People to Know: Devon Ek and Reid Jarvi
Two high school seniors, united behind the power of their cameras, are committed to telling a story.
Reid Jarvi is a senior at Apple Valley High School who first got into photography when he was asked to take pictures for the soccer team. After photographing the team on the field, he realized that he was able to put a story in a frame. During the summer, he expanded his reach and took senior pictures for a few people.
Devon Ek, similar to Jarvi, is committed to school, work, and his extracurricular activities. He says he got into photography after he decided he needed to upgrade from taking photos on his phone to something more professional. He saved up a few paychecks and invested in some starter gear. Unlike Jarvi, he quickly learned that his interests lie in videography rather than photography. His most recent works are featured on his YouTube channel.
Over the summer, Jarvi and Ek got together and went on several photoshoots. Jarvi said their shoots take place mostly at the Stone Arch Bridge, Lebanon Hills, and areas located in the Twin Cities. Ek posts his shots on Instagram and Jarvi on his own profile.
Both see their cameras in the same light: a means to tell a story.
Jarvi describes shooting portraits as if he’s capturing someone’s personality all with the click of a shutter. He opts for portraits over landscapes because, “when you work with people […] there’s more of a connection—you’re not just taking a photo, you’re trying to capture an instance where everything just kind of lines up.” That’s what makes photography for Jarvi—the human connection.
For Ek, it’s as the adage goes: a picture is worth a thousand words. He tells his stories with the videos he produces and photos he takes. He says, “It lets you see someone’s perspective of an event through a picture.” Often, he jokes that he doesn’t just take pictures; he makes art.
Ek and Jarvi see their camerawork as only a hobby. They plan to continue it in the future, but nothing too serious. Currently, they’re open to book shoots. For a shoot, a direct message on Instagram is all they ask.
These seniors are more than students or photographers—they’re storytellers.
