José Ramirez

Ever since I can remember I’ve been in love with imagery, from staring at the silver screen that transported me to different worlds 90 minutes at a time to staring out the car window and capturing pictures with the only tools I had, my eyes and brain.

I am a self-taught photographer with limited formal training. I have participated in multiple collaborative photography exhibitions and projects.

Working with photographers and models to create shots with studio lighting equipment but no guidelines. I challenged myself to try new ideas, playing with reflection, back-lighting, and the adorned human form. I learned ways to approach a shoot, get more from my subjects, scout locations and synchronize time to capture best lighting. In addition to making my own art, I help amplify the voices of others and work on a variety of community radio, film, and theater projects.

I'm involved with different local community organizations which allow me the privilege to give back to our community. I recently started teaching an introduction to digital photography course at AS220 Youth Program.