In an age where digital filters and one-click presets often dictate visual trends, photographer Victor Jaramillo stands apart as a master of lighting, using it not merely to illuminate, but to narrate. His work is defined by an intuitive command of lighting and a style that harmonizes raw emotion with calculated precision—qualities that have made him one of the most compelling visual storytellers emerging from South Florida’s creative scene.
One of the pivotal moments in Jaramillo’s artistic development came from an unlikely source: a single lighting workshop. “It was the day I truly understood the power of killing ambient light to build a scene entirely with strobes,” he recalls. That revelation didn’t just shift his technical approach—it unlocked an entirely new visual language. From that moment, light became his primary tool.
His lighting technique is nothing if not intentional. Jaramillo begins every shoot by studying the location. From five-strobe setups with colored gels to more recent minimalist single-light configurations, his choices are always guided by story rather than spectacle. “I’m particularly drawn to contrasty light, hard shadows, and a sense of drama,” he says. “Lately, I’ve been experimenting a lot with bare strobes… there’s something raw and immediate about that approach.”
That rawness—tempered by experience and refined through instinct—gives Jaramillo’s work its unique signature. His portraits pulse with emotional depth, whether shaped by a single softbox or a complex array of colored gels. In his black-and-white series BJT, Jaramillo stripped away distractions to capture nearly 200 individuals against a stark white background, using a single light to craft a consistent yet deeply expressive visual style. Each image carries a quiet intensity, where the face becomes the narrative.
In contrast, Flavor Palette—a vibrant series of chefs and restaurateurs photographed in their environments—embraces color and complexity. Here, Jaramillo uses four or more lights and vivid gels to sculpt rich, layered scenes that reflect the personality and environment of each subject. Kitchens, coffee shops, and even construction sites become theatrical stages, transformed by his lighting into immersive visual experiences.
“Lighting isn’t just technical—it’s emotional,” Jaramillo emphasizes. “It’s about shaping the image to match a feeling, a narrative, or a sense of tension.” His process resists rigid formulas, instead privileging artistic intention: knowing what each image needs and responding with deliberate, expressive choices. Whether he's chasing the magic of golden hour or casting dramatic shadows with artificial light, Jaramillo's goal remains the same—to frame identity and emotion through the lens of light.
Local context plays a role as well. Living and working in Miami, he draws inspiration from the city’s natural palette—especially what he affectionately calls “Miami Blue,” that unmistakable sky hue that recurs throughout his visual storytelling. “Even during hurricane season, Miami offers that glimpse of blue sky every day,” he notes. “It shapes the way we see and feel the environment.”
His evolving body of work has not gone unnoticed. Last month, Jaramillo was invited to serve as a juror for the Coral Gables Museum’s Capture Coral Gables Photography Contest—a competition he once won himself. The recognition feels fitting: a full-circle moment for an artist who continues to shape not just images, but the very dialogue around visual storytelling in his community.
As Jaramillo continues to push the boundaries of his practice, what remains constant is his belief in light as more than a tool—it’s a voice, a brushstroke, a signature. In his hands, lighting becomes a form of language, one that doesn’t just show you a subject, but lets you feel them.
