Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerome John.
Jerome, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Growing up, I was trained as a mechanic by my father. We spent most of our time working on cars before transitioning to motorcycles, eventually opening a small business to fix and build them. In between, I also played football—though, in hindsight, I was terrible. Through that trade, I developed a natural curiosity for how things are taken apart and put back together; as a result, I am extremely handy. Beyond the workshop, I was always adventurous, whether I was climbing trees or jumping from rooftops. My artistry as a photographer eventually took root at NC A&T, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in Information Technology following my studies in Mechanical Engineering.
When I first picked up a camera, my goal was simple: I wanted to produce marketing materials to grow our small business. I was imaginative enough to think marketing was just photos, which turned out to be a huge miscalculation. That following Christmas in 2012, I received my first real camera—a Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. I truly loved that machine. The next semester, I found a community of photographers at A&T who taught me the fundamentals. When I focused and pressed the shutter for the first time, I felt like a magician performing his first trick: I had frozen a moment in time, and it felt as though no one could tell how I did it.
Soon after, I was offered my first paid contract: $30 for my photography services. While that may not sound like much, in college it was everything—the difference between eating and going hungry. From that point on, I found myself shooting portraits and weddings. I did that for a long time, but I eventually realized I no longer found joy in it. It was then that a mentor gave me some life-changing advice: “It will never be this cheap to travel again.” Taking that to heart, I visited the study abroad office. A few months later, with the support of family and friends, I left for a six-month stay in Japan.
That first international trip was the catalyst for my current journey. While in Japan, I had a “crazy” 3:00 AM thought: authoring a book could inspire someone. I wanted to help others by sharing my “personal legend.” I scribbled the idea in my journal and fell back asleep, but the vision never left me. I found myself taking photos that, at the time, I thought were absolutely amazing. Those photos became like sediment splashing up from the bottom of a river to reveal something deeper.
Over the next few years, I dedicated myself to finding ways back onto an airplane. As I traveled across Europe, I discovered a new love for photography: the opportunity to share the world as I saw it through my lens. In parallel, I began the grueling process of writing. After a year of research and another of writing, I finished my book. I told myself that if I could change the mind of just one person, I would have accomplished my goal. To my surprise, the book was awarded a grant later that year, allowing every middle school student in my county to receive a copy. Since then, I have continued to explore the globe, capturing beautiful landscapes and exotic wildlife across Spain, Mexico, Peru, Switzerland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and South Africa.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, the road has not been smooth at all. One of the greatest struggles most people face is creating their own opportunities while settling into who they truly are. There was a moment when I looked at other photographers and constantly compared my work to theirs. I soon learned that comparison is a thief of joy—it can be the root of self-hate. By removing those distractions, I learned that being happy for others and helping them get what they want actually helps you acquire the things your own heart desires.
One of the most difficult challenges was getting in touch with who I was at my core, which stood in stark contrast to who I was told to become. In school, they tell you to get good grades, graduate, and get a job because that is the “safe” route. While I found it beneficial to start somewhere—it certainly helped me identify what I didn’t want to do—it takes an incredibly long time to unlearn old patterns and disciplines. Replacing them with new skills, a renewed perspective, and a consistently shifting mindset is a constant process.
Perhaps the most troublesome hurdle is having to start over. After spending more than a decade following a traditional path, shifting toward what you love feels like a total reset. It is a daunting task to choose between the multiple things you are good at, or to determine the best approach for complementing one skill set with another when you are multi-faceted.
Furthermore, balancing work and life while trying to travel cost-effectively is extremely difficult. You want to see the world, but you still have responsibilities to maintain. Learning how to travel safely has been a major learning curve as well; you simply can’t go everywhere or do everything. If you are out in the world and something in your gut tells you not to do something: LISTEN. To be honest, I think the prayers of my mother have kept me safe all this time.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Currently, I am a wildlife and landscape photographer. I help homeowners acquire fine art prints from my collection to transform their living spaces. Beyond my own lens, I coach and teach photography at various conferences, sharing my expertise on how to plan photography-centered expeditions and capture moments that last a lifetime. I also lead an apparel brand called “Explore, Learn, and Create,” which serves as a call to action. It is designed to inspire people to step outside their comfort zones, explore the world’s wonders, and embark on a journey of self-discovery to find their own place, purpose, and meaning.
What am I most proud of? Years after releasing my book, a friend who teaches at a local middle school sent a photo of a clear backpack to my phone. At first, I was confused because there was no context. When I asked what the photo was about, she replied, “Look inside the bag—it’s your book.”
I was shocked. My friend told me she had asked the student where she got it, and the little girl responded, “My brother gave me this book. He told me I should read it because it helped him, and he knew it would help me, too.” That was the moment I realized I had accomplished my original goal. I had created something that could truly impact a life, change a mind, and alter a perspective.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I have learned that Photography has been a portal to take me places bigger than myself. It has given me the opportunity to see how vast and wondrous Gods creativity is. My hope is that my passion for photography will show that more than anything else. And inspire someone else to see it for themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jeromeljohn.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeromeljohn/
- Facebook: https://www.jeromeljohn.com/landscape
- Twitter: https://www.jeromeljohn.com/wildlife
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeromeljohn
- Other: Email: [email protected]
