Jennifer Jones, a native Floridian who has resided in Indian River County for 29 years, has fostered a passion for photographing wildlife that dates to her teenaged years, when she first took photography classes as a high school student.
While she went on to earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut, she says the true turning point in her love of photography came with the birth of her son.
“Every mom has a camera in their hands,” she asserts.
At the time, however, her camerawork was more of a hobby than a pastime; that is until this past February, when she launched her photography career.
Prior to that, Jones worked for several nonprofit organizations and was active with the Indian River Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She continues to work part-time in the nonprofit sector while dabbling in freelance projects for her husband Tor’s company, Jones & Jones Advertising.
Jones has also always been an active athlete, including as a former equestrian trainer, a triathlete and a mountain biker, and as these activities started to wind down, her fascination with photography blossomed once more.
“Aging has its natural limitations, and photography became an outlet for me. I started taking sunrise and ocean photos every day and posting them on social media. After a short while, I realized it was not only therapy for me but for others as well,” she explains.
“Today, I see my photography as a meditation and a way to offer hope. It’s empowering to me to inspire people with my work.”
Much of her work showcases her home state, including the Florida Trail, where Jones and her husband enjoy hiking.
Blue Cypress Lake, a nesting site for hundreds of osprey, is another frequent wildlife destination, where Jones says she relishes observing the birds flying and hunting for the abundant fish.
“I feel transformed watching them,” she says.
One morning, while aiming to capture the perfect shot in the Orlando Wetlands, she says just as she zoomed in on a sandhill crane with her camera, a Nikon Z 7II, she found herself surrounded.
“I was kneeling down on the ground and these sandhill crane colts all started walking towards me and encircling me,” she recalls.
“They could have attacked me, but they chose not to. They were just curious and went on their merry way.”
On another photography shoot, Jones experienced an even more heart-pounding adventure, when she turned around to glimpse an open-mouthed alligator just 4 feet behind her. The terrifying moment gave her renewed respect for keeping a safe distance from wildlife.
“I was reminded to be more aware of my surroundings! When I’m taking pictures, I lose all sense of time,” Jones admits.
However, she says, coming face to face with that gape-mouthed gator has not stopped her from photographing the deadly reptile in its natural habitat. Among the ethereal photos of misty sunrises and herds of cows, her portfolio also includes images of alligators peeking up through the water.
These days though, knowing that anything is possible when dealing with wildlife, and remaining fully respectful of the possibility of dangerous encounters, Jones now carries a knife with her at all times.
Gators aside, her collection is also brimming with diverse prints of sea urchins, grassy weeds and spider webs, and her Etsy page is lit up with delicate pink lotus flowers, waterlilies, orchids and sunflowers.
“It’s the little things,” she shares. “I have such a respect for this earth.”
Although Jones is transfixed by nature, which has translated into scores of stunning wildlife prints of flora and fauna, she recently began experimenting with manmade subjects, including creating a series of pictures exploring the intrigue of amusement park rides lit up at night.
“I was at the Firefighters Fair at the Indian River County Fairgrounds, and I got caught up in the excitement of the motion of the Ferris wheel and the whirling carnival lights.”
And, while she initially began her craft with sunrise shoots, she has since expanded into nature’s own light shows at all times of the day and night. One of her favorite subjects is the full moon, shining brightly in the night sky.
Jones says that the one subject you won’t find in her portfolio is people.
“With people, I feel the weight and pressure of getting it right the first time. At a wedding, for example, you don’t have another chance. There’s a level of vulnerability in photographing people,” Jones explains.
As she focuses on her craft, Jones offers words of advice to aspiring photographers.
“If anyone has an interest in taking photos, I encourage them to do so, to catalog moments, to bring serenity and hope.”
For the past three years, her work has been featured in the annual juried photography exhibition Through Eye of the Camera at the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery in Fort Pierce. This year, Jones had four photographs juried into the show, and earned an Award of Merit for her Tree of Life.
“It was a photo I took at Blue Cypress Ranch, a sunrise landscape with an old tree,” she says, adding that she is looking forward to branching out from Florida photography on an upcoming trip to Jackson Hole, Wyo.
She has also received awards from other exhibitions, including the Martin County Audubon Society and in Snap! Orlando’s Florida Showcase.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
