It was a dark and stormy night. Well, a dark and stormy after\noon just before Tropical Storm Sandy hit Jersey City. I was in the midst of reading Neil Gaiman’s “Neverwhere” when the power went out. Not to be outdone, I pulled out the candles and kept on reading…
Winter's Tale
“Winter’s Tale” was the match that lit the spark. I was working in NYC as a a concierge in a building of tenants who I still adore to this day. It was a cold winter night, and I went out for my nightly walk to Jackie Robinson Park, literally two blocks away. The sight that greeted me was picture perfect, and after snapping the shot I ordered a canvas print. When the print arrived I put it in the corner behind my desk discretely at work for feedback, and one of my tenants bought “Winter’s Tale” within an hour of displaying the canvas. I was shocked, nervous, giddy and a 1,001 other emotions - I hadn’t expected my first sale - I was expecting a few critiques maybe a compliment. “Winter’s Tale” was the match that lit the spark for my love of photography, that my work had value outside of “Likes” and “Thumbs Up” on social media. To this day it is still one of my favorite pieces. I’ll never forget the night I took the shot, nor the night I sold it on canvas.
Cloudy Moon
I’ve always had an obsession with the sky - whether it be clouds, the moon, the sun, the stars - it has just always been my nature to look up. This was one night where the clouds and the moon were in perfect alignment, just a mottled mosaic of light and dark, a subtle murkiness spell cast by Nyx to hide Diana’s secret.
Sky Vapors
“Sky Vapors” has its origins one Friday dawn as I was stepping out on the back porch to have my coffee before my Uber arrived to take me to work. There was a peculiar light reflecting on the lake behind the house, and as I came outside I realized it was the leftover sky vapors from the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch that had occurred just a few minutes ago.
Moonrise in Tampa
“Moonrise” was taken from the back porch of my new home two days after I had moved in. The morning sunrise views are spectacular, but watching the moon rise over the lake at night was something else entirely - otherworldly, for lack of a better word.
Electric Blue
“Electric Blue” was taken in the middle of the night whilst I was filling in as concierge at another location on break. The streetlight and the newly formed drops atop the park table was just too much irresistible. This is what I mean when I speak of “finding the extraordinary in the ordinary-” we, life and the world sometimes moves too damned fast that we refuse to just slow down, even for a moment. Yet when I took a fifteen minute break away from work, lo and behold there was a shot already prepped for me and a lifetime’s memory. Slow down once in a while…
Finding the Ordinary in the Extraordinary →
My journey as an artist who likes to takes pictures has been quite the memorable one as I continue to evolve, experiment and push the envelope regarding my creativity. I am also my own worst, and harshest critic, and those days have slowly faded away to be replaced by something considerably different. Though it has taken more time than it should have, I am begun to truly see my work as others do, to have an appreciation for my work and that it not only has value for me, but for others as well. While I am the last to pat myself on the pack and try to be as humble as can be, I am proud of my accomplishments, my work, my potential and exploring new and exciting visions to capture. Thank YOU for being a part of this incredible journey with me…
Sincerely,
Jared Ray Eaton
Empire Taxi
The origins of “Empire Taxi” occurred in June 2013 shortly after I had moved to Manhattan from Jersey City. As happens so often I was out for a walk one evening, glanced to the left and I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. There is just something about the majesty of the Empire State Building’s glow, the world famous NYC yellow cabs in the foreground and the long exposure of a passing car that pulls this all together quite nicely.