Jeni Jacobs had been an artist all her life – drawing, painting, and the like – but it was only when she became a senior at St. Croix Central High School that she started channeling that passion into photography.
She apparently has a good deal of talent behind the lens: After graduating, Jacobs was accepted last month at the Art Institute of Charlotte in North Carolina.
Jacobs, 18, said it was always her goal to attend a college focused on the arts because it’s what she loves to do; but she also can’t wait to return to St. Croix when she graduates to bring her talent back home to the community.
“I miss my family and I miss the stuff I could be doing on St. Croix, but ultimately, I’d love to be a photographer that travels around the world,” she said.
Her parents have always been supportive of her love of art, and Jacobs said she considers herself very lucky because her father, Ceveriano Jacobs, is also an artist. She said he was an incredible influence on her growing up.
“My youngest memory was when I was about 5 or 6, and my father would bring home paints and paint brushes,” Jacobs said. “I would paint whatever – the grass, the water, the sun or anything that came to mind.”
Jacobs was born and raised on St. Croix to Ceveriano and Helene Jacobs, the youngest of five children. She has two brothers and two sisters and she said they have always known that she wanted to be an artist and have supported her throughout her life.
“My parents are really great, and my father is my idol – I got interested in art because my dad was always an artist,” Jacobs said. “He makes things out of wood, like incense burners and other things.”
Although she has shown exceptional drafting ability, Jacobs said photography is now her main focus. Last year, when she was still in high school, she shadowed a Source reporter, snapping pictures of the 2011 Crucian Christmas Festival Children’s Parade. One of her pictures wound up displayed on the front page of the Source and was included in her portfolio when applying for college.
Jacobs said when she applied for financial aid, the school gave her a Cannon Rebel T3i, which is what she shoots with.
Her technique is different from some photographers – instead of just going outside and shooting random things and hoping for a great picture, Jacobs said she has to have a mental picture of what the final product will look like before even shooting.
“I get an idea in my head of what the picture will look like, and then I go out and take about 400 pictures,” Jacob said.
Most of her photography is abstract and relies heavily on the creative use of depth of field, but she is also experimenting with fashion photography. She started a Facebook and Flickr page with the hopes of getting her name recognized, and she said she plans to eventually sell her photos to make extra money while going through school.
“Right now I’m just really excited about photography,” Jacobs said. “I just started school and am only taking three classes but am hoping to talk to a printing teacher so I can start printing some of my pictures to display.”
Jacobs is only enrolled in three classes currently due to difficulties securing financial aid; but she’s acing them all – and says she hopes to keep it that way. She said she’s having fun at college, living in the dorms and getting to know other artists.
As far as adjusting to the weather in North Carolina, Jacobs said it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. Even in the South, winters feel pretty cold to her – but it must not be that bad. When contacted for an interview with the Source, Jacobs was outside, having a snowball fight with friends.
To check out Rey J. Jacobs photography, visit her Facebook page or Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/rey_j_photography/
