Photo Of The Year
Although the year is not quite over, I’ve chosen my favorite photo from this year.
2022 has been a great year for me in terms of creating. I have a ton of beautiful images that I can choose from at any given moment. But this particular image stands out in my mind as one of the most beautiful and meaningful that I’ve made this year. This photo of my daughter is proof that not every image we create needs to have a complex backstory to be important.
So, the story of this photo is extremely simple and straight forward. My daughter was trying on her new scarves. As she was coming down the stairs, I was on my way up the stairs. I saw how the light was hitting her face, so I asked her to stand there while I go grab my camera. I came back within a second or two and made the photo. I made a few frames just for the sake of variety, but ultimately this is the one that really spoke to me. That’s it. Easy right?
As you can see, sometimes the most simple, unassuming, moments can make for some of our greatest, or, most favorite work.
Don’t be afraid of “regular” moments. Often times they are overlooked, but totally beautiful. As long as you have a camera to record what you see, you will always be able to create something special.
Royal Foreshadowing
I’m happy to announce that this photo of my Goddaughter Sunni was selected by VSCO for their latest journal entry celebrating Black History Month. Their recent article is an open discussion amongst a selection of creators. We ask serious questions regarding issues Black people face in life, as well as within the art community. I’m thankful to share this platform with other talented artists who, not only share their photos, but also their concerns on the various issues we face everyday.
Huge shoutout to Joel Flory, Greg Lutze, John Slye, and the entire VSCO company for creating a community based on artistic expression and not reliant on a system of likes. I’ve personally been a member of the VSCO community for years, and it’s the only platform to consistently showcase my work. I know there are many artists who got their start on VSCO, who are also thankful for the opportunities that the company has provided their careers. Unfortunately, there are also those who once loved the app, made a name for themselves through the company, then decided once they became popular it was no longer “cool” enough for them. I guess that’s how fame works for some people?
To each his or her own…but as for me, I still love to use the app regularly. It remains a part of my workflow, especially for my mobile photos. It’s a totally different experience to be a part of a real community of artists where the focus is on the work, not the following. I’m also extremely grateful for VSCO‘s philosophy of celebrating the artists with various initiatives to help us be seen as well as heard. I hope to continue collaborating with the company and I wish them continued success and growth moving forward.
Thank you guys!!!
To check out the latest journal entry for yourself, please visit the official VSCO Instagram and Twitter pages. Or click the link to their website below.
https://vsco.co/vsco/journal/shaping-history
Sad Face?
My Goddaughter Sunni is a real character. She’s constantly making a variety of faces that, when viewed in pictures would lead you to believe she’s truly upset. Quite the opposite is true!
Take this set of photos for instance. She asked to be placed in the tree, but once she was in the tree she decided she wanted me to join her. When I explained that I couldn’t sit in the tree with her she immediately made these faces. The second after I removed the camera from my eye she started to smile and laugh like nothing happened at all. I wasn’t quick enough to catch the smiles, but trust me, she does things like this all day long. Her expressions go from happy, to sad, to anger, all within a matter of seconds. She ended up having great time at the park after all.
I have been thinking that I’d like to get her involved in some type of drama classes because, she’s already great at acting! Just look at that face!
Sunni
Meet my 3 year old Goddaughter from Florida named, Sunni. She’ll be staying with us for a while and I’ve already begun the process of documenting her visit. More photos to come very soon!
Born Again?
By some miracle of God, my wonderful cousin Latasha has blessed our family with a new version of my Mother Marilyn and my Aunt Theresa, both of whom are unfortunately no longer with us. Not only were they sisters, but they were also best friends. Now my little cousins are mirror images of them. Ever since my Aunt Tina made me aware of this observation I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m completely amazed by their similarities! It’s truly unbelievable how genetics work. I’m so happy I was able to photograph them both together.
I guess in a way it’s bittersweet? But no matter what, I love these 2 angels with all of my heart!!!
Happy 22nd Birthday!!!
It’s truly perplexing my mind that my baby is now a 22 year old young woman. How did we get this far so fast?
I just want to let you know how much I love and appreciate you. As we celebrate you today, please forgive me if I’m overbearing and emotional. Someday you’ll have kids of your own and you’ll fully understand what’s going on inside of me right now. It’s an incredible honor and pleasure to have you as a daughter. I thank God for you!!!
Now, let’s get this party started!!!!
Happy 20th Birthday!!!
He’s all grown up now! It’s truly amazing how fast time flies by us, even when you think you’re totally paying close attention. In any case, Happy 20th to my son, Nas. I love you so much!!! One more year until the BIG celebration 😉
StarChild
Beautiful star-child, with a glow so bright
You illuminate the day, as well as you do the night
Confusing to most humans, you’re a complex sight
For you may be dark, but you are also the light
Year 20
Happy 20th photography anniversary to me!
This is a major milestone for me. One that so many people like me are never able to fully realize. This is the exact reason it’s so special to me, simply because I know how extremely difficult it is to achieve. I’m deeply thankful for this amazing blessing! It absolutely would NOT be possible without the love and support of my immediate family, and I MUST acknowledge them for all they do for me.
Starting out I never thought that this journey would ever come this far. All the doubt, practice, failing, struggles, rejection, negativity, money, hard work…yet, here I stand. I’m just as excited now as I was the first time I picked up a camera and decided to document my life. It’s been a long, hard, road but, I’m still going strong. I still find the motivation to get up and do it everyday because, I honestly just love it so much!
I get so much joy and fulfillment out of freezing all of the interesting moments I encounter. Persevering all of the memories I create in my life, and in the life of others. After all, life is all about experiences, and being able to document each one is a beautiful responsibility. It is sincerely an honor and a privilege. Even at this stage of my career, I’m still a proud student of the game. Still learning and growing everyday. Still willing to do the work even when there’s no reward. It’s truly not about the destination for me, but rather the journey.
My goals now are the same as they’ve always been…to have fun, and to build a collection of work that I can be satisfied with. Work that my family and I could be proud of. I am my own harshest critic, but I finally feel that I’m on the right track to accomplish everything I set out to do. As long as I’m able, I will continue to believe in and challenge myself to pursue all of my dreams!
I hope that my influence can serve as a positive example to my children and to all the artists that come after me. You can do what you love, and you can love what you do! I’m living proof. I was just a kid from a really rough city trying to do something that most people felt I couldn’t do or didn’t care about. Look at how many people worldwide that are trying to do the same things as me now. If it’s important to you, you can make it your reality. Never give up on yourself! Let love lead your intentions and never forget the element of enjoyment. You’ll be fine too 😉
Peace & Blessings.
RNJ
I’m my photographer too!
Young Queen
Happy 21st birthday to my first born child, my young Queen. It’s so hard to process this much time passing by, and what was once my little baby has become a full grown woman! With every passing year I feel both happy and sad. I try to enjoy every moment with you because I know your next steps in life will move you away from me, and I’ll have to learn how to let you go…How did we come this far so fast?! Seems like you were just graduating high school, and now this! No matter what, you’ll always be my baby.
I love you with all my heart!!!
Prints Now Available!!!
I know that times are extremely hard for everyone, especially financially. As someone who makes their living working as a photographer, I too have been challenged with finding alternative ways to earn income during this crisis. With that being said, for anyone who’s ever been interested in owning a beautiful copy of my work for their home or office, I’m happy to announce the launch of my first print store. Now you can choose from a variety of my work and purchase prints to be delivered right to your door. There are various sizes and framing options available. New photos which span my 20 year career will be added to my gallery regularly.
To check it out please visit me here: https://robertnjones.darkroom.tech
Uncle Doug
This literally feels like I’m living inside my worst nightmare!!!
How can YOU be gone?!
In my mind I keep telling myself that at some point I will sit down and give you the proper send off you deserve, but I don’t know how long it will take for me to realistically confront my emotions? It’s taken me weeks to come this far. You deserve so much better. I can’t right now…believe me, I’ve tried. This is beyond hard. I’m forcing myself to do this now because, I want the world to know how great of a loss this is to me. I am losing the very people who helped to make me who I am.
You were my Uncle but, you were also my big brother, a father figure, and one of the very best friend’s I’ll EVER have! There’s no words meaningful enough to describe how much I’ll miss you. I can’t believe I’m sitting here writing this!
I’ve lost many loved ones in my life but, this an even deeper level of pain that not even I thought I could reach. Yet, here I am.
I truly hope wherever you are that you’re at peace. For all of the joy that you brought to me and others, I’d say you definitely earned it.
Man, this literally feels like I’m living inside my worst nightmare!!!
I never wanted this to be my last photo of you…
Happy 19th Birthday Son!!!
I’d just like to wish my one and only son a very Happy Birthday today! I LOVE YOU Jr.!!!!
Kobe
Kobe,
My second most favorite NBA player, second only to Michael Jordan. It’s taken me a whole week to even attempt to sit down and write anything. I’m in total shock, disbelief and denial. This is truly one of the worst moments of my life! As a human, a father, and as a basketball fan. This is so surreal, so unbelievably painful. Feels like a nightmare that I wish I could wake up from!
I shot these photos in October of 2018 for the Kobe Bryant co-owned sports drink company, BodyArmor. I never knew how much more meaningful and poignant these photos would become to me…that’s all I have for now. This is much too heartbreaking!!!
My deepest and most sincere condolences to all of the families involved in this unimaginable tragedy.
The young man in this photo is actually named Kobe. Named after his father’s favorite basketball player, Kobe Bryant.
Happy Birthday Queen!!!
Wishing Queen Terri a very special and Happy Birthday today!!! I Love You!!!
Happy Birthday Lil Bro!
Happy Birthday to my younger brother Marcus. I hope you enjoy yourself and have lots of fun. I wish I was back home to help celebrate with you. Cheers! I love you man!!!
Melody
I know how much I annoyed you by constantly pointing my camera at you, always trying to take your picture. Now I wish I had taken even more… You were so beautiful to me. I made sure I let you know that every single time I saw you. I didn’t mean to get on your nerves. All I was ever trying to do was capture that glow you had about you. I wanted to preserve and admire it. Now that’s all I have left…these pictures, these memories. You were an angel on this earth, and now you’re an angel in heaven! I love you!!!
Happy Birthday To Me!!!
“There’s gon’ be some stuff you gon’ see
that’s gon’ make it hard to smile in the future.
But through whatever you see,
through all the rain and the pain,
you gotta keep your sense of humor.
You gotta be able to smile through all this bullshit”.
“Remember that!”
– Tupac Shakur
Business Casual
In honor of my youngest brother’s birthday today I wanted to share a photo we created back in March. This was one of the first photos I took with my brand new Leica M10P. Thanks to my brother Antonio for helping me out with the session, and I’d like to wish him a very Happy Birthday!!!
Grown Woman
Happy Birthday to my first born. I can’t believe that you’re 20 years old today! Where did all this time go? Sometimes I sit back and think, it really trips me out that you were actually born in the 90’s. I’m so proud of the woman you’re becoming. As a father you make me so happy! I wish you all the best going forward in your life. You’re one of the sweetest people I know and I pray you’ll always stay that way. Oh yeah, you may look just like your mom but, you act just like your old man! 😉 I love you so much!!!
New Year Same Pain
2018, what can I say about you? You took so many of my beloved family and friends, leaving my entire family with completely broken hearts. Just when we thought you were done with us, just when we thought that you would give us a break for the new year, you decide to deal us one final, cruel, blow. December 28th you decided to take with you my mother-in-law, Renae. What a terrible way to end one year and begin another.
The last few weeks have been unimaginable!!! Everyone has been far too busy dealing with this tragedy to even think of posting anything on social media. But now that we’ve said our final goodbyes and have a moment to reflect, I thought I’d share this unfortunate news with extended family & friends around the world. If you know Terri, Toni, or their mother Renae, a few kind words plus some positive energy would be greatly appreciated at this time. Thank you!
Special thank you to Melody Murriel & your beautiful Mother for all of your help during this incredibly difficult situation. We can’t thank you enough! ❤️
Mom, we all love you, and we will all miss you tremendously!!!
Denial
My mind just won’t let me accept the fact that you’re gone and that I’ll never see you again! Rest In Power Unc!
Wayne S. Jones Sr.
Versatility By RNJ 