Why I do what I do.

I’ve often been asked how and why I got started as a photographer. After thinking about it for quite some time here’s what I wrote.

Artist’s Statement

I make photographs to create, to share and to sell. I make them because I have to and because I truly see them everywhere. 

Photography is my art. Cameras are my artistic tools. It’s how I see and how I share what I see with the world. What I saw is now what you see. 

I believe there’s a difference between taking a picture and making a photograph but I don’t think the type of camera matters. It’s highly subjective by nature as I purposely include or exclude items in the frame. I make the image not the camera.

I believe in photography for art, advertising, journalism, as an agent for change and things I haven’t thought of yet. I’m for photographs that speak. I’m for photographs that shut-up. I’m for photographs of no words. I’m for photographs of a million words. I’m for photography that speaks for people who can’t speak and I’m for photography for people who shouldn’t speak. I’m for photography that you can’t look at and I'm for photography that you can't stop looking at. I’m for photography that pisses me off. I’m for photography that pisses you off. I am for photography that is sexy, sensual and seductive and I’m for photography that is ugly, disgusting and disturbing. I’m for photography that touches all emotions…maybe even at once.

I'm for photographs that are shown to the world and I’m for photographs no on else sees. I’m for photographs that sit in drawers and smell dusty when you look at them. And I’m for family albums and shoe boxes full of photos of people you don’t know. 

I’m for photography that is honest. I’m for photography that lies. I’m for photography that I understand and I’m for photography I don’t get. I am for photography that sells stuff and I am for photography that sells nothing.

My name is Robert D. Jones and I am a photographer!

Basketball court. And a selfie of sorts.