Conversations with Jonathan Ford

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Ford.

Hi Jonathan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started with videography and photography by just being creative and expanding my skill sets. Before this, I did music, graffiti, and poetry. Photography and videography just stuck. Some of my first shoots were amazing composition-wise.

From being a music artist and needing videos of myself I decided to pick up a camera myself. I wasn’t aware where that gesture would take me. It took me on a journey for sure. In the first couple of years, I won a contest to learn from an industry-level music film producer.

Soon after I quit my job and let my camera provide for me.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Being a photographer and entrepreneur comes with many struggles. I remember not having enough credit to get a credit card so my first professional camera I bought cash.

God told me to save up for my camera so I worked 7 days a week 12 hours a day for months until I had $5000 saved. I still remember sitting in my car with a new camera in my hands that cost more than my car. I happened to see my friend pass by and she said, “Congrats on buying the camera!” I didn’t feel happy. I felt like I made a decision to make my life or break it with a possible horrible financial decision. Later that week my job let me go.

God wanted it to be clear to me that if I didn’t save when he said so that I might’ve never gotten the camera. I wouldn’t have gotten a chance at a new life. Sometimes being an entrepreneur you understand that the finish line is also the starting point. It’s levels to live and especially business so when you meet the end of something you have to start all over.

Which can be the biggest struggle in itself.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I do videography and photography.

One thing that sets me apart from others is I do both on a professional level. I know how to work logic and do audio, I can light or design a set. I’m most proud of my mind, how I can see a problem and work it out. I’ve gained a lot of opportunities with both videography and photography and I started over ten years ago.

But I personally love when I can feel the magic happening. It can happen on a big set or a small one. It inspires me when a kid walks in the studio for the first time and they look up and say “wow!”

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up at times I was really introverted and at times I could be extroverted but it would come in phases. I remember before school I was extroverted. My cousin had a camera and he shot for the news. His name was Tank but he wanted to do a video of the family. They said they wanted a shot of me on the toilet so I ran to the toilet and acted like I was going not caring how crazy I looked.

Then school started and I became introverted except to my friends. I was deeply into fashion because that’s how I expressed myself but before that, I can remember being young in kindergarten but so self-aware. I’d visualize myself next to myself. Strange kid but it helped with my creative spark. You also have to be self-aware in business. But growing up as I got older in middle school I performed my first rap song to the class.

I went to Mitchell, and to say the least you’d have to be brave to get up to rap to a class at that school at that time.

All of my friends stood up and cheered for me as I walked back to my seat. In high school, I started a rock band. I was the lead singer. I didn’t think we’d get far because I can’t sing but the thrill of tackling any art form was enough for me. We performed for the school and one girl booed. It’s hilarious now but I performed again rapping and it was great.

So I’ve been a creative chasing a creative dream.

Contact Info:

• Email: Lifemadeent@gmail.com
• Website: Lifemadebooking.com
• Instagram: @Life.made.foto