Hidden Gems: Meet Jeff Salisbury of Jeff Salisbury Photo Illustration

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Salisbury.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Jeff Salisbury
12920 County Road 216
Findlay, Ohio. 45840
jeff.salisbury@gmail.com
419-722-3691

My father gave me his Argus C3, at the age of 14, and said, “Jeff, you might be able to do something with this.” From that time on, I started taking photos of most anything and everything. In 1969 I went off to Morehead State University, in Morehead, Kentucky, to pursue a college degree and met an ex-Life Magazine photographer who was my professor. This is when I spent more time learning how to process film and become more familiar with camera types. Mr. Pyle not only taught me the photography, but also the personal interaction with people. People must put their trust in you as a photographer. To deliver the image that they had in their mind. Later, I would explore the concept of just how does one “See” an image?

After graduation from college, I worked for a portrait studio shooting mainly senior photos and weddings. This was a good time in learning how to work fast, both with the camera and seeing the photo. Weddings for me were a way of not thinking about the camera, but focusing on the image or the people’s likes and dislikes. Few years with this studio, I decided to go out on my own. This was a very exciting time not only in learning what works as a business, but as increasing my knowledge of photography.
During these years I really put together the concept that yes the camera was important, lighting was even more of an important part of an image. Dean Collins workshops on lighting and Robin Perry workshops where both very helpful in just understanding lighting. Both natural and artificial. Or as I would say later on in my career, when teaching, “Gods” light is the best light. Many think you had to have the biggest and best in cameras and lighting equipment to take great images, but finally I understood that is not the case.

A few years late, I started teaching photography at our local university in Findlay. This was another great time. Students are both challenging, rewarding, and that I learned much from my students.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Much of the struggles dealt with a mind set. Thinking or not thinking outside of the box. What I mean is that you must just go for it. Working for someone, at least in my case, was not good. Got in a habit. Then there was the worriy of what I would do without a steady income. But, once I decided that working for someone was just not for me, things started to improve in my life.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I think my passion about photography is my strongest asset. At first it was just trying to make money. Then as time went, I began to understand that the money would come if one would just focus on being different. I am from a small town when most are trying to be the lowest price. Quality is what I have focused on and just what the needs of the market. I offer a quality product at a fair price. Many say, that I’m not cheap, “but you will get what you are looking for.”

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
You must believe in yourself.
Keep working for being better in what you do.
Do not lessen to the negative people.

Pricing:

• Pricing is just a number, I try to find a good match with people and go from there.
• If all you think about is price you will be disappointed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jeffsalisburyphotoillustration.com