j.c.buck

About

I was born in Saint Louis Park, Minnesota. Shortly after, my Dad's career would move our family to Brussels, Belgium, where I attended the International School of Brussels until I was ten.

This experience shaped the foundation of who I am today. I was exposed to many different cultures and countries and had friends from all over the world, impressing a high level of sensitivity to others and my surroundings.

I attended college in Saint Paul, MN, and studied Marketing and Business Administration. Following graduation, I lived in Atlanta, Georgia, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, working in the healthcare industry. Within that industry, I relocated to Denver, Colorado, in 2007. This move would end up changing my life.

The entrepreneurial spirit of the West inspired me. I got an MBA from the University of Colorado with an Entrepreneurship emphasis. Shortly after, I launched my photography studio, a dream of mine since a high school darkroom class in the early nineties.

I combined my passion for marketing and architecture and started with architectural photography. I worked for architects, interior designers, and developers. My work in that space has been widely published in several local and national publications, both online and in print. Today, I balance my time and efforts between a portrait studio in Denver and this fine art portfolio.

I'm in my early forties and live with a mental illness, generalized anxiety disorder, which has led to crippling worry and deep bouts of depression over the years. Many are surprised to learn this about me; I can turn it on when I need to.

I once was largely private regarding this battle. Today, I am entirely open and vulnerable in sharing my experience. I believe we heal one another together, and as a society, we have a ways to go in discussing mental illness. My work is a form of therapy for me, and it's a theme I often express in my photography and writing.

My commitment to my mental health and managing my anxiety led me to this second career in photography following my time in the healthcare industry. I was introduced to my first 35mm SLR film camera in a high school darkroom class in the early 1990s. One of my first exposures was off a Porsche 911, my all-time favorite car. It hangs in my Dad's office to this day.

I thoroughly enjoy the process, from capture to the reward of the final framed print, and I hope you enjoy the collections.

JC