Prefer the Countryside Over the City — Photographer Jacob Rossi

WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN PHOTOGRAPHY?

I’d say somewhere around 2015 but I never pursued it. In 2016 I started saving up for a camera and bought one early that year. I spent a ton of money on it (Canon 5d mark IV) and wasn’t sure if I was going to take it seriously so I took it back and didn’t pick up a camera for 3 more years. Fast forward to 2020 and I still had this urge to take photos so I purchased the Canon eos R and from then on I’ve been in love with photography. I currently shoot on the Canon R5 II.

WERE YOU SELF-TAUGHT OR DID YOU LEARN IN SCHOOL/FROM A MENTOR?

All self taught, I watched a ton of YouTube videos. YouTube was a great teacher!

HOW DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR STYLE?

When I first started Lightroom was a foreign language to me. The more I used it the better I got. I also take inspiration from guys like Mark Denney, and Nigel Danson. They have some amazing videos on editing! Michael Shainblum is probably my favorite photographer at the moment, the guy is a genius with the camera.

WHAT THEMES DO YOU EXPLORE THROUGH YOUR WORK?

I love photographing old homes, cottages, and villages. I love showcasing quiet, relaxing scenes. I shoot in all types of weather, but I prefer a gloomy overcast day. I really like the mood that comes from it. I also prefer the countryside over the city, I’m most comfortable there. 

HOW DO YOU FIND AND CHOOSE YOU SUBJECTS OR LOCATIONS?

I don’t photograph many human subjects, I prefer things I don’t have to pose. I’d say I mostly use Instagram, Google maps, and Google search engine for a lot of my locations. Sometimes I’ll see something online or in a magazine and put it in a Google photo app that will help find the location. Half the time however I am stumbling upon the location by chance.

WHAT INSPIRES YOUR WORK?

Many photographers I follow on IG inspire me immensely. I follow some who take photos of grand landscapes, cozy cottages, random man made objects, lifestyle, etc. so combining all of those I am quite easily inspired. It just excites me more than anything I’ve ever done. The English landscape inspires me, our New England Autumn inspires me, the western U.S. inspires me, there’s so much beauty out there!

HOW DO YOU COMPOSE AN IMAGE?

Sometimes I go into a location with a specific shot in mind. But also, if I’ve seen a shot at this location from someone else I try to get a different angle or include something interesting in the frame. Most often I try to get a variety of shots. Sometimes moving  a few feet to the left, right, up or down and dramatically change the feel of an image. Experiment with different angles, foregrounds, framing, etc. I’ve noticed that I don’t like images where I’m shooting up at something, never been a fan. 

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED THROUGH CREATING YOUR ART?   

To take my time and take in the moment. So many times I’ve gone to a place with the only thing in mind is getting the shot and forget all about where I am, the smell, the weather, the feeling. I get too caught up in the image and forget moment. 

WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOUR ART SAYS TO PEOPLE?

I hope it is a message to people that at one point in time we built things to last, there was beauty in what we built. We should care about the presentation of things whether that be our home, buildings, art, the way we dress, the food we eat. Take notice of the small details, take notice of the time it took to create. Appreciate hard work. Much of what I photograph was made with human hands, I value what man can build with the tools God has given them. 

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR CRAFT(PHOTOGRAPHY)

It’s the first thing I’ve found that I love to do, I can without a doubt say I love doing it. I love going to new places and bringing back an image that might change someone’s life or make someone happy. I don’t do it just for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love traveling and experiencing new places but I love the fact that I can change someone’s life with a picture. 

ANY SUGGESTIONS TO NEWCOMERS TO THE FIELD?

Get out and shoot and edit. The only way you’re going to get better! The more you do it the better you get! 

IF YOU COULDN’T BE DOING YOUR CRAFT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO INSTEAD?

Live in a van, be on the road.

ANY FAVORITE MOMENTS OF YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

I started my photography journey during Covid, I bought an old VW Vanagon and gutted it and made it my cabin on wheels. Took me all summer, when autumn arrived I got in and went on a New England adventure by myself, about 3 weeks on the road. Something about living off pretzels and peanut butter and sleeping in the thing you drive in. Nothing beats it.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY IF YOU COULD START FROM SCRATCH?

Start earlier, take more risks