James grew up south of Boston, in the towns of Scituate and Marshfield. Both of which had beautiful ocean access. Marshfield also had a great deal of woodlands, where he spent a lot of time exploring and just getting away from things. Because of this, James developed a tremendous appreciation of nature.

Many years later, he bought his first DSLR to photograph skateboarding. A few years in, he started gaining more interest in photography in general, started reading books on it, and began increasing his skill level at photographing other things. This path led him to rediscover his love of nature, which would also become a source of inspiration for his music.

My photography is a source of joy and relaxation for me. The woods and waterfronts of my childhood towns are being developed and overcrowded at a scary pace… It’s my way of preserving it and maybe inspiring someone else to care about it and help preserve it as well.”

–    James Calandrella, musician, photographer