Honestly, I can’t remember when photography hasn’t been a part of my life…
Family photos with a Brownie, Polaroid and so many other cameras… next an SLR and spending hours in the darkroom… watching an image appear, old school, film was magic. I entered the digital age many years ago, computers, the ease of shooting many images, erasing them, editing an image; suddenly the camera might be able to lie.

My website update reflects my move from Los Angeles to Maine in the spring of 2016. We visited Brooksville for 14 summers or more; we were always sad to go home and started searching for land. We finally found a beautiful place to build and the rest is history. Leaving the city behind was a bold move as we decided to live here year-round; everyone wondered what we would do about the winter. I grew up and went to college in Vermont (much colder) so winter is not a novelty; the warm reception by the community more than makes up for any bad weather. We will always be “from away,” but Maine is now home. Waking up each morning on this coast is a gift; “It helps when you live right beside heaven,” to quote a friend. Surprises in all seasons are welcome.

My work has changed since my relocation as just about every day includes a walk or a drive with tempting subjects. My photographs continue to be the result of many hours wandering, waiting and returning to the same places over and over looking for the best light and the promise of turning an ordinary image into a memorable one. I keep a notebook of places I have been and places I must revisit; the light may have been wrong or my companions impatient. I hope to do a lot more exploring in Maine, large and diversified enough to be a country.

I am often asked what cameras I use. With apologies, the answer is I often use my iPhone; it is always with me. I also use a small Panasonic with a zoom. The camera does not make an image, the eye does; I sometimes call myself the accidental photographer. I am not overly concerned about perfect focus or depth of field; I consider it a little more like painting than photography, thanks to a friend’s wonderful comment on my work. I try to create order and simplicity and show you a small piece of the puzzle. I want you to see what I choose, not the entire landscape. This sometimes takes my images to abstraction.

I print my work archivally on Epson Velvet Fine Art paper on Cape Rosier. All images are limited to editions of 20 and are available in many sizes up to 17” by 22”. Please contact me with any questions at jclevelandphoto *at* aol *dot* com

University of California, Los Angeles / MA / Photography
George Washington University / MFA Program
University of Vermont / BA / Art and Psychology