Project Statement
For my thesis project I made a family photo book, titled Our Youngest Son. I explored several themes in this project. While the photos are mostly centered on my youngest son’s relationship with my wife, the narrative is threefold. It is about their love for each other, my son’s own personal growth, and it is equally about my presence as a father.
My photo book is 8”x10”, holds 84 pages, has a hard cover. I made the photographs using various styles of cameras, each of which have their individual strengths. It is lay flat style, which maximized my ability to utilize entire page and spreads, without losing any information in the gutters. Most of the photos in my book are in full color, though I so also utilize black and white imagery throughout.
It was essential that my wife’s and my own individual relationships with Bixby were showcased in this project, but displaying images of him coming into himself and discovering his own unique personality was of equal importance.
The photos in Our Youngest Son are accompanied by small amounts of text scattered through the book. The text serves a similar purpose as the photos do, which is to deliver the viewer some of my most precious memories. The book itself is dedicated to my wife, and the text is written directly to her, creating a more personal viewing experience for her. I also believe any other person who connects in some way to this work, either as a parent or otherwise, will be able to immediately understand and relate to the intimacy of our relationship.
My wife and children are my main artistic inspirations
Artist Statement
Hi, my name is Jesse! I am a wedding and elopement photographer based in Vancouver, WA.
I was born in Kansas but spent most of my childhood in the Pacific Northwest before joining the military. After nearly a decade of service in the US Navy's submarine force, my heart brought me back to the PNW where I have settled down with my partner and our three children. They are my main source of inspiration.
My choice of subject matter comes naturally from my interest in the beauty of the world around me and the connections I share with my loved ones.
I photograph couples in their most intimate times, because unfiltered love entices me the most. Recently I have been focused on displaying emotion through light, manipulating natural highlights and shadows to create well-lit, yet moving images.
My collection of work comes from a yearning to document the most significant moments in my clients' lives.
My personal photographic practice focuses on my closest relationships. My intent is to preserve those images for future generations of my family to look back on, therefore immortalizing my loved ones.
My photographs are an extension of my heart and soul.
