Jacob Spetzler

121 North Taylor Street • Gunnison, CO 81231
917.205.1990 • jacobspetzler@gmail.com
www.jacobspetzler.com • @jacobspetzler_photo

EDUCATION

Present - Master of Fine Arts, Photography (projected graduation Aug. 2025)
University of Hartford International Low Residency Photography Program
Hartford, Connecticut
Advisors: Robert Lyons and Chikara Umihara

2023 - Missouri Photo Workshop
Sedalia, MO
Advisors: Gabrielle Lurie and Randy Olson

2022 - Foundry Workshop, VII Foundation
Online
Advisor: Danny Wilcox Frazier

2016 - Bachelor of Fine Arts, Film/Tv and Philosophy
New York University Tisch School of the Arts, New York, New York
Emphasis: Writing, directing, lighting

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

Freelance Photographer/Photo Editor/Writer (2012-Present)

Journalism (photography and writing)
Select editorial clients:

  • The Denver Post

  • Colorado Public Radio

  • Axios Denver

  • Gunnison Country Times

  • Crested Butte News

  • The Tico Times

Commercial Photography
Select commercial clients:

  • The Old Firehouse, Ridgway, CO

  • Western Colorado University, Gunnison, CO

  • Slogar, Crested Butte Colorado

  • Colorado Christian University, Lakewood, CO

  • 1880 Tapas, Gunnison, CO

  • Butte Bagels, Crested Butte, CO

Speaking Engagements and Lectures

  • Artist Presentation
    Honors Photography, Western Colorado University, Gunnison, CO
    November 19, 2024

  • Photo Editor Interview – Video Podcast - https://vimeo.com/733402831
    Think Radio - Gunnison Country Times, Gunnison, CO
    July 27, 2022

  • "Sports Photography for Non-Sports Enthusiasts" – Artist Presentation and Lecture
    Western Slope Photojournalism Workshop, Paonia, CO
    July, 2022

Gallery Exhibitions

  • A Field of Blue is Not the Sky – Hartford MFA Group Exhibition
    Villa Heika, Berlin, Germany
    May 2024

  • The Grandaddy of Rodeos – Group Exhibition
    Gunnison Arts Center, Gunnison, CO
    August 2023

  • FIREPLACE 409 – Group Exhibition
    409 Bleeker, New York, New York
    January 2021

Educator (2018-Present)

Adjunct Lecturer

  • Western Colorado University: COM 264 Introduction to Media Production (Spring 2025)

Guest Artist and Advisor

  • Western Colorado University: COM 398 Film Practicum (Spring 2025)

Guest Lecturer

  • Western Colorado University: COM 346 Multimedia Communication (Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025); COM 389 Media Production: Narrative (Spring 2025); COM 397 Multiformat Journalism (Spring 2024)

  • Crested Butte Community School: 'Student Filmmakers Club' (May 2021)

  • Western Slope Photojournalism Workshop, Paonia, CO (August 2021)

  • Gunnison High School 'Student Newspaper Club' (Fall 2023)

Workshop Leader

  • Gunnison Photojournalism Workshop, Gunnison High School (2022)

    • Designed and led an 8-week photojournalism workshop for highschoolers

  • Beginning Photography, Gunnison Center for the Arts (2022)

    • Designed and led a 6-week beginning photography class for adults

Advisor/TA

  • Western Colorado University student newspaper Top O' the World: Community Advisor and Copyeditor (Spring 2024)

  • Middle School Dark Room Class, International Center for Photography 'The Point', The Bronx, New York: Teaching Assistant (Winter 2019-2020)

Gunnison Country Food Pantry, Gunnison, CO

Fund Development Associate (2023-Present)
Oversee day-to-day fundraising activities, including writing grants, organizing social media fundraising campaigns, and writing the monthly newsletter. Raised $80,000 in 2024 through a combination of grants, appeals and social media fundraising campaigns.

Gunnison Country Times, Gunnison, CO

Photo and Sports Editor (2022-2024)
Sports Editor and Photographer (2021-2022)
Weekend Photographer (2021)
Lead award winning photo and sports coverage for the print weekly and online editions of the Gunnison Country Times. Wrote articles, produced photography, managed photographers, freelancers and interns. Coordinated a monthly Spanish language page and created features/photo essays.

The Tico Times, San Jose, Costa Rica

Journalism Intern (2019)
Identify key issues that merit reporting, consult with the editorial team, shoot photos and write articles.

ExBerliner, Berlin, Germany

Photography Intern (2018)
Photograph events, people and products for the English language culture magazine in Berlin.

All:Expanded, New York, New York

Production Assistant (2015)
Assist in all aspects of commercial and music video production from pre-production to the final screening.

Yemane Demissie, New York, New York

Post-production assistant (2014)
Assist Director Yemane Demissie in digitizing, archiving, and organizing a vast collection of materials for editing into a feature documentary film.

Freelance Filmmaker (2012-Present)

Writer/Director/Cinematographer

  • Blue Ridge Motel (2017) – Short Film
    (Writer/Director)

    • https://vimeo.com/227759997?share=copy

    • Password: BlueRidge

    • Screenings: Lakewood High School, Lakewood, Colorado (February 2017) and the Open School, Lakewood, Colorado (May 2017)

  • Getting to Second Base Live Sessions, Kansas City, MO (2016-2017) – Live Session Series
    (Creator)

    • I'll Be Gone, True Newman: https://youtu.be/1hIN9-xe6jk?si=OIWvockM5cTg6d_Q

    • Slobber, Tall Boys: https://vimeo.com/231494364?share=copy

    • Piece, Excuses of Youth: https://vimeo.com/226177685?share=copy

  • Wear Me Like a Mitt, Romney, Missouri Executive Order 44 – Music Video
    (Creator)

    • Kansas City, Missouri (2023)

    • https://youtu.be/igZSrH1Rmgg?si=UTWyZL8cla0DaX56

  • Anatomy of a Protest, Frame.Media – Interactive Documentary
    (Cinematographer)

    • New York City, New York (2020)

    • https://www.frame.media/projects/anatomy-of-a-protest-blm

  • Sveli, Lasha Von Chapel – Music Video

    • Berlin, Germany (2019)

    • https://youtu.be/fsiJQgrdx7Y?si=Ak4Qzwl5rhWsYIiA

  • ThrdCoast Blue Room Live Sessions: Psymon Spine – Live Session

    • https://youtu.be/-Lljd_JDmX4?si=wS_A3uSo6eIR-rUp

Select Misc. Credits

  • The Book of Henry (2017) - Feature Film

    • Electric

    • Dir. Colin Trevorrow

    • Starring Naomi Watts, Jaeden Martell, Jacob Tremblay

  • Hello Again (2015) – Feature Film

    • Electric

    • Dir. Tom Gustafson

    • Martha Plimpton, Sam Underwood, Nolan Gerard Funk

  • The Off Season (2018) - Short Film

    • Production Designer

    • Dir. Tucker Pearson

  • Mutt (2016) – Short Film

    • Gaffer

    • Dir. Chloe Aktas

  • Counterpoint (2016) – Fashion Film

    • https://vimeo.com/160989055

    • Gaffer

    • Dir. Tobias Nathan

  • Oh Land – Cherry On Top (2014) – Music Video

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNJALPPCksY&ab_channel=OhLand

    • Production assistant

    • Dir. Duncan Winecoff

PRESS

"Lasha Chapel has released a new video clip 'Sveli'"
Test Press (Tbilisi, Georgia)
January 1, 2021
Director
Coverage of "Sveli" by Lasha Chapel
https://testpress.news/lasha-chapel-vypustil-klip-sveli/

"True Newman, Alicia Solo, Headlight Rivals, and more of the best local music videos"
The Pitch (Kansas City)
Nick Spacek, August 9, 2017
Director, Getting to Second Base summer live session series
Coverage of True Newman "I'll Be Gone" (Tom Waits cover)
https://www.thepitchkc.com/true-newman-alicia-solo-headlight-rivals-and-more-of-the-best-local-music-videos/

AWARDS AND HONORS

Colorado Press Association Better News Media Awards, Class Six (Weeklies)

Gunnison Country Times Photo Department Achievement:
Excellence in Photo and Design (2022, 2023) - Led photo department 2022-2024

For 2023 Work (Awarded 2024):

  • 1st Place, Best Sports Story - "Win Together, Lose Together"

  • 1st Place, Best Photo Essay - "Never-never Land"

  • 1st Place, Best Photo Essay - "Western Boxing"

  • 2nd Place, Best Sports Photograph - "Mountaineer Cheer"

  • 2nd Place, Best Feature Photograph - "The Cowboy in Us All"

For 2022 Work (Awarded 2023):

  • 1st Place, Best Feature Story - "The Zen of Corduroy"

  • 1st Place, Best Sports Story - "Swimming, Biking and Running to Florida"

  • 2nd Place, Best Sports Story - "Youth Wrestling Flourishes in the Valley"

  • 1st Place, Best Feature Photograph - "Supporting the Weight of the Stars and Stripes"

  • 1st Place, Best Cover Photograph - "Winter Sports Preview"

  • 1st Place, Best News Photograph - "Fresh Greens in the Dead of Winter"

  • 2nd Place, Best News Photograph - "Wednesday After-School Program Sees Success at Gunnison Elementary"

  • 1st Place, Best Sports Photograph - "Women's Basketball Splits at Home"

  • 2nd Place, Best Sports Photograph - "Friday Night Lights Returns"

  • 2nd Place, Best Photographer Portfolio

For 2021 Work (Awarded 2022):

  • 1st Place, Best Sports Photograph – "Western Basketball"

  • 2nd Place, Best Sports Photograph – "Historic Season Comes to an End"

  • 2nd Place, Best Agriculture Story – "End of the Busy Season"

  • 2nd Place, Best Photography Portfolio

SKILLS AND PROFICIENCIES

Languages

  • English – native speaker

  • Spanish – professionally fluent

  • German – intermediate

Tech and Software

  • Adobe Suite: Lightroom, Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere

  • Photo Mechanic

  • Capture One

  • HeliconFocus

Cameras and other gear:

  • Comfortable with a wide variety of cinema, video and still cameras including Canon, FujiFilm, Sony, Panasonic and more.

  • Experience with both strobe and constant lighting for photo and video from small run-and-gun documentary lighting to major feature films to commercial restaurant photo shoots

  • Proficient experience with audio recording for filmmaking

Printing:

  • Proficient photo printer on both Epson and Canon professional inkjet printers using a variety of workflows

Darkroom and Analogue Photography:

  • Proficient in analogue 35 mm, medium format and 4x5 view camera photography

  • Proficient in dark room film processing and printing

Certifications

  • CPR (2024)

  • PSIA Level 1 Alpine Ski Instructor (2020)

  • Wilderness First Aid (2021)

  • Colorado Raft Guide Certification (2021)