The name is Jesse Thornton, the photographer behind "Reflection in a Pool." I’m native of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, a small-town famous for the Mothman and stunning views of the Ohio River. At present day, I call Huntington, West Virginia home, after acquiring a master’s degree in biomedical sciences at Marshall University. Growing up with cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition usually terminal by age 40, I’ve lived with a keen sense of mortality from a very young age and through that, developed a great appreciation for the world around me. While in grad school, I seized the opportunity to make the most of this time and explore the country. To accompany me on my travels, I picked up a camera and taught myself how to use it, capturing the vast landscapes of the American West. However, I found that I couldn’t stay away from the ancient, softly eroded Appalachian Mountains of my home state, ultimately deciding to make a career of capturing its compelling vistas, seasonally changing landscapes, and dark skies of West Virginia through my lens.

In 2021, I began to independently lead landscape photography group workshops, often teaming up with other talented photographers. These workshops have taken place in various locales within the mountains of West Virginia, as well as the Outer Banks, North Carolina with a particular focus on teaching folks how to capture night sky landscapes with their cameras, while also bringing awareness to the problem of light pollution. The workshops consist of small to medium sized groups of beginners to advanced photographers.

My work has been used to promote the dark skies within my state in various publications. With the help of volunteer efforts of the Watoga Foundation my photography of the night sky has been used to assist Watoga State Park, Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, and Calvin Price State Park in becoming IDA approved dark sky parks; thereby promoting education, dark sky tourism and the preservation of dark skies around a large portion of West Virginia. I have also conducted night sky photography workshops within these parks as part of the IDA educational requirements.

Working with state and local tourism agencies, my photographs have been used to highlight both the natural and urban areas in our region. I have been privileged to have a long working relationship with several galleries that have shown my photography in both group and solo exhibitions, often accompanied by teaching opportunities. I’m particularly proud of my involvement in the Lost Towns exhibit at the Tygart Hotel in Elkins, WV which includes a permanent installation of over 50 pieces of my work showcasing the natural beauty of the areas surrounding local historic logging towns that have faded from existence.