joe hertler is a photographer, filmmaker, and musician based in the ann arbor / ypsilanti area of michigan. he has spent the better part of his life making things: songs, music, documentaries, photographs, science curricula, and at least one children's book written in a college dorm room.

joe has been the songwriter and co-producer of his band, the rainbow seekers: a motown-tinged psychedelic folk-rock band that took him from basement shows in lansing to red rocks, bonnaroo, electric forest, and stages across north america. the band has released five records, and have maintained a steady career for well over a decade.

somewhere in all of that touring, joe reconnected with cameras and light. he asked his band and record label to help him out with some gear, figuring it'd be a decent way to save money on music videos. no money was actually saved… music videos remain difficult and expensive to produce. this would eventually lead him (and his partner and bandmate, ryan) towards filmmaking & photography.

tour provided plenty of opportunity to sharpen his photo skills. his bandmates happened to be quite photogenic… and through them he would learn where to find the good light, how to evoke unguarded expressions and gentle smiles, how to bring the best out of his subjects (aka how to make them look and feel comfortable in front of the camera). he'd also learn the technical aspects of his cameras and develop a deep love for lenses and practical lighting.

it wasn't until he started shooting portraits, first of people - and then their pets, that it started to feel like an extension of his process of art-making. handing a friend a really nice picture of themselves and their beloved pet seems trivial, but it's not. joe finds it to be deeply gratifying - photo & film work scratches an itch that previously, only music was able to do.

turns out, just like with music, the more you know, the more you realize how little you know. there is a language at the heart of everything - and each photo taken contributes to that lexicon; a dimmer switch of understanding, and thus appreciation.

he feels that photography is less about creating and more about finding the art inherent within all things. songs, too, are found; he considers each song a gift from the gods of songwriting, his role is to make them heard by connecting experiences and emotion; art requires one’s humanity. he also loves that photowork naturally shifts the focus away from himself and towards a subject. it has been the perfect addition to his creative & sensory toolkit.

joe shoots on full-frame Sony & Nikon cinema cameras and lenses and approaches portraiture like a cinematographer approaches a scene: with patience, humility, intention, sensitivity, and with a genuine interest in the person in front of the lens.

he is interested in making you look like you at your best, on a really good day, in a familiar, comfy, and relaxed environment, in really good light, with the people (and pets) you love. there is no substitute for authentic joy.

he also genuinely just loves animals. his cat socks did not consent to any of this, but she is doing fine. she still remains nearly impossible to photograph.