Joseph Jett’s passion for the American Southwest

Joseph Jett’s passion for the American Southwest as well as his ancestral American Indian and Spanish roots have brought him to view and share perspectives of the world through his camera lens. He traces his genealogy to the 16th century with both Spanish heritage and American Indian genetic background verified by National Geographic’s DNA testing. He was born in northern New Mexico and has been photographing various subjects and scenes for most of his life.

The current and ancestral experiences of his “beginnings” have yielded the diversity of his photographic perspectives. This background has inspired him to photograph the Southwest and to share this book format with others who may be long-standing citizens of the area, those who are newly settled in Santa Fe and northern New Mexico, or those visiting the Southwest in person or through the book. 

The Southwest photos in this book reveal the authenticity of human expression.  The architectural flourishes of the Southwest’s historic churches and contemporary home; the blooming flowers adjacent to the adobe homes; the rough-worn hues of the antique trucks as shown in the gallery captures history, imagination, and passion.  His photos of artists, artisans, and merchants give the contemporary perspective on life ins 21st century northern New Mexico.

Finally, the interaction of light, darkness, and shadow as shown in the “Black and White” gallery embodies the flow between the celestial light and dark. The mix of Southwest earth tones, vibrant colors, cultural icons and human identities have yielded beautiful images.