Artist Statement
I started taking pictures as a way of documenting the good times my friends and I were having in college, but I came to photography by way of hiking, snow shoeing, and camping in the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. I love nature—picturesque, delicate, and dangerous. I find it amazing how one little action can create such huge consequences. Ultimately, I want my love of my subjects to infect you and inspire you to protect these fragile creatures, ecosystems, and places.

When I’m out in the field, I try to get to “the place.” “The place” is that one spot where the light is perfect, or the reflection is just a little better, or the view in your camera is exactly how you imagined it in your mind’s eye. It’s where no one else wants to go because it’s a couple of miles further down the trail, an hour of driving down a rutted gravel road just to get to the trailhead, or out on the edge of a hundred foot drop off. It is my joy to bring the places I’ve found to you.

About Jake Jensen
Jake Jensen was born and raised outside of Portland, Oregon. Growing up in rural Clackamas County, he spent his free time in the forest, building forts and damming up creeks with friends. He played baseball at Central Catholic High School and Whitman College before returning to the Portland area to live and work.

Jake began photography as a serious hobby when he was in college. His first subjects were friends and teammates, but as time went on he became captivated by the outdoors he enjoyed as a boy. He currently focuses on the Pacific Northwest, although his travels take him all over the United States and Canada.

When he’s not taking pictures, Jake enjoys hiking, beer making, and volunteering with numerous community organizations.

Artist Code: JJ