A Fresh Perspective on a Timeless Landscape
by AwA
This article originally appeared in the Winter 2024 issue of Art with Altitude.
When Jon Couch first took a photograph, he was amazed that he could take a snapshot of something in his life and share that with someone else. “Share what I see, my perspective, my feelings, my experiences of my life,” said Jon. This initial excitement led Jon to take photography and art classes back in high school and college, before digital photography was a thing. Other than that, his current style is self-taught.
While he takes a lot of pictures, the ones that stand out past the moment of experience are the ones he continues to work with. Jon uses a 360 camera to take images of landscapes people see day after day, often iconic images, then puts them in a new kaleidoscope-like space.
Using web-based filters, texture and colors, he plays with the image, adding layers that are blended together until he gets the look he wants. “It’s the same idea as how a painter would use different types of paint, colors and brushes to get the right feel,” he said.
While the images in this article show a very clear voice, all artists, brands and identities change over time. Growth and new experiences combined with new ideas, technology, texture and colors, help work evolve. “If you stick with the same thing over and over, after a while it can get boring. I think that artists need to explore new paths, new ideas and challenge themselves to stay creative. Each day is an opportunity to create something new. It might not be the best or greatest, but it is something that was not in this world yesterday.”
Beyond the new, photography is like meditation for Jon. On the other hand, he had to build a lot of courage to release his work for others to see. “When you put your art out there for people to judge, that’s a hard situation to be in. I’ve gotten to a point where I say, ‘I’m going to throw it out there and people will like it or not and I’ll keep doing it.’”
Thank goodness he has. The beauty of Jon’s art is it captures a single perspective of a single moment in his life. Take 1,000 people and put them in the same place, they would all experience something different, something unique. For Jon, his photography captures something greater than just an image. “To be able to share my path with someone else through a snapshot of a time in my life, I find that very interesting. If you were to look at my photography and art over my lifetime, you would be able to walk in my shoes and read my life story.”
Elevate the Arts: Create something every day for yourself and for people to enjoy. Don’t give up—keep moving forward. Do what you love, and do it for yourself. If you love what you do, there will be people out there that feel the same way about your work. See Jon’s work at thewanderingcouchs.com/art. AwA
