Before today, I have never made someone weep because of my photography, nor have I been told that I have changed a person’s life and that I will always be a part of their life due to the photos I’ve taken. Previously, I have felt the sheer, raw power photography can have on the emotions of the viewer, but today I felt what it’s like to be the one who brings that immense power forth and saw the emotions ripple through someone due to my photos. I am driven; more driven than I’ve ever been before to tell the stories of people and places in a way that invokes emotions in all people. In the words of the incredible James Nachtwey, “My photos bear witness…they are the testimony for the things I’ve experienced.”

4:46 pm  •  16 March 2013  •  3 notes

Her Skin is Softer than the Feathers of a Dove.

Anniversary trip, January 2013.

2:14 pm  •  14 March 2013  •  4 notes

“The Mind of José Panet”

This is a photo story I did on my friend José Panet, a 58-year-old sculptor living in Bellingham, Wash. Having studied and taught sculpting and painting in New York City and Italy, Panet was beginning to achieve international recognition when Hurricane Andrew pummeled the Florida coast, destroying galleries containing his life’s work, and, in turn, re-shaping his life forever. Panet was forced to make the streets of Venice his home for a number of years and eventually moved back to the U.S. with the support of loving friends. After a great deal of ups and downs, Panet found himself in Bellingham with no home to stay in, and has been living on the streets here for over 10 years. The incredibly talented sculptor has been living with Parkinson’s disease since his late twenties, which explains the shakiness of his voice in the recording. His work can be seen in multiple businesses in Bellingham, most notably in Quist Violins, where his life-size copper wire sculpture of a violin player can be seen from the sidewalk outside. Beginning of April, Panet will begin creating his next piece, and he asked me to document the two-month long process of the construction, so there will be another story coming soon!

7:23 pm  •  13 March 2013  •  1 note

Photo illustration of the Swiss Red Cross’s cutting down of its donor blood supply to Greece due to the financially stricken country’s failure to pay its blood bills on time. Taken for my photojournalism class.

2:07 pm  •  8 March 2013  •  6 notes

Always Trying to Hold You Back.

PLEASE click through the photo to view on large, it looks much better:)

I had two poses for this one that I had trouble deciding which one to use, but after realizing I didn’t have the legs to shop in for one of the poses I had to go with this one. The other one I was calm and not interacting with the arms at all, and I really liked the feeling that one gave. But this will have to do!

(Source: jakeparrishphotography)

9:16 pm  •  30 August 2012  •  209 notes

holytrend asked: You're absolutely incredible. I love your work.

Haha I’m far from it, but thank you very much for your kind words. Your work is beautiful, work being both your photography as well as your writing. Please keep it up man.

3:33 pm  •  28 August 2012

I’m sorry about not posting any photos as of late, I spilled iced tea all over my Mac and have been anxiously waiting for a week for it to dry out:( But I’m incredibly lucky and it still works fine! I have two photos that I was in the process of editing when the tea ruined my week so I’ll be working on those as much as possible! Thank you so much to my faithful followers for sticking with me and I’m extending my thanks out to my newest string of followers! It seems that whenever I don’t post for awhile I get a ton of new followers and then when I am posting regularly, I get just a couple a week haha:(

I’ve also been working over 40 hours a week and it’s cutting into my shooting time tremendously. I also sold my car and I don’t have a bike so I am without transportation, which also isn’t helping me out a whole lot:(

But thank you so much guys! New photos will be coming soon!

3:31 pm  •  28 August 2012

Ethereal.

Please click through the photo and press “L” to view on large, it looks much better!

I don’t really know how I feel about how thin and wide this composition is but I liked the enclosed feeling of the rock walls so I thought I’d leave them in.

With only a month left of summer I’m really bummed about how this summer turned out… I was really hoping that I was going to get a lot more work done with my photography but I just didn’t have the time with working over 40 hours a week. Stupid college tuition and living expenses.

11:40 am  •  15 August 2012  •  5 notes

Profile.

Click through the photo to view it in color! I couldn’t decide which one I liked better….

(Source: jakeparrishphotography)

9:58 pm  •  9 August 2012  •  13 notes

Be Still, Gentle Creature.

As I was editing this I had an idea of having dragonflies flying all around me in the background and foreground, but I suppose this will do for now:/ This was a real dragonfly I found in my backyard! It was just sitting on a table on my deck, already dead and dried out. It was in perfect condition too, like as if the dragonfly died in its sleep…
I hope you enjoy.

(Source: jakeparrishphotography)

3:05 pm  •  6 August 2012  •  9 notes

Woodland Balancer II

I have a few more photos to edit still, I’m pretty far behind in my editing. But that’s alright because I am always working when it’s time to shoot…

If you like my work, please like my Facebook page! It would mean a great deal to me:)

(Source: jakeparrishphotography)

2:06 pm  •  4 August 2012  •  11 notes

The Student.

This photo took soooo long to edit, but it’s finally done and I would say that I’m actually fairly happy with the way it turned out.
I was going for something college-themed because it’s a huge aspect of my life now, so I hope you get that vibe from it and enjoy what you see!

Please like my Facebook page if you like my work!

(Source: jakeparrishphotography)

3:51 pm  •  31 July 2012  •  45 notes

Know Your Strengths.

Please like my Facebook page if you like my work! It would mean a lot!

I really hate working full time and working nights, because only twice a week do I get to shoot during golden hour. During the day in Spokane, it’s way too bright out and the lighting is much too harsh to get anything that looks even semi decent. I’ve been looking forward to this summer for months, thinking that I will have time to shoot more and finally turn all my ideas into photographs, and all that waiting and hoping is going down the drain as I look out the drive-thru window, watching the perfect lighting of golden hour after golden hour slip by.
Blah.
Growing up and having to work sucks.

I do have four or five compositions that I need to edit though! So please stick with me:)

(Source: jakeparrishphotography)

10:38 am  •  30 July 2012  •  6 notes

Something simple for today…

Please click through to view on a larger scale, it looks much better.

Also, if you like my work it would mean the world to me to like my Facebook page!

(Source: jakeparrishphotography)

2:05 pm  •  16 July 2012  •  5 notes

“Woodland Worker.”

So much trouble with this one, my depth of field was completely off for all of the photos that were to be used to expand:( And man that log was SO heavy.

I tried putting some texture in this one too, and definitely will be using them more often, much like the masterful David Talley. Hopefully someday I will be as good at Photoshop as he is, haha…

(Source: jakeparrishphotography)

12:45 pm  •  14 July 2012  •  29 notes