Ranging from the United States all the way to Italy, Jonathan Apicella captures his own self growth and an imaginative view of the world within his photography. He is particularly adventurous and outgoing, and enjoys hobbies such as snowboarding, scuba diving, and travelling. Apicella is a junior at BGSU and is currently majoring in Media Productions, but intends to change it to Marine Biology with the upcoming semester.
Over this past summer alone, he took trips to upper peninsula Michigan, Massachusetts, and Italy, and captured the views along the way. He has stated that behind each piece of art, now posted at Grounds for Thought, is an untold story.
Apicella mentioned two of his favorite pieces taken in Italy this summer, acknowledging his eye for capturing the moments so vividly and beautifully; complementing the architecture, geometric patterns, and symmetry within the scenes. One of them is titled, ‘Hold onto the Moment,’ and holds a deeper narrative. “I experienced life in the moment. I was never emotionally vulnerable or totally mentally present, and it can hurt a lot of friendships and relationships by having that mindset,” Apicella said.
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Another photo of his has the raw emotions from a previous relationship; in a close-up of the Duomo cathedral in Florence, Italy, he describes the fine details captured within the frame. He shared in a past relationship how he was always intently focused on the smaller details and trying to make things better. However, it led to him and his partner being unhappy. He said his failure to see the bigger picture was the catalyst of his relationship’s destruction. He stated, although he is not perfect, growing up has provided a refined self-awareness of his flaws.
Tyler Dermotta, Apicella’s cousin, shared his own take on the growth of Apicella’s artwork. He said, it is constantly evolving his skills, always doing something new and exciting, never taking the same angle twice. “If you’ve ever seen him take a photo, it’s breathtaking. You could easily be out there for hours with Johnny; he will take the same picture a thousand times, each from a new perspective,” Dermotta said.
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The two have traveled together to places such as Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and Massachusetts, where Dermotta has gotten to see several creations in action. Dermotta mentioned one particular excursion in which Apicella wanted to take his camera onto the kayak and get shots above the water, but feared the potential disastrous outcomes. Nevertheless, Apicella ended up taking the opportunity, and Dermotta claims the action of taking chances is what photography is all about; going all in for the views that most are too scared to risk.
Apicella is passionate and creates these photographs for both himself and for the world; his photos are up for purchase at Grounds for Thought on 174 Main Street, from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily. They are also being displayed at Sam B’s.
