Adirondack Through a Lens
Regional photographer honors homeland with Adirondack portfolio
Story by Kevin Fellows
Photos by Johnathan Esper
Johnathan Esper captures the essence of the Adirondacks with this panoramic shot of Schroon Lake.
Johnathan Esper has never been one to sit still. An inexplicable force has always drawn him outdoors, where he has found peace and a career.
“For Johnathan, his introduction to the woods began when he was ten days old,” his mother, Cheryl, says. “Camping on our property in December, Johnathan slept through the night for the very first time, snuggled and warm in our zip-together bags.”
Now a fulltime photographer, Esper recently returned from Snowy Mountain after a week spent experiencing the foliage season.
“When people think of a perfect day, it’s usually cloudless,” Esper says. “Ideally for photography, there are some clouds to add definition and dynamics.” An Adirondack boy at heart, he feels in his element breathing in the autumn air. “This is my favorite season,” Esper says. “Not only is it beautiful, but that crispness in the air means there is less humidity, which results in clearer images.
“When people think of a perfect day, it’s usually cloudless.”
Raised in Long Lake, N.Y., Esper has always been an outdoorsman. As a child, he constantly explored the Adirondack region and set speed climbing records in the High Peaks, some of which still stand. He conquered all 46 winter high peaks by age 10. “I did a lot of traveling with my family when I was younger and learned to appreciate the outdoors,” Esper says.
Being homeschooled allowed extensive time for Esper and his brothers to travel with the family to such places as Africa and Alaska. It was these journeys that intrigued Esper, who, at the age of ten, was disappointed with his picture-taking skills. “I would take the typical vacation shots, which never came out the way I wanted,” Esper says. “My mom wanted me to be content with not being able the take great shots. She always insisted I be happy with myself.” In reality, he was everything but satisfied.
Years later, Esper found himself roaming the New Zealand countryside after graduating from Messiah College in 2005. The venture was mainly personal, and the camera around his neck was merely a hobby. “Travelers always say New Zealand is so beautiful that it’s impossible to take a bad photo,” Esper says. “I can honestly say I was taking some awful photos.”
Frustrated with his skill set, Esper was determined to take professional level photos. While still in New Zealand, he read Outdoor Photographer Magazine and then mimicked the techniques with his own camera. “I had this illusion that I was going to throw my travel photos on a website and make money,” Esper says. “The reality is that you have to be recognized and established to market yourself.”
“I had this illusion that I was going to throw my travel photos on a website and make money.”
“In the Adirondacks, I am focusing more on landscapes for local people, where as my travel photography was more adventure-based,” Esper says.
To Cheryl Esper, returning from New Zealand was a turning point in Johnathan’s life. She always thought he could find an outdoor career; the question was making a living. “During his ten months of travel and photography, Johnathan discovered his dream career,” Cheryl says. “Traveling, being in the outdoors, hiking and exploring while photographing was his true passion.”
Now living in his hometown of Long Lake, Esper is working on an Adirondack-based portfolio. “In the Adirondacks, I am focusing more on landscapes for local people, where as my travel photography was more adventure-based,” Esper says. Climbing the same peaks he conquered in his youth, Esper specializes in 360 degree panoramas. To accomplish this, he takes 5 to 15 shots while rotating the camera, then stitches the images together digitally. These regional photos are often displayed and sold at craft shows alongside other artists.
When not adding to his portfolio or attending gallery shows, Esper leads photography workshops. Clients are typically met at exhibitions and seek hands-on experience. Esper usually picks a scenic location geographically near the client and charges per day—sunrise to sunset. “The workshops are based on situational instructions,” Esper says. “For example, we will climb a mountain for a distance shot and look for a theme in the surroundings. Then I will show camera techniques to best capture what the client sees in their head.”
Looking back, Esper never would have guessed his stubborn picture-taking habits would lead to a career.
Charlie Fitzpatrick and his wife live on Newberry Pond outside Wilmington, NY. They first met Esper at trade shows in places such as Blue Mountain Lake and Whiteface. “We had talked about him climbing up the mountain across the pond from us and taking a picture looking down at our house,” Fitzpatrick says.
Esper agreed to photograph their house and arrived in early October, 2011. To save time, he borrowed one of the Fitzpatrick’s kayaks and disappeared across the pond. “I have never climbed that particular mountain,” Fitzpatrick says. “I always wonder if I could make it to the top and all the way down before dark.” A few hours later, Esper paddled the kayak ashore. Just 45 minutes prior, he had been perched in a tree high atop the mountain.
“One of the goals in life probably should be enjoying what you do for a living,” Fitzpatrick says. “He truly enjoys what he does for a living.
Aside from the Adirondacks, Esper led two workshops to Iceland in 2011 and hopes to do the same next year. For him, being asked to teach his craft is a testament to how far he has come as a photographer, for he is no longer the boy fumbling with a camera in Africa. “Leading these photography workshops was a huge goal for me in my career and something I am very proud of,” Esper says.
Traveling the world has changed Esper’s perspective, and he feels every location is special for its own reasons. “The Adirondacks certainly doesn’t have the most dramatic scenery,” Esper says. “This region requires some hiking and exploration to really appreciate.” By creating an Adirondack portfolio, Esper feels he can honor the place that instilled his charisma for the outdoors.
Looking back, Esper never would have guessed his stubborn picture-taking habits would lead to a career. “Sometimes you don’t always know where you’re going,” Esper says, “but when you look back, you can see all the dots connecting.”
