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

Hi Roger, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started Rust Creative to give small business owners an affordable edge in their marketing, advertising and creative. I grew up working for my own family’s small businesses and know well the unique challenges they face.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Today, I work primarily in black and white film and digital photography but that wasn’t always the case. My primary, professional focus started with color food photography used in both publications and social media content. While it was successful – and continues to be! – my main creative focus has always been black and white portraiture and landscape photography. I’m rarely interested in trends or what’s fashionable and focused entirely on capturing what I see in my mind.

What I love most about working with black and white photography is striking a balance between grain, texture and tone. That, and, driving around endlessly looking for locations that may be suitable for future portrait projects, photographing them and keeping a log of people and places that would compliment one another.

One of my favorite projects came about through the discovery of these murals inside a bar in Kent, Ohio called the Venice Cafe. The murals were painted decades ago and stained over those decades by cigarette smoke and naturally aged by the environment and light. When I was asked to photograph a legendary, underground band called 15-60-75 (The Numbers Band) who are from that area, I was thrilled at the prospect of photographing these men inside this antiquated venue. The photograph later appeared as a full page spread in one of Cleveland Plain Dealer’s entertainment issues.

I’m neurodivergent and often uncomfortable around people. A camera allows me to feel more comfortable in my environment. The viewfinder affords me an opportunity to focus on the subject and their environment and grants me access to both my inner world and relate more the world around me. Being neurodivergent, I also prepare for every scenario, but I’ve learned that the best laid plans often change and I’ve become more comfortable allowing things to happen and using those as opportunities rather than hinderances.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Undoubtedly, were a friend to visit for the weekend, I would take them to the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and any number of great restaurants in Northeast Ohio. I would also catch a few concerts at the G.A.R. Hall in Peninsula, Ohio, the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern in Cleveland, Ohio and, were it the end of the month, catch one of Ray Flanagan’s Monday night shows at the Winchester Tavern in Lakewood, Ohio.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
For me, every photo created is a success when, first, a subject or publication requests a photoshoot based on my previous work, then, each photo is a success when it captures the essence of the subject and emotes something to the viewer.

Website: https://www.rogerhoover.com

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

Image Credits
All photos by Roger Hoover except portrait of Roger Hoover (Nate Burrell).

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