I started in photography way back
in High School (1980); I worked in many photo labs doing custom B&W
printing. I also did freelance photography and 11 years photographing U.S. Navy
recruits going through Navy Boot Camp. After just not finding a long term position
I went into the IT (Information Technology) working with servers and desktops.
Although this is interesting and I was still using my creativity it has not
given me as much pleasure as photography has.
As I started to get back into
photography; mostly the Fine Art (landscapes, plants, wildlife and still life)
I needed a way to further then hiking can especially with the camera gear. So
then the fact that I needed a vehicle to take me out to those places; so then a
2wd Ford Ranger was used I was able to get better access to areas like dirt
roads and desert washes. Then came the time after a rainy night in Fonts Wash
in Anza Borrego the Ranger was almost to pavement and I got stuck in the soft
sand. Good thing for a shovel and a couple of cardboard boxes that had
firewood. I was able to get to back to pavement. So that limited slip read
differential was not enough. So now I needed a more capable vehicle to travel
the back roads and trails. Reading many of the 4wd magazines and seeing the
interesting mines and ghost towns and trails that lead to scenic lakes got me
very interesting the exploring; after seeing that the Jeep was the primary
vehicle of choice and knowing about the history of Jeeps got me looking at them
as a serious platform for my photography trips. After looking at the many used
Jeeps that were either so built up and a lot of $ was be asked and then seeing
the “fixer up” Jeeps that would take even more $$ to get running. I decided
that a new Jeep would be better since I knew the history of it. Enter my 1990
“YJ” Jeep Wrangler.
I then went on a couple of camping trips with
the Jeep and enjoyed the traction that 4wd can give. Needing to get more skills
in negotiating rocks, hills etc. I found a 4wd Club (Tierra Del Sol 4 Wheel
Drive Club) while I did get the knowledge on using the Jeep to its full
potential and getting to know some good people and seeing the North Rim of the
Grand Canyon, East Mojave Desert. One thing that happened that I was not expecting
is that I got distracted from my main mission – exploring and photography. It
is hard to be in a group of vehicles and to stop and wander photographing the
landscapes and details. After 16 years of not doing the type of photography and
not going to the places that I wanted to I left Tierra Del Sol 4 Wheel Drive
Club to pursue that original purpose.
A new chapter with a Jeep vehicle
is coming…
For many years and lots of
modifications and many trips; wear and tear happen and more repairs were needed
that required time in the shop. Also updates to the YJ would prevent going on
trips. So, with that a secondary Jeep was needed. In 2020 I ordered a new Jeep.
A 2021 Jeep Wrangler “JL” Rubicon.
So here comes this web site…
The term of Photojeeping is defined
as “Using a Jeep to get to an area to photograph”.
I am a “Photojeeper” - Defined as – “A person
that does photography and uses a Jeep to get there.”
Photojeeping awaits!
Jerry “JJ” Hutchins
The “Photojeeper”