Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Hernandez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Photography was something my father taught me earlier in my life, around the time I was in middle school. I had learned the basics from him and refined them throughout high school where I spent many hours shooting, developing, and printing black and white film in the lab. This was around the time that digital photography started to emerge and I was quite hesitant to give in. There’s something about the old process that is hard to let go. Shooting film requires that you be more intentional with your frames since you are limited by the amount of exposures in your roll. The physical aspects of being in the darkroom, like using your hands to dodge and burn, are unlike no other. After high school, I lost touch with practicing my craft but never lost my love for appreciating photography.
Eventually, I borrowed a digital point-and-shoot camera to take on my first-anniversary trip to Mexico and my passion for photography was reignited. After buying my own Canon Powershot A530, I started capturing scenes from our travels around the country, mainly to National Parks. In time, I invested in a DSLR and never looked back!
I entered the world of Instagram sometime in 2018 and enjoyed using this platform as an outlet for sharing my work. I also began to appreciate the community and friendships that started to form. Although Instagram has changed radically (in various ways), I still value the ability to foster relationships and get my art out there.
In 2019 I invested in a drone which has been an absolute game changer. I truly appreciate the new perspective and approach I was able to take to my photography and even have begun exploring the world of video. The only downside comes in the fact that, at times, it’s difficult to decide whether I want to shoot from the ground or sky!
In addition to an online presence, I do make an effort to print and hang my images for myself, and also make them available for purchase. When someone expresses an interest in my art enough to want it on their wall, it is a huge compliment and fulfilling!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As an artist, we tend to struggle with the acceptance of our work by our audience. I think Instagram has sadly contributed to this in that it’s so easy to post for the likes, comments, and the lure of growing your account. Although these can be a valuable forms of feedback, I have learned that the motivation in sharing my work must stem from the joy of creating images and memories that appeal to me. If others enjoy them, it’s all the more fulfilling.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My 9-to-5 is in information technology as a Network Engineer. Although there is not much in common with my skill set as a photographer, I find that having a creative side definitely helps engineer solutions for my customers. One of the ways I get to exercise my creative eye is when I diagram my designs through tools such as Visio. There truly is an art form to not only documenting the pertinent and related technical information but doing so in a way that is visually appealing.
Fortunately, my job occasionally requires me to travel for projects and has brought me to places such as Canada, Hawaii, Florida, and San Diego. As I’m sure you’d guess, I absolutely take my camera and drone with me in hopes of spare time to get out and explore!
What matters most to you?
Sometime in 2020, I reassessed my goal and purpose for my art and knew that I had to use it to bring glory to the One who had created the very landscapes I was capturing. I have always been enamored by the creation of God and enjoyed sharing it with people who may never get the opportunity to travel and visit some of the places I have been fortunate to go.
To take things a step further, early in 2021 I realized that I was still motivated to grow my account for the wrong reasons: for my own benefit. As a committed follower of Christ, I knew I needed to use the talents and abilities to grow His kingdom, not mine. From that time, I strive to include verses from the Bible and encourage people to consider their lives in light of eternity. This life is short, and what really matters is having a relationship with the very God who gave us life, and made a way for us to know (and be confident) we can get to heaven once our time here on Earth is up.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jdubyah_/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jason.hernandez1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-hernandez-24404a20/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi7_55CRlZMhco0_tkME4oQ
Image Credits
The picture of me was taken by Anysia Beck: https://voyagela.com/interview/check-anysia-becks-artwork/
