Jon Leidel: 8th Annual Program –
Concert Photography IMA Winner / Artist/Band Publicity Photo IMA Nominee (3)
Contact:
www.jonleidel.com
Photography, for me, is the window to my emotions. The images I capture with my camera reflect my emotional state at that specific moment; bright, bold colors of flora when I am feeling confident and outgoing, golden hues with long exposures of a slow moving creek when I am introspective or deep blacks and grainy, muted grays when I am feeling edgy or anxious.
Growing up on Long Island and spending summers in upstate New York in the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains instilled in me the love I have for the natural world. The commotion of the streets, crowded subways and shoulder-to-shoulder lines of the delis of Long Island and Manhattan provided a desire for me to slow down and allow myself to “be” that I would not realize for 17 years. The stillness of a pond with a single lily emerging from its waters inspires me to sop, look around, sit down, feel, breathe and be. Once I have done that, I take my camera out of the bag and start composing my shot considering the light, angle and colors of the scene. Before I release the shutter I feel into myself to see where I am in that moment, take a breath, slowly exhale and capture the image. Inspiration like this comes to me in a myriad of natural and urban settings spurred on by the characteristics, attributes and circumstances surrounding the mise en scéne I see before my eyes. I find myself drawn to gentle curves and hard, straight lines, repetition and singularity, bold contrasting colors and complimenting palettes, my muse comes in as many forms as my emotions and the deeper I delve into my emotional ocean the more images I see.
I believe people take pleasure in my work because my images touch their own emotions, whether they are aware of it or not. Often my photographs stir an emotion they are afraid to display to the world, and emotion they long to connect with, a reminder of an emotion that they possess but the busyness of the world prevents them from accessing, or an emotion felt long ago. Possessing my images in their home gives people a visual sanctuary to stop and rest in, a place to escape to from the non-stop world we live in, an allowance to breathe and simply be, if just for a second. It is also my belief that art can also lift one’s spirits, invoke memories and provide the energy needed to get through whatever one has in front of them, the difference comes from where I find myself in my head and my heart when I capture the image.
I have been in North Carolina since 1991 and in Asheville since 2000. I reinvented myself in 2006 and started my life as a photographer. I specialize in children’s portraiture and find my love for photography flourishes when I look in their eyes, see their smiles and embrace their energy. It is with a child’s enthusiasm, imagination and openness that I approach my landscapes and fine art images.
I hope you enjoy viewing my images as much as I do creating them. If you want to share something with me, please do so.
If there is an image you are interested in purchasing for your home or office, contact me and I will let you know the printing and pricing options.