At the Harrisburg High School, Jon Klemme voluntarily photographs for HHS sports, choir concerts, classroom special events, and district-wide events such as Harrisburg Days. Alongside Harrisburg, Mr. Klemme pursues his talents within other sporting events and groups: NCAA teams and NCAA championship tournaments. Within the realm of Harrisburg sports, Mr. Klemme has enjoyed capturing and experiencing the energy and flow of emotion: “Trying to capture that emotion in the moment is magic behind a great photograph. It’s the connection people have to that point in time when they can look at it and remember how those times made them feel.” In fact, one of his favorite works was during a State Girls Basketball Tournament where he captured a picture just after a key shot and foul: “…the coach was letting out a visceral roar, arms extended with clenched fists and the crowd behind him was jumping for joy at the moment…”
Klemme grew interested in photography at a young age. His father played a big role in his interest due to the photos he took during family events. As he grew older, Klemme began to develop his own style of photography. Most of his works are “in the moment” and full of action; photography is full of life moments that cannot be recreated. Mr. Klemme has picked up some of these skills through the influence of sports photographers Bill Frakes, Brad Rempel, and Matt Hernandez.
As a photographer, Mr. Klemme experiences many challenging and rewarding moments. Throughout his journey, Klemme has bypassed many obstacles, such as getting access into NCAA events, knowing who to contact for each event, and dealing with the technicalities of finding the right lighting. For Klemme, bringing the right camera to tend to the lighting is not always necessary; Jon goes by the saying, “The best camera is the one you have with you.” Although hardships are crossed, Klemme finds himself in rewarding positions: “Connecting with people. I have met a lot of great people through photography… It’s also very fun to have sideline access to witness the games up close.”
As technology advances, so does Klemme’s range of cameras; his current camera collection includes a Nikon D500 with a Nikkor 70-200mm lens. Recently, Mr. Klemme has purchased a drone in hopes of being able to create a higher level of quality in his photographs. According to Klemme, a good picture “needs to be in focus and have good light and color.”
After exposure to Mr. Klemme’s hobby of photography, Josh Klemme, his son, began to develop an interest in photography as well. Jon believes photography means “capturing history, sharing memories, and connecting with people.” Sharing his memories and passion through photos with those he captures and his own son is truly an amazing occurrence for this photographer.