We had the good fortune of connecting with Jesse Ranke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jesse, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?

I do have a favorite quote/motto from Time Magazine,

“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life.”

I have struggled to find an artistic medium to express how I feel and what I see in my travels and adventures.

Early in life I fumbled through learning on a donated film camera accompanied with the plethora of hours in a dark room. I began to eke out the art found in common interactions and the arduous pilgrimages into wild places. Film told stories, never mind the mess outside the frame, that micro snippet of the world drew feelings out of viewers.

Gradually, through my evolution of character, I began to seek out interactions with less comfortable souls and in regions where it takes tenacity and enthusiasm to arrive at.

The fabric of life is far from a clean canvas, marred and weathered. Tattered souls march through their days seeking opportunities to see one more day. Climbing behind the erected walls meant to conceal the less fortunate, I can spend countless hours sharing laughs, stories, and a cup of coffee, or perched on a pristine precipice far from human interaction.

With every photo I get, a story emerges. Will those stories change the course of cultures? It’s not likely, but for a moment, a silent part of society feels like they matter and are loved. A piece of earth with not the boot print ornament, ignites the imagination of the future explorer, adventurer.

While traipsing to a common brown bear fishing hole, I was asked by another photographer how many shots will I take of the bears on our outing. My reply, “30-50 at most”. In pure flabbergasted response, he could not comprehend. “Most photographers leave with five hundred to a thousand shots, why are you limiting to such a low count?”

Patience and humility opens the air, allowing personalities to emerge and capturing those emotions that humans can recognize and sympathize with, to resonate with the spectator. I need not thrust a lens in between us, but instead, decorate the moment’s evidence of beauty.

That quote lives in the forefront of my ethos. I want to experience life, I want to experience the scars and smiles and most definitely share a moment in the cathedral of wild places.

What should our readers know about your business?
What sets me apart from others is patience. During a terrific college course a French professor was explaining to me that in America, new business owners truncate the amount of time it takes to build a strong sustainable business. On the contrary businesses in other country frequently plan for upwards of ten years before their business starts to demonstrate sustainability.

As a photographer/artist it take a excruciating amount of time to develop a name for yourself. In that painful time, you learn to craft your art form and how to market it. Patients and humility can set a businessman apart from the full throttled high octane entrepreneurs out there.

Over the years I have applied diminishing marginal utility to the products and services I offer. For example, if there are 100 people in your community hoping to acquire wall art and you sell your art to all 100 people, what is the likelihood that any percentage of them will return for additional art. The number is not sustainable.

The goal has been to develop a name and product that does not sell itself out in a short time, but maintains attractiveness and reduction of diminishing marginal utility.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Best Friend trip of the year itinerary:

Arrival

Local cafe with the best pastries and coffee in North America. We discuss the details of the trip and the supplies that must be acquired prior to departure.

Next day hit outfitters and grocery stores to load up with missing supplies.

That night, sit around the fire ring sipping upon delicious brews of choice while catching up on the comings and goings.

Load up the old motorcycles with camera gear, water, surfboards, and camping gear.

Proceed to ride the bikes down the Baja Peninsula camping, surfing and having beachside campfire night with locals and kindred spirits.

If it takes two weeks or a month, we immerse ourselves in the communities found and the surf breaks that burn memories in our skulls.

Donate the bikes at the end of the trip and depart with long hugs promising more adventures decorate our near future and we will see each other again soon.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Whew, where do I begin….

Countless books with worn binders have contributed to my life. Travels in Alaska John Muir, The Only Kayak Kim Heacox, Desert Solitaire Edward Abby.

A close friend and kindred spirit Keturah Sadler has shaped my adult life through countless expeditions with our cameras. We have kayaked and backpacked thousands of miles and a fool would ignore her skills and wisdom.

The last highlight in my hero’s/influencers is my grandfather. I did my best to absorb every lick of wisdom he presented. He will always be along side me in my pursuits. When I just need to take a few breaths and stay still for a little longer, I remind myself of his patients and wise ways.

I am the luckiest guy on the planet to have had the interactions with text and cherished conversations.

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Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.