Why Me?  A Life Devoted to Capturing Beauty with Cameras

Hey Luminous Landscape Community,

Thank you for being a part of this community.  I’m Jon “Swindy” Swindall, the new Senior Editor here, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to join this vibrant community.  

 As you may have seen, a survey went out to the community to help us improve, give you what you want, and bring value to us all. If you haven’t seen the survey you can complete it here

You may be wondering… “Who’s this guy?!?”   Well, let me share a bit of my story – because it’s been all about a life of trying to capture beauty through the lens of a camera.

My journey started with a simple science project in middle school – creating an eco-friendly butterfly garden. It was there, waiting for the elegant Tiger Swallowtail to land perfectly, that I first discovered the magic of photography.

 That moment, with my camera in hand, sparked a deep-seated passion for capturing a moment in time.

With a CLICK of the camera at the precise moment of the butterfly’s wings opening  –  moment of beauty to be remembered.

This passion led me to Australia, where, while studying at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, I immersed myself in studio, documentary, and experimental photography. Those days were more than just about learning; they were about exploring the world, camera in tow, surfing the waves, and capturing life’s raw moments.

My academic pursuits took me further – to Emory University for film studies and then to Florida State University film school, where I earned a masters of fine art specializing in cinematography. These schools didn’t just teach me about the technical aspects; they shaped my vision and approach to visual storytelling.  It’s where I began to think of myself as an artist, a storyteller, and craftsperson.

Based in Atlanta, I’ve worked my way up from lighting commercials, to shooting commercials, to becoming a Director of Photography in Local 600, to shooting tv shows, and currently specializing in doing aerial drone cinematography for tv shows, features, and commercials.

From the serene landscapes of Australia, to lighting table top products, to the bustling sets of TV shows, to flying through the Andes mountains to piloting drones for shows like”Ozark”, cameras have been my constant companion.

 I am constantly shooting and love learning about new gear and techniques. It’s an exciting time.

As I join as your new Senior Editor, my goal is to nurture a space where passion for photography and creativity flourishes.   This is my first jump to stepping out from behind the camera and sharing about my favorite art form – visual storytelling. 

I’m here to help cultivate an environment that’s both informative and inviting.  We also want to create value where we can.

We’ve got a goal here at Luminous Landscape – to use our community strength to snag some great discounts on photography gear and experiences we all love.  Keep your eyes open as we bring this community goal to life and we are open to suggestions.

I personally am excited about the Lensrentals deal which will get us a 15% discount off our orders.  It’s a company that I have used for years. They have an Amazon Prime shipping sort of model where you pay yearly for every order shipped to arrive in 2 day shipping. They also send to FedEx store hubs where you can show your ID and pick up the gear.
Having the photo gear waiting at my destination, has been a huge benefit because it avoids the hassle of airport security and lugging all the heavy gear through the airport. Sadly – this only works in the United States.

This model makes it easier to work with top of the line gear we want to use and gives us more earning potential on jobs.  Thank you to them! Is there a company like this in Europe? Good news is that we have more discounts in the works and not just US based.

We’re committed to making Luminous Landscape a hub where both newbies and pros feel at home to explore, share, and celebrate the art of photography.

Your voice matters to us. I’d love to hear what you think and what you’d like to see more of on Luminous Landscape. Feel free to drop me a message or share your thoughts through our survey.

Thank you for those who have taken the survey already. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Together, let’s chase those moments of beauty and capture them, one frame at a time.

Thank you! 

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