In Focus | Daniel Jones of Daniel Jones Photography

In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses, and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.

What is your name?
Daniel Jones.

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Kelowna?
I’m originally from Georgetown ON, but I’ve lived in Kelowna for 13 years.

Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
I can’t pick just one! I have so many good friends here in Kelowna, that anytime I get to spend time with them I’m stoked.

If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
I was down in Nicaragua not too long ago and I would have loved to spend some more time there, so I think I would head back for an extended trip. If I had to pick somewhere new, I think I would go with Peru.

What is your favourite local store in Kelowna and why?
Probably The Bean Scene. I head there almost every day for great coffee/atmosphere and a cosmic cookie.

What is your favourite activity?
Snowboarding in the winter and mountain biking in the summer and taking photos in all seasons, of course.

If you had to choose: pizza, tacos, or burgers?
Does a Baja Bowl count a taco? If not I’ll go with tacos. So many options with tacos!

What is a hidden gem you enjoy in the Okanagan?
There are so many hiking and biking trails out there. Finding and riding new ones is a seasonal experience. Get out there and get lost.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
I’m not sure that I can share my most embarrassing story here, but here is one I can share: A few years back I had injured my shoulder pretty badly downhill mountain biking. I had gotten to a stage where I thought it was strong enough to start trying to build up the muscle around the injury. I went to the gym and decided to start with some bench presses, with absolutely no weight. So there I am, bench pressing just the bar which was embarrassing enough, but then my shoulder gave out. I basically bounced the bar off my head and cut my forehead open. I’m not sure I ever went back to that gym, or any gym for that matter.

What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
I have had so many inspiring experiences, so it would be hard to pinpoint the most inspiring one, but I was on a trip fairly recently that sticks out. This past summer I was invited to experience and photograph a house building initiative in Nicaragua. “Journey” a “travel with purpose” company based out of L.A, does fundraising campaigns to raise money to build houses for impoverished regions in Central America. Once the fundraising is complete, they take the people who have raised the money down to Central America to build the actual houses that they raised money for. The whole experience was so inspiring on every level. From creativity to the philanthropy and even just being pushed completely out of my comfort zone was so inspiring. It’s an incredibly beautiful and diverse region. If you are considering travel sometime soon and want to experience something different, I highly suggest checking them out.

Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
I would have to say traveling across Canada and camping with my family. I can still remember coming out of Calgary and seeing the Rocky Mountains for the first time. It’s probably the reason I ended up out west in the first place.

Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
I have volunteered down at the food bank in the past and also volunteered my time to help build some houses down in Nicaragua.

If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
That is such a difficult question to answer! The world is a big place I think that there are so many things that could be changed to make it a better place. If I have to pick just one, I think I would have to go with environmental awareness and action. We only have one place to live and I think we should be taking care of it. I don’t have all the answers and it’s a long conversation, but I think we need to change our attitudes, or at least half the population’s attitudes, towards greener energy and practices.

What is your favourite activity in Kelowna?
I love all the activities that Kelowna has to offer! Hiking, mountain biking, skateboarding, snowboarding and yoga are a few of my favorites.

Where would you sneak away to in Kelowna to spend some time alone?
I don’t really like spending too much time alone, but when I do, I usually head out behind my house to Knox Mountain Park for a run, to take photos or just to enjoy the view.

Where would you like to see positive change in Kelowna and why?
I think I would like to see some more support for the homeless and to aid in poverty and the issues, such as mental health, associated with it. I can’t claim to know what is going with this city politically or even financially, but I think if we put some effort towards creating programs to help the less fortunate it would probably pay off for the community further down the road.

If you were granted one wish for work or in life, what would it be?
I think I would have to say fulfillment. It’s a pretty broad brush stroke, but I know I’ve always felt the best when I feel like what I’m doing is making some sort of a difference or is meaningful to me, or someone else.

Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
I’ve spent most of my life skateboarding and even had a skateboard manufacturing and distribution company at one point in time.

What is the name of your business/organization?
Daniel Jones Photography.

What does your business do?
I offer Photography, Digital Art, Graphic Design and Illustration services with some marketing experience to back it all up.

How do people connect with you through social media? (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
Facebook
Instagram
Behance

Where can people find your business online?
thedanieljones.com

Why did you get into/start this business?
A corporate layoff forced me into rethinking my current situation and career path. I had always been passionate about photography, so I figured this was the time to make a change.

What is the goal of your business?
My goal is to capture dynamic images for a wide range of clients and businesses, with a focus on commercial advertisements, artistic portraits, lifestyle, travel, fashion and outdoor environments. I love collaboration and I want to use my expertise to tell a unique story, to create innovative and inspirational images that drive results for businesses or clientele.

What has been your biggest struggle either in work or life?
I would probably have to say stability. Even though I love it, I have found it incredibly difficult to continue living in the Okanagan. Most of the work I have found here has been for a market outside this area and when that market shifts, so does the stability of that work. I’ve had to reinvent myself and my skills more than few times since my move out here.

If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
I’m going to say something that nobody ever says in this section…. I just might do things a little differently if I had a second chance. I just don’t know how I could ignore some of the mistakes I’ve made and perpetrate them a second time. Having said that, I really don’t have too many regrets.

Why do you think it is important to shop local?
I have had a business and career in the past that fell victim to a shift in global purchasing, so I know all too well why it is important to shop locally. The local merchants literally depend on local money and support in order to survive.

Give someone that you think deserves it a shout out and explain why!
I’d like to give a shout out to the whole Thursday night Beer Club Crew, because they are an awesome group of local individuals.

My nomination for the In Focus spotlight is:
Jesse Van Grunbaum from Green Tree Community Inclusion Programs. They do amazing work in this community!

Other information you would like to share:
Ice Cube just shared my photo on Instagram, no joke!

We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna.