Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Ruth.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It’s funny, I feel like I’ve always been into photography, but I didn’t get into it – or anything artistic – until I downloaded Instagram in 2012. I grew up playing sports and video games, so my focus was so intense for those that I never saw photography as a potential job. My parents have never been the artistic/creative type and, at the time, my sister was working in radio and then became a cheerleader for the Nashville Preds.
Instagram was the first outlet for me to express myself through photos. I loved old film books and disposable cameras, so to have a place to sort of create my own was fun for me. I never thought about combining my love for music and photography until I was shooting an event for my internship.
Back in 2015, I was working for a company called CHOOSE901 and I was covering the Moon River Festival. I had never thought of shooting a live show until this event. Colony House was a favorite band of mine then so I went crazy with the pics and knew I had to make them cool. I quickly uploaded the pics and tagged them. A couple of hours later, before the final act was about to go on, I get a notification that Colony House posted my photo. I was freaking out!!
This lit a fire in me to keep doing this for friends in bands and companies. Over time, I built up a following and so did my friend’s bands! Long story short, I was in the right places at the right times. I treated people like humans and saw them as friends first and not as transactions. If it weren’t for them and people sharing my work I wouldn’t be where I am today!
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?
It has definitely been a long road. I didn’t – and still don’t – have the best equipment. I still have to do work for free every now and then. The hardest part for me was losing touring to Covid. I had just done my first big tour with a band in the fall of 2019. I was riding this high and telling myself, “Okay this is what I’m going to be doing for a little bit.” Then once Covid happened the music industry shut down for years and I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to do this ever again.
I was thankful for the one experience I had but I was definitely sad that I might not be able to tour again. Luckily things have picked back up and I am back to touring and creating art for bands!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am most known for my concert photos! I try my best to mix all my inspirations into my work while at the same time creating something that feels like how I see the world.
I think the thing I am most proud of is sticking with my gut when it comes to editing and how things should look. It is the thing I am most confident in and I know what feels right and what feels wrong.
What’s next?
I am a dreamer so I try my best to not get too carried away, but I have a lot of goals for myself. I would love to open up a store where I sell prints and designs to inspire others the same way I was!
That’s a short-term goal. Long term would be to keep working in the music industry and become a person who people come to for creative ideas and needs! Fingers crossed!
Contact Info:
- Website: jakeruthcreates.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacobgruth/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JacobGRuth
Image Credits
Joan, Brother Moses, Colony House, Stephen Sanchez, & Jack Van Cleaf
