Jason Thiel

My name is Jason Thiel, I’m an 18 Year old photographer and I started photography in late 2019. I have always lived in Upstate New York and enjoyed the different experiences we have here.

What is your favorite place to visit in Upstate?

So far my all time favorite place to visit is the Adirondack mountains, mainly because of the beautiful landscapes you can find all around the small towns; and a total different experience from city life.

What is your absolute favorite food / bar / coffee spot in Upstate NY?

My favorite food place would have to be the “Lakeview Deli” in Saranac. Along with my favorite coffee shop being “The Downtown Grind” in Elmira.

What inspired your interest in photography?

I accidentally fell in love with photography when I bought a camera to take better photos for a clothing line I was making at the time. After learning how to use the camera, I ended up falling in love with taking photos way more than making clothing; I then decided to try other types of photography and I was hooked.

What are your favorite elements of life to shoot?

I like to take photos of people and nature the most because I like showing peoples emotions and bringing them into creativity that reflects them; and with nature, I love showing people how beautiful our world is and really a new perspective on life. Exploring new places and being creative together

What’s your favorite part of your job/hobby?

The best part of doing photography is the fact that I actually enjoy what I’m doing, and that’s the best feeling.

Do you draw any inspiration from pop culture that helps with creativity like a favorite book or movie?

A lot of times I will take inspiration from different photographers and music artists, sometimes music can help me create a visual that I can’t get out of my head; or even just taking inspiration from album covers.

What’s your favorite type of environment to shoot in?

I like taking photos in the winter the most, especially when everything is heavily covered in snow, mainly because everything looks more beautiful and of course.. frozen water!

If you could think of one song that encapsulates your style of photography what would it be?

If I had to sum up my photography in one song it would have to be “tkm” by Boy Pablo, mainly because of the end of the song during the guitar solo.

What advice would you give anyone who is interested in getting into photography? 

If you are getting into photography, my best advice would be to keep practicing. When I got my first camera I took so many photos of random stuff and watched so many videos learning about my camera and how to edit photos, a lot of my time was spent watching Peter McKinnon and chasing sunsets during my early stages.