Meet Jonathan Sommer of Berry Hill

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

Hi Jonathan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It all began with a family vacation after graduating high school. I had an urge to buy a nice, “real” camera for the trip. From there I just started messing around with photography in college, taking photos of friends and family before realizing I really enjoyed it and was good at it as well. In school, I was studying music business and I really wanted to connect my love for music with photography so I started doing research into live music photography and tour photography and that became my new passion and goal. It started with a few online music publications that accepted me to be on their photo team. That got me into some small shows at 3rd and Lindsley and Mercy Lounge, which eventually grew to getting bigger and bigger shows and festivals. Fall of 2019 was my biggest couple of months where I was able to capture content at over 60 shows and 3 major festivals across the southeast. I graduated from Belmont University here in Nashville in April 2021 and will be going out on my first national tour with blues-rock duo Larkin Poe this fall. 

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 been far from a smooth road. The creative industry is tough by itself let alone trying to be a creative in the music business. There are so many people doing the same thing that are so talented you sometimes forget you need to be different and need to try new things in order to move forward. It is so easy to fall into the routine of just taking photo after photo without being intentional behind your work, especially when I was new to it all and didn’t really know what I was doing. Being in a world where it is so easy to share your creative work with the world comes its own struggles as well. I know I’m not the only one that falls into the comparison trap all the time. The photography world isn’t meant to be competitive. You aren’t’ sharing your work to show that you’re better than everyone else, you are sharing it because you are proud of it and want to share it with others or to help bring clients to you for more business. But it is so so easy to get into a mindset of comparing yourself to other creatives and that can destroy your drive or motivation to keep creating. It is important to know that your work is unique and a representation of you. Sure, others may be more talented or may have more experience but they aren’t better. Art is subjective what you find “better” someone else might not like and vice versa. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I talked about this a little bit in an earlier question, but I am a photographer. I specialize in concert photography but also do lots of portrait work as well. I have been fortunate enough to photograph so many amazing shows and artists including the Jonas Brothers, Alan Jackson, Lizzo, and some of Nashville’s local festivals like Live on the Green and Pilgrimage. I believe I am most proud of building up a business while in college to the point where I was able to graduate and work full time as a creator after school. I did so many shows for free when I could that provided a base for me to pitch myself and get bigger and bigger jobs. So many people wait until they are done with school to pursue their passion, but why not start in college so that when you are done you aren’t starting from scratch? I am proud to be able to say that I have my first major scale tour lined up only four months after finishing college. What sets me apart is that I believe I have an eye for photography. It is easy to get the same basic shots at a show, I like to look for something different to give emotion, depth, excitement to the photo. 

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Every single person that has worked with me, helped me find work, or told me to keep working on my passion deserves credit. The fact that I had my parents supporting me no matter what I wanted to do was huge. My friends that modeled for me when I just wanted to practice or friends that paid me for their senior photos or headshots to support me. The photography world online is an amazing community and there are so many people that support my work that I have never even met before and for that, I am also very grateful. 

Contact Info:

• Email: jonathansommerphotography@gmail.com
• Website: www.jsommerphotography.myportfolio.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jsommer_photography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jonathansommerphotography
• Other: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRjxtDn8/

Image Credits
Matt Bacnis