Jason Waicunas  ( j-sun y-koo-nas )
Portland, OR, USA
jasonsvision@gmail.com
503.705.6769


IN JASON
1973 was born in Rockville, Connecticut.
1979 found a "new way to see" by looking through the viewfinder of his grandparent's camera. Although it didn't work, he pretended to make pictures of rocks, trees, and various things around the yard.
1981 used a Kodak 110 camera to make crappy photos.
1985 received a Minolta Weathermatic 35mm dual-lens camera for xmas. It was waterproof, had a built-in flash, and looked like it was from the future.
1988 was given his grandmother's Nikon FTN 35mm camera and a 50mm lens, forcing him to learn how "aperture" and "shutter speed" worked.
1991 participated in a darkroom class during his senior year of high school. After graduating, he began a 3-year enlistment as an Armor Crewman in the U.S. Army., based in Ft. Stewart, Georgia.
1995 began his career in photography by working as a photo assistant for Glen McClure in Norfolk, Virginia. Three months later, Jason changed his major in college from Oceanography to Photography.
1996 obtained an internship as a photographer for the Old Dominion University publications department, where Jason's work was first published.
1997 studied photography in New York City with Sam Abell and Scott Thode.
1998 studied photography in Salisbury, Maryland with Kennan & Karen Ward.
1999 studied photography in Salisbury, Maryland with Richard Newman and Ken Basile.
2000 completed a B.F.A. degree in Photography at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Studied photography in Salisbury, Maryland with Jay Maisel.
2001 was hired to be the staff photographer and photo editor for Decipher, Inc. where he was immersed in working on Lord of the Rings and Star Trek content on a "much too frequent basis." (Jason doesn't do Sci-Fi !)
2005 added 10 pounds of camera gear to his pack during a 5 month hike from Mexico to Canada along the 2,658-mile Pacific Crest Trail.
2007 relocated from the east coast to Portland, Oregon, thus starting a new direction in life and focusing on environmental, travel, and outdoor lifestyle photography.
2010 was hired by Leica to test the newly-designed S2 camera system and tour the western United States to give presentations about its performance.
2012 started a new business, "Outdoor Viewfinder" in which Jason will be teaching outdoor photography workshops and classes.

Jason is a member of :
The Oregon Nordic Club
The Pacific Crest Trail Association
The American Long Distance Hiking Association-West
Event Coordinator of Pacific Crest Trail Days; (Fundraiser for the PCTA.)

Jason's "Artist Statement":
Through the use of a camera, I have developed a creative vision that depicts what I see in a person, place, object, or a particular moment. The inspiration to work in photography is my enthusiasm for the medium, sharing knowledge and photos with others, and the anticipation of making the next photograph.