passing year. I know I should probably take much better care of myself too. Change up my diet and ( do I dare say it) exercise more. Amongst other health issues has me a little on edge with over exerting my body and heart. But we only live once right? It’s just a matter of getting out and doing it.

. I have been thinking more and more about spending time in Arizona during the winter months. This wouldn’t be a permanent move, it would be from January 1st to April 1st. I would love to spend late winter and early spring photographing the Arizona Desert! But until I can actually afford to do this, it’s just a pipe dream. Oh well, instead of calling it a pipe dream, I’ll just call it a goal!

Hopefully spring is on its way back! I mean it has to be right? We shall see.

Have a beautiful spring my friends and I’m looking forward to see you out and about this spring/Summer.

Jax

Snow Day in Minnesota

We were expecting a bunch of Snow. So I decided to head out and snap some photos before the snow really started to fall.. Here is a recap of that day... Enjoy.