Meet Jason Kroening | Family Man & Aspiring Photographer

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

Hi Jason, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?

As I have gotten older, and especially after becoming a parent, I found the work to play ratio I had been running since my early-twenties is now burning me out in my thirties. The realization of how deep in the salary rat-race I had gotten hit home really hard. I have an amazing family, make good money, and have a home to call our own. By my own definition; I have it all. I should feel as if I had “made it”, yet I felt incomplete.

Lately I have started the process of adjusting my lifestyle to allot more time for my family, and give them unique opportunities to pursue their passions. Growing up, I never understood why adults attached so much value to their free-time. Years later, I am “that adult” and am learning the older I get, the more I understand that value.

For me, work/life balance is similar to physical balance. Conscious or not, I am seeking and working to keep balance in my life. Just as my inner ear keeps me physically balanced. My inner self keeps me mentally balanced. Both become unbalanced and stumble at times, as well as have a direct impact on my overall well-being. Attending both sides is an important part to staying healthy.

A part of my journey has been learning to accept changes as they come; As well as accepting the time it can take to adjust to changes in my life. This path of decluttering and shifting priorities has just begun. However, I have found that with each change, regardless of size, makes an exponential improvement to my inner balance.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

Growing up Dad was always blasting pictures with his Canon AE-1 and zoom lens. But it wasn’t until I turned 30, I bought my first camera; A Nikon D3500 DSLR. I still remember the feel of finally being able to break away from my phone camera. At the time, the best part of digital was instant gratification. I loved the ability to view my shot immediately after I had made it. However, I found my “digital high” was short-lived. I began to dislike the “sterile” feeling of my digital work. Digital cameras produce such crisp, clear images, that I felt the photos were less like a true representation of my subject. For me, too perfect.

I never thought that 3 decades later I would discover film photography as a hobby; But it was love at first roll. The heavy feel of the Nikon F5 I had purchased; The shutter sound akin to a finely tuned machine – It felt right. As expected, the drastic change from digital to film was not without its lessons. The first being to slow down. Film forced my inner self to take a breath and be in the present. Without that breath, I was unable to find my composition and nail the exposure I wanted. Second lesson was, there is no instant gratification in film photography. It’s an aspect of film photography that I have loved from the start. Before this, I had become obsessed with how fast I could get from start to finish. Now I was focused on the journey to cross the finish line.

Because most local photo labs have shuttered their doors, I decided to learn how to develop my own film. Just like firing my first frame of 35mm, it was love at first roll. From the smell of developer and blix, coupled with a process that forces me to center, and focus on the task at hand; It gave me a sense of centering. I can without doubt say that shooting and developing my own film has forever changed my life.

I try not to take my work too seriously, and never put too much emphasis on “finding a style”. I believe that if you produce work that is true to yourself; Your “style” will naturally evolve.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

One of the amazing things about Colorado is the endless list of things to do and places to visit. I would first start by finding a show or event in the heart of Denver. What’s a trip to Colorado without a visit to the mile high city, right? After taking in the beautiful cityscapes, we would venture off to the amazing wilderness areas found throughout the state. Starting with Estes Park to explore Rocky Mountain National Park, its warm downtown district, and the gorgeous surrounding areas.

Estes Park is great because things to do are not limited to the park itself. In town, there are delicious local restaurants of all fares. Don’t forget to walk downtown, stop in to the unique shops, and find a family event.

During my most recent trip, I ate at El-Mex Kal. I especially enjoyed their Mexican Burrito. Great portion size and awesome pricing make it an excellent candidate for lunch or dinner. If pizza is more your style, Bob & Tony’s Pizza is a solid choice.

Next stop would be West, to Steamboat Springs. Downtown Steamboat offers many unique shops and boutiques, as well as dozens of trails and family activities nearby. My favorite restaurant is Skull Creek Greek. They have a Greek style menu and make one of the best Gyros and seasoned fries I have had to date. I hope to spend more time in Steamboat in the future as there are many things I have yet to experience in the area.

Ultimately, the last destination would be Breckenridge. With things to do such as drive the Boreas Pass, mountain bike the local trails, and eat at the amazing eateries found downtown. There is surely something for everyone in this mountain town. For a great breakfast benedict, stop by Columbine Cafe. A cup of their fresh coffee and a seat on their patio is perfect for those cool summer mornings. I’m a pizza guy, so of course I would have to take them to Fatty’s. They have an amazing atmosphere and dining area, and the food is just as tasty. If you are within walking distance, use your feet as parking can be difficult during peak times.

For the photographers (film photographers especially), stop by Breckenridge Photographics. Spend time talking to the owner, David Pfau. Breckenridge Photographics carries popular film stocks, provides camera repair, and has an amazing collection of his work for sale. I was low on film when I arrived at Breck in July. His store came in clutch with the film stock I wanted. He also introduced me to some new ones. I could have spent the whole day talking shop with David. Please do stop by if you ever find yourself in the area.

I feel Colorado is especially unique because you can plan various sized loops around the state without excessive backtracking. If you couple this with the amazing people, beautiful weather, and seemingly endless amounts of breathtaking views; You have a vacation state that you can go to year after year.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost my wife Julie and son Parker. For showing me a level of love & acceptance I never thought possible. Mom for reinforcing my creativity. And Dad, for always having his Canon AE-1 out.

Website: www.jasonkroening.com

Instagram: _southkvisual

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRgq_PcJ6Q1obYBhy4q7Wng

Other: Print shop https://grainbin.darkroom.tech/