Now, years later — and thanks to the advice of a close friend — Rogers has photographs hanging around the state and continues to be honored for his work through the lens.

Rogers, a 2003 graduate of Fort Dodge Senior High, currently lives in Ankeny with his wife, Jonah, and their son, Jameson.

“I’ve always enjoyed taking photos,” Rogers said. “I’m pretty sure I got my first digital camera back in 2003 when we took a trip to California. However, it wasn’t until a friend of mine back in 2013 sat me down and told me everything I was doing ‘wrong’ that I finally started doing everything ‘right.’

“I was shooting in the automatic modes and letting my camera choose the setting for me — which weren’t necessarily ideal — but his advice and letting me tag along with him on shoots is what took my photography to the next level. Shooting in manual allowed me to capture what I was after in a scene and I also gained post-processing tips from him.”

-Submitted photo
Justin Rogers poses with “Images From the Heart of Iowa,” a collection of photos shot by Rogers that was published in 2017.

Rogers didn’t jump right into his current profession upon graduating from Buena Vista University. Instead, he landed a job in Urbandale building websites for car dealerships. Those connections helped him eventually branch out on his own, which also opened the door for more work with the camera.

“While I do enjoy building websites — and that’s ultimately what pays the bills — photography has been a great outlet for me as working from home and sitting behind three computer screens all day long doesn’t allow for much socializing or being able to get out and enjoy nature,” Rogers said. “The fact that I can at least generate enough income from my photos to pay for my photography gear is a bonus as anyone who is involved with photography knows that it is not a cheap hobby. I just consider this my second job and as long as I make enough to support my addiction, then I guess I’m doing all right.

“Because of photography, I’ve made many more friends than I ever would’ve by just working at home. I really enjoy the photography community and being inspired by other people’s work. Seeing so many people at the Iowa State Fair photography competition is always a fun time to catch up with everyone and see what they’ve been up to over the past year. But probably the most rewarding part of photography is hearing how I’ve brought so much joy to people over the year through my images.

“I’m just glad that people enjoy my images as much as I enjoy taking them. I never imagined I’d have a photography book full of my own images published or be the featured artist at an art gallery installation. It’s still weird seeing my work in such a professional capacity — whether in a book, on the cover of a magazine or framed on a wall under the lights.”

Rogers has earned numerous first place awards for his work, which has been featured in publications such as Farm & Ranch Living, Our Iowa and Country. He has also ventured to Mexico, Iceland and Ireland for projects.

-Messenger file photo by Bill Shea
Justin Rogers stands in the Fort Dodge City Council Chambers with a mural of the Fort Dodge skyline.

As he continues to grow with the camera, Rogers is hoping to make it a family affair on future trips.

“Aside from the technical learning curve at the beginning, the hardest part as of late has been finding the time to get out,” Rogers said. “We had our first child at the end of 2017 and, although he’s my best creation, he’s also the most time consuming. I look forward to a few years from now when hopefully he shares some of my same interests (outdoors and photography) and perhaps we can go on some adventures together.”

Samples of his work can be found on RogersPhotography.com. Rogers also had a photo book titled “Images From the Heart of Iowa” published in 2017.