We had the good fortune of connecting with Jon Rou and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jon, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I began selling my photography through a friend’s company that specializes in art for the home interior industry. Much to my surprise, my landscapes were popular and sold well. About five years ago, I branched out on my own and began selling directly online. Since my day job is mostly photographing people, I was really excited to try something new. This work has allowed me to travel and photograph some really beautiful places. I’m excited to get back on the road and find even more cool spots to shoot.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think my landscapes have a dream-like quality that aren’t exact representations of the places I photograph. I use some techniques both in-camera and in Photoshop that allow me to create a look and feel that separates me from a lot of other landscape photographers. One disadvantage of digital photography is that it’s sometimes a bit too sharp and saturated. I really try to give my images a film-like feeling that creates warmth and depth. I’ve been very fortunate that my day job as a university staff photographer has given me the luxury of developing my business on the side. Selling fine art for a living is not the easiest thing to do, but I’m hopeful that one day I can transition into that full-time. I do believe that networking and just being a good person gets you a long way. Many of the successes that I’ve had are because of people that have come through my life. You never know who may be able to get you that next sale or refer you for a job. I really try to be kind to others and that has served me very well in life. At the end of the day, I want people to know that I have a great appreciation for the natural world and all the beauty it has to offer. If someone can hang a piece of my art in their home and receive joy from looking at it, then I’ve succeeded. I’m still excited every time someone purchases a photo for something as personal and important as their home or office.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Great Question! I first visited in 1993 and fell in love. There’s something wonderful and magical about the light, mountains, ocean, and palm trees. I never tire of this place. That being said here are some of my favorite spots in LA. A drive thorough the Santa Monica Mountains. This has kept me sane during COVID. A hike through Kenneth Hahn Park with it’s epic view of downtown and the San Gabriel Mountains. A walk around the Silverlake reservoir ending with a stop at Burgers Never Say Die. The best hamburger in Los Angeles and that’s saying a lot. A stop at Fahey-Klein Gallery on LaBrea. This is one of the best photo galleries in the world and they represent some of the legends of photography. It’s always an inspiration. A drive out to Palm Springs with a visit to Joshua Tree National Park, one of my favorite places to photograph. An afternoon at El Matador State Beach in Malibu. The rock outcroppings and curve of the coastline make you forget you are near civilization. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I never expected to be a photographer, but right out of college I was mentored by some amazing photographers at Emory University in Atlanta. Ann Borden, Kay Hinton, and Annemarie Poyo really took me in and taught me so much. Before meeting them, I had only taken photos as a hobby and their mentorship really brought me to the next level. While working at Emory I was also fortunate to attend three week-long courses at The Santa Fe Workshops. Dan Winters and Andrew Eccles inspired me greatly and helped me develop a solid foundation for my portraiture work. I was also lucky that a friend Minh Nguyen with Zoe Bios Creative asked me to sell my landscape work with them which eventually morphed into my fine art business.

Website: www.jonrou.art

Instagram: @jonrou

Facebook: Jon Rou Photography

Other: www.jonrou.com

Image Credits
All photos by Jon Rou Portrait of Jon Rou by Keith Hedgecock

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