Jakob Lilja-Ruiz

"Photography has slowly become the underlying language of modern society. The focus on capturing authentic candid moments of life, all within the rules of the medium, is something that keeps me glued to my camera. 
Picking up a tool to document life invites magic to happen right in front of you. If you train yourself to read these visual moments sculpted by light, you truly get to rediscover the whole world around you. 

Photo by Jakob Lilja-Ruiz
Portra 400

Photo by Jakob Lilja-Ruiz
Portra 400

Growing up as a first generation American was a catalyst to explore the environment around me. 
My heroes were the dirt bag adventures traveling the country chasing the rugged landscapes that the world had to offer. 
Out of the 5 years I’ve been traveling with a camera, 3 plus has been solely on film. The warm nostalgic color mixed with the imperfections of the medium has me chasing after beautiful moments shaped by soft light.

I’m currently in the Bay Area, spending the winter documenting the culture of the West Coast for my long-term project called “Lands End.” Growing up, seeing the coastal landscapes and architecture really became the baseline of my archive, and I’m pushing to create my first book from this body of work."

Photo by Jakob Lilja-Ruiz
Portra 400