I began my photographic journey while in architecture school.  I first picked up the camera as a tool to document buildings and projects for school.  I eventually learned that photographs were much more than a simple documentary tool.  Through the works of renowned photographers such as Eugène Atget and Margaret Bourke-White, I fell in love with photography as a powerful means of artistic expression.

After graduating with a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, I joined the United States Army.  During this time I traveled the country and around the globe experiencing many things, from the glaciers of Alaska to the darkest swamps of Georgia and North Carolina, as well as the crowded cities and rural hamlets of Korea. No matter where I went, my camera was never far way.

An avid skydiver since college, I continued jumping throughout my military service.  It is here where my photography took a strange twist.  I began shooting freefall video and still photography.  With twelve pounds of camera equipment on my head and a parachute on my back, I documented this exciting sport for military and civilian skydiving clubs alike.  This aerial form of photojournalism even followed me after leaving the military.

After leaving the Army, I took a position with an architect in North Carolina, and quickly started my own video and photography business at a small North Carolina airport.  Every weekend and holiday was spent photographing students and exhibitions for local skydiving clubs.

After 11 years and over 1000+ jumps, I decided to retire from skydiving.  Job changes, combined with the desire for something new (did I forget to mention the chronic neck pain?) led me to this tough decision.  I sold all my gear, except my beloved camera, and returned home to Wisconsin. Here I began to re-explore my artistic vision through the viewfinder. 

My knowledge of architecture combined with my experiences around (and above) the world have given me a unique perspective.  I believe it is this experience that shapes the images I create.

I now reside in Wisconsin and work for a large architecture firm in Milwaukee.  Although I now make my living in architecture, my passion for photography is stronger than ever.  I have no doubt that I will view the world through the lens of a camera for the rest of my life. 

Jeff Weber, 2007

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