Jeff Crass

Creative Statement

My wife is fairly certain that I was born with wires protruding from my toes. I’ve always been “plugged in”; to music, to technology, to art. My mom is an amateur artist of the written word and my dad is a Nikon award-winning photographer. The combination has been an inspiration to me.
I spent my days at Ohio University with visions of a future in graphic design, animation... anything creative.
Somewhere along the way, my vision got a bit blurred by reality and I ended up with a degree in Interpersonal Communications and a career in sales. When you need a paycheck, money talks…
Along the way I never discarded my vision, though the view may have changed a bit. I’ve always played around with cameras and some of my best memories are in the dark room helping my dad develop film. I was fascinated by the images and by the possibility of sharing my view of the world without the need for words.
My fascination has grown into a full-blown passion and I am gathering more tools, education and inspiration at every opportunity. Every day I try to learn something and to transfer that knowledge to my photographs. Though I believe in the beauty of a true image, the technology available for editing is amazing if used correctly. I’ve found that, through careful editing, I can subtly evoke the raw emotion I was feeling when I captured the image and, hopefully, convey it to the viewer. The subjects of my photos are varied but my “home” is finding beauty in the forgotten. Whether it’s people, places, or things, I am intrigued by the story behind the decay. I prefer for my images to be candid and journalistic. I want to capture the real moments, the half seconds of honest emotion, the unintended and unexpected views. I want my subjects to speak to you as they have spoken to me. Though we all "hear" things differently, I hope you can “plug in” and find a connection on this, my "all-encompassing trip."

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• www.jeffcrassphoto.com