Jason Barnes has worked as a courtroom graphic designer for over three decades. Lawyers rely on designers like Jason to visually organize complex or technical information to help juries understand it better. His visuals not only convey information but also persuade the jury that his attorney’s version of the truth is the most accurate. In addition to his work as a designer, Jason is an accomplished landscape photographer who will be teaching at the Estelle Center this summer.

In this blog post, we explore Jason’s background, examining how he seamlessly combines his expertise in visual persuasion with landscape photography. We also discuss his upcoming landscape photography class at The Estelle Center.

The Art of Persuasion: An Intricate Dance

Jason's role as a courtroom graphic designer involves a delicate dance of persuasion and education. According to Barnes, the strategy is to persuade in the beginning, teach in the middle, and persuade at the end, aiming to evoke both intellectual and emotional responses from the jury. This approach entails presenting facts and swaying emotions to align with a specific narrative. Jason has honed these skills over three decades, and they also inform his landscape photography.

Jason Barnes' landscape photography weekend workshop is Friday, June 21 - Sunday, June 23, 2024. Register here.

A Passion for Landscape Photography

Outside the courtroom, Jason finds inspiration in landscape photography. His passion is sharing the experience of being outdoors—the temperature, the wind on your face, and the environmental nuances. Outdoor experiences can deeply touch us on an emotional level, so Jason aims to capture photographs that evoke an emotional response. Inspiring an emotional response is a philosophy he extends between both his roles as a courtroom graphic designer and a photographer. 

Teaching Landscape Photography

We are fortunate that Jason is offering a three-day landscape photography class at the Estelle Center which will blend theory and practice. He’ll start with classroom time delving into composition, light, and atmosphere. But the class isn't all theory. It’s also an immersive experience. 
On day two, participants will venture into the Great Sand Dunes National Park to take photos and apply the concepts learned in the class. Students will be shooting in raw format, which initially makes the image appear flat. Later, they will learn how to enhance the drama or reality of the photo through techniques such as adjusting color, contrast, atmosphere, cropping, and more.