The “Photographer of the Week” series is dedicated to highlighting photographers within the SCAD community that demonstrate unique abilities behind the lens. This week, Jordan Brooks, a third-year photography student, shares their recent projects and personal insight.
When did you start your photography journey and what does photography mean to you?
I started my photography journey in 2015. I remember Instagram first coming out and people slowly shifting towards posting photographs of their everyday life taken on their phones. I was so captivated by this and the idea that there is beauty in things we see every day. To me, photography is just that. To me, photography is a means of showing people environments that they otherwise would not know exist. I like to push the limits when it comes to finding things that are overlooked. I tend to be adventurous with a hint of abstraction. I will take the image that makes the location recognizable, but then I hope to push the narrative further and make it not about the specific landscape, but about the environment as a whole.
Where do you attain your inspiration for your work?
I tend to not focus on specific people but rather on specific ideas. I gravitate towards being inspired by working with various lighting situations and or the colors that can be produced or manipulated rather than a specific photographer doing a specific thing. Whenever I see an example of someone specific it makes it hard for me to not subconsciously just recreate it, therefore I like more broad ideas that I can then make my own.
What is your creative process like per shoot?
My process varies because I do things like portraiture, but I also do things like photograph the Milky Way, so the planning for each is very different. However, for most shoots, I tend to start by making a list. I grab a pen and paper and write down every word, phrase or idea that this particular project makes me think of. From there I form a visual and turn to Pinterest to make a board of similar images that inspire me. I use these tools to inspire colors, props, poses, etc. in my work. For something like the Milky Way, I do lots of research about locations, weather, lighting, technical settings, etc. most of which is found by a Google search or on YouTube. I also look up the locations on Instagram and see tourist images that might simply be an iPhone shot, but then I know how much of the most popular images of the location are photoshopped versus in-camera.
What impact do you want to have on the industry?
I want to create a space for landscape and outdoor portrait photography that is beyond simple family photos or weddings but that also isn’t just being in an intense foreign and dangerous location. I would love to replace the fear of dangerous situations that various magazines highlight and replace it with a sense of control. I love to be able to control where the shot is taken and what the message behind it is outdoors the same way a set designer would. I think there is a lack of presence in this specific area of photography, so I want to make my voice heard.
What project(s) are you currently working on?
I am currently working on storytelling within my images. Communicating ideas and emotions is very important to me so I am focusing on simple ideas I can use to convey concepts.
Is there any advice you’d like to leave to other aspiring photographers or SCAD students?
My advice to any and all photographers, especially SCAD students, is don’t just complete assignments. Don’t just do your project and leave it at that. Don’t just follow a rubric and move on. Create something that means something to you. Anytime that it is appropriate, your work should be something that is beyond the basic requirements and is something you want to use to sell yourself. That Photo 113 class can and will impact your portfolio if you plan each shoot, so don’t brush anything off as unimportant. Lastly, explore each and every type of photography. So many people I know have never seen a star in their life, so I encourage everyone to explore those things.
To see more of their work, visit their website and Instagram.
