Simon Pixelford often walked past Jake Neopolt, busking his heart out on the sidewalk, by the nearest subway stop. Jake’s well-worn guitar hinted at a passion that could not go unknown for long. His singing voice expelled rugged and catchy melodies that Simon and the other photographers would find themselves humming throughout the day. So when a local music producer contacted Pixelford Photography to shoot an album cover shoot for a recently discovered talent, the team was enthralled when Jake appeared on location on the day of the shoot. Humble yet funny, crass yet refined, with a willingness to do anything – Jake was a photographer’s dream. His only demand that day, asserted with a mischievous smile, was “do what you do – but make sure my gangly mug is blown out by the sun.” And that is exactly what the photographers set to work doing. The “Fire in the Sky” album cover features simple photos of Jake, blasted by the sun – hinting at a raw and burning talent. When asked what he thought about the images, Jake said “they tell the exact story I wanted them to tell – and you guys totally rock!” Jake’s career is flying high now, and we think there’s no one who deserves it more.
