Jason Furda is a Pittsburgh area native who has had a lifelong interest in Photography. He was born in Washington, Pennsylvania and has been creating art since the late 1990s. Having a camera in some form since he was 9 years old, Jason has developed an attention to detail that allows him to share the way he sees the world.
Education
Jason studied Photography at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor's degree in Applied Media Arts. While at Edinboro, Jason showed work in several campus sponsored shows and was published in the 1999 edition of the Photography Department's Silvervision magazine. Jason also exhibited work at a local coffee shop, Cafe Ole and several Erie Art Museum Spring Shows during his time at Edinboro University. In the fall of 1999, Jason held the position as head photographer at the DrakeWell Museum in Titusville. He photographed events and made prints in the on-site darkroom from both film and glass negatives.
After College
Jason continued to shoot fine art work after graduation and began taking on commercial work including weddings and portraits. In 2005 he opened DivineMayhem Studios, where he offers a wide variety of photographic services including wedding photography, portraits, product photography and event photography.
Exhibitions and Projects
Jason has shown work in several galleries in the greater Pittsburgh area over the last 10 years. Some of which include Most Wanted Fine Arts in Garfield, Mr. Smalls Schoolhouse in Millvale, and most recently the Urban Elite gallery in Oakland. Jason has shown at small local venues such as LaBella Bean in Bridgeville and a temporary gallery space in Washington, Pa that he made into his apartment. He has also contributed to the Lawrenceville Art All Night for the past 5 years. In 2012 Jason chose to start a Picture a Day project that had him shoot, edit, and post one image every day for 366 days. His self imposed rules were that each image must be shot during that day's 24 hour period. One of those images captured multiple lightning strikes and an ominous cloud formation over the city of Pittsburgh. It became very popular on several social media sites, receiving thousands of views in several days time. One of his photographs of the city of Pittsburgh was selected for marketing materials for a local company, Northeastern, LLC. The website Nine And Twenty showcases Jason's product photography for local artist Nathan Bell.
Influences
Jason's influences range from the accepted masters of photography, to friends and family, and even simple experiences. He discovered the work of Edward Steichen in his second year of college and devoured every aspect of his work. Jason admires his humble beginnings and desire to share his view of the world which led him on a journey through life where that had photography embedded in nearly every moment. Jason counts Ansel Adam's process as inspiration more so than his final resulting images. He was a master of capturing the perfect moment, sometimes revisiting a site dozens of times to get the perfect light. Jason also looks to his creative and supportive friends and family for inspiration and drive.
Current Events
Jason's current work is a mix of business and personal passion. He continues to search for new and interesting angles to photograph Pittsburgh, often finding himself in places that few others dare to go . He has increased his visits to local abandoned buildings, often times with a group of fellow urban explorers to capture what has been left behind. He joins his wife at equestrian events to capture her Hunter and Jumper skills. He continues to book and shoot weddings and portraits with a documentary style. He lives in Bridgeville, Pa with his wife, Adriana.
