Meet Jake Schneider | Film Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jake Schneider and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jake, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
Well, recently, film photography & music! I’ve been working on a project photographing the town I live in for a Fred Herzog style book in the next few years. Just walking around town with a Nikon F loaded with some Tri-X, finishing the roll, going home and developing it that night has really brought happiness seeing the negatives!

My band, Camarillo, just wrapped up a studio session. I’ve been working hard on my guitar playing, and recently I’ve noticed that hard work is paying off. I’ve been really happy with the results!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a Film photographer, all of my work was and is shot on 35mm and recently most of it has been developed and scanned by me as well! I think my style is what sets me apart, I’m inspired by LIFE magazine photographers from the 60’s-70’s and I don’t think most photographers today can really capture what those photographers were able to do in that era.

I just recently wrapped a project called “End of the Road” it was about a local business that had be opened since 1933 that just recently closed it doors for good. I shot it in the style as if I was LIFE photographer. I tried to capture that using similar gear, film, and composition style. It was incredible getting the scans back from that shoot, personally I felt like I nailed it!

I just got into the professional gigs, it was quite difficult to get in, I live in a smaller area of Ohio (Greenville) and most of the photographers around the area already have the gig. Overcoming this, I try to bring something different to the table, shooting film, using vintage equipment, and really taking my time to have the photos come to me instead of running after them, hopefully it sets me apart from the rest!

I learned from other photographers, that a good way to get better, is to sit down and read some books. Camera gear and equipment won’t make you a better photographer, and I learned that the hard way!

What I would want the world to know about me is that I’m just trying to have fun, I enjoy sharing my photos and negatives with friends, just something so unique about showing a Ektachrome slide to a friend from a trip we’ve taken. I also hope that my images bring nostalgia to those that see it!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a great question!
I love making the trip down to Dayton, just so much to do! We would definitely stop in the Oregon district. I usually make my rounds around the vintage clothing, and record shops down there! Feathers, Clash, and Omega Music. Stop in at Blind Bob’s to see a show, and probably get dinner at Lily’s!

I love music, I play guitar in a band called Camarillo, so I would definitely had to stop at Hauer Music in Centerville, great selection of equipment and vintage guitars!

Some of the most fun I’ve had watching bands play or just interactions would have to be at the Brightside in Dayton. I stopped in to see Hawthorne Heights’ HoliDayton festival that they put on there and the Dayton Battle of the bands. Both shows were so high quality and just an absolute blast to watch! I also met a lot of new people, and was able to share some of my photos that I took at the Dayton Battle of the Bands!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yeah! I’m very inspired by photographers from the 60’s and 70’s (Larry Burrows, Grey Villet, and Fred Herzog to name a few), but the person who really inspired me the most was my parents, they both got me into photography at a young age. Mom was a photographer that did mostly portraits and wedding gigs, and my dad and I antique shopped often and were both interested in older cameras, similar to the ones I normally shoot nowadays!

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/jake-schneider-/overview

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakesphoto_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-schneider-4b32701b8/

Other: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jake_jakerson

Prints: https://jakerson.darkroom.com/

My Band: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vb5pWYMlU5ts0yFru8d9s?si=h00_hzUcShWwD_RdmW76iQ

Image Credits
All images taken by Jake Schneider