i met jearvin after being asked to accompany my friend ariel on a photoshoot she was doing. i went to the photoshoot expecting to be there for moral support, so when they asked me to hop in front of the lense i was taken really off guard. i had just rolled out of bed that morning, no shower, no makeup, and definitely wasn’t feeling photoshoot ready. jearvin got a few shots of me and i’ll be honest, i wasn’t too excited about how they’d turn out. that’s when jearvin’s talent really started to show.
not only did he make my naked face feel comfortable in front of a camera, but they turned out to be some of my favorite photos of myself and i’m so glad it was the natural me. now looking back, this session really taught me something- effortlessness is beauty and you don’t need a face covered in makeup to truly shine.
tell me about your journey.
“I remember sitting on the floor of Mrs. K’s 5th grade class, with a world map above me, and saying “I want to travel the world and be a dolphin trainer.” And since then I’ve become the world’s top dolphin trainer 3 years in a row, flying around the world saying hi to all my dolphin fans.
Just kidding, but the first part of the quote is still very true. The intrigue I have about seeing the world’s wonders, about the things I dream, and the people I meet, fuel my photography.” “I’m a photographer at heart. I caught the bug middle school when I picked up my dad’s film SLR and took it to Balboa Park on weekends. My camera was this magic toy that froze time and bent light. I learned to shoot and develop film in high school, and continued it at ASU.
I shot so many rolls of film and housed myself in the photo lab so much during my sophomore year that I reeked of developer and fixer. It was my palest year of college. Meanwhile, I fostered my love of nature and started to explore as much of the outdoors as I can. I developed a series of work called “Home” and won first place in The Shutter Release Project, a Phoenix photography showcase. I put my projects on the backburner while I focused and finished nursing school (tough and rewarding). I’m snapping back into full gear, traveling, and developing new work.”
who are you?
“I’m a guy who feels naked without a camera, a guy who likes to roll around in dirt and clouds and saltwater, a guy who cares for and saves people’s lives.”
where are you from?
“I was born in the Philippines and spent my childhood roaming in a province just south of Manila. My family immigrated to the US when I was 9, and I’ve been a desert dweller ever since. Growing up in the tropics and the desert, I can easily say I am wimpy in cold weather.”
what’s your passion?
“I’m passionate about creating images that tell a story with an element of wonder or mystery. I love framing scenes and shooting environmental portraits. To me, photography is art that can look exactly like the real world, but not be true to life. Playing that in-between is special and a lot of fun.”
what inspires you?
“I draw a lot of inspiration from nature. But with as much time I spend in the outdoors— I dream about space often. I’m a fan of sci-fi, media from the Space Age, and alien landscapes. And it never ceases to amaze me that the forms and vistas I dream about is here on Earth. The most natural, untouched places can be so surreal; like running through an empty fog-filled beach on the Olympic coast feels like gliding on the surface of Saturn’s hazy moons. Even a dirty, green puddle in the middle of a red canyon can look like a nebula. Ultimately, the unusual is fascinating and I like to use my imagination to guide scenes and portraits.”
what are you most excited for?
“At this moment? The fall colors. I can’t wait to hike and capture the ambers and maroons floating down.
I enjoy doing portraits in the backcountry, but I’ve been shooting more locations and people in and around Phoenix. While doing portraiture, I’ve also jumped into wedding photography, and it’s been exciting to use my skills to frame a couple’s big day. Overall, I’m excited to connect and collaborate with more clients and artists, and work on projects.”
what legacy do you want to leave?
“To provide others with the same wonder, curiosity and compassion I have for nature and people through my photographs.”
what is most important to you?
“First and foremost, my family and friends I am blessed to have. And secondly, creating work I am proud of.”
photograph credit:
connect with jearvin!
insta: @jearvinb
