Jennie Merkel Photography

In eighth grade I became infatuated with photography.  My friend Tara and I would pretend we were photographers for National Geographic and go on photo safaris around her family’s farm.  I found that capturing a moment in time, exactly as I saw it, to be exhilarating.  This excitement continues to motivate me today.  In high school I became determined to be the best photographer in the school.  I decided to take every photography class that I could.  I also took pictures for the school newspaper and the yearbook.  I knew that photography was what I wanted to do for a living.  I continued to pursue my photographic education at Rochester Institute of Technology where I earned a B.F.A. in Professional Photographic Illustration.  After graduating, I worked as an assistant to photographers in Rochester, New York, as well as the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas.  Working closely with other photographers for a few years gave me important insights into the world of photography as well as fueled my desire to start my own studio.   

Rochester Institute of Technology

 Rochester Institute of Technology was named the best school in the country for photography by U.S. News and World Reports in 2002.  With award-winning alumni; more than 30 full-time faculty devoted to photography; six bachelor’s degree programs to choose from; and topnotch studios, darkroom facilities, and equipment, RIT’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences is an internationally acknowledged leader in professional photographic education.