Portraits of Aaron Jay Young, Photographer | Utah Portrait Photographer

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Aaron Jay Young / Los Angeles, CA / 2021 / Photo: Wendy Hurst

Aaron Jay Young / Los Angeles, CA / 2021

Aaron has a powerfully quiet presence that stands out in a world of so many people who shout to be heard, but his photographs speak loud and clear without any words at all. Three photo projects inspired me to connect more deeply with my creative community. One was a beautifully honest series captured at DragCon. Another was a collection of photographs featuring Adam Rippon, the Olympic skater. (It wasn’t celebrating community, per se, but I was deeply inspired by the incredible lighting on location.) And last was a series of photographs capturing an immigrant caravan in Mexico in 2019. It wasn’t until the third when I realized all three were created by the same photographer, and that photographer was Aaron. So imagine my overwhelming awe and enthusiasm to now, years later, walk into his studio for a life-changing photographer workshop. Further, how honored I felt to find myself standing in his studio, camera in hand, photographing this man who speaks volumes by not speaking at all. Empathetic and quietly wise, he inspires me to keep creating, keep listening, and continue my evolution into an ever kinder human being.

ft. @aaronjayyoung

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