Ralph Jones has been experimenting with the photographic process since the age of 10. In 2007, after concluding a 30 year career in the auto industry, he renewed his passion for photography.
While traveling abroad he discovered the perception of Detroit, his hometown, was quite different than his personal experiences. For the last few years he has been documenting the city of Detroit in an attempt to inspire an appreciation and understanding of the uniqueness of Detroit, her buildings, and her people. As a result of this documentation he has set about developing a second career as a photographer, editor, publisher, exhibiting artist and educator.
“Ralph Jones, a favorite of mine, sees Detroit through a very compassionate, humane, non-judgemental filter (his heart) that when viewed through his lens, provides us with an important view of Detroit (his hope). He is an ambassador for Detroit through his photography. If politics didn’t require corruption, he’d be Detroit’s man.”
Dinah Hemenway Oude-Reimerink
“The Gordon Parks of my time”
Mike Wachowiak
“His work makes me better understand how some cultures believe Photography captures a persons soul”
Sheila O’Brien
“Here are a dozen contemporary photographers from Detroit — among them Ralph Jones, Scott Hocking, Dave Jordano, Leni Sinclair and Steve Shaw — holding up a mirror to their own city and neighbors. The result is an honest and nuanced view of the city that gets beyond the cliches of ruin porn and the superficial travelogues of flyover artists and photojournalists.”
Mark Stryker, Detroit Free Press
“Ralph Jones always celebrates light in darkness. His works demonstrate comfort in all environments…”
2021 Kresge Eminent Artist Shirley Woodson
Exhibitions
2024
The Artists Market – The Detroit Lens – Group Exhibition
The Henry Ford Centennial Library – Pop Up – Group Exhibition
2023
Plymouth Community Arts Council – O.G. Exhibition – Group Exhibition
PhotoSC (South Carolina) – The Night – Group Exhibition
2022
22 NORTH - Conversation On Mortality – Group Exhibition
Grosse Pointe Artists Association – Scarab Club Photography Focus – Group Exhibition
Chroma – You Belong: An Exhibition on Belonging – Group Exhibition
2021
The Scarab Club – Gold Metal Exhibition – Group Exhibition
South Haven Center for the Arts – The Skin I’m In – Group Exhibition
The Scarab Cub – 50th Annual Photography Exhibition – (Juror)
The Scarab Club – The Souls of Black Folks – Group Exhibition
2020
The Hannan Center – ‘Round Midnight – Solo Exhibition
The Scarab Club – 2020 Exhibition of Contemporary Photography
Darkroom Detroit – Forethought – Group Exhibition
ArtWorks Detroit – Group Exhibition
The Scarab Club – LOCKDOWN 2020 - On Line Group Exhibition
2019
Cass Cafe – Round Midnight Detroit After Dark – Photography of Jon DeBoer & Ralph Jones
Focus Hope Photography Festival – Curator’s Exhibition
Emerge Arts Festival – Group Exhibition/Competition
Norwest Gallery – Detroit Muse – Group Exhibition
National Conference of Artists Michigan – Brilliance/Heritage Annual – Group Exhibition
Black Box Gallery – Captured In The D’s – Group Photography Exhibition
Whitdel Arts – Members – Group All Media Exhibition
2018
National Conference of Artists Michigan – Brilliance Heritage & Brandywine
Whitdel Arts – House Warming – Group Exhibition
Whitdel Arts – Lay Name Place Reply – Group Exhibition
Whitdel Arts – Drinks x Design: Interiors & Makers – Group Exhibition
DMJ Studio – Fenkell: Unknown Treasures – Group Exhibition
333 Midland – Celebrating Diversity through Photography – Group Exhibition
Focus Hope – Focus: On Detroit Photography Festival – Photo Festival
2017
Detroit Artists at Silver Maples – Group Exhibition
Boll Center – Diversity – Group Photography Exhibition
Focus Hope – In Pursuit of Hope; Reflection on the 67 Rebellion – Film and Photography Exhibition
Art and Soul; Every Child is a Work of Art – Traveling group Photography Exhibition
National Conference of Artist’s Detroit – Detroit Views and Vistas – Group Photography Exhibition
2016
Detroit Institute of Arts – Detroit After Dark – Group Exhibition
Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center – The Dark Side – Group Exhibition
Detroit Artists Market – 313 People – Featured Artist
2015
Nuit Blanche Toronto – The Lava Project; Lava Pour
Boll Center – 313 7 by 7 Group Exhibition
Sweet Potato Sensations – Visionary Voices II: Group Exhibition
Always Brewing – Urban Visions: Photography of David Legg & Ralph Jones
2014
Wayne State University – Follow the Lines: Environmental Legacy, Health, and Fishing the Detroit River
555 Gallery – Pieces from the Whole; A collection of works from Carbon Arts
2013
Woods Gallery – AWAKE & DREAMING - Ralph Jones Photography, Terri Light Mixed Media
2012
The Scarab Club – Photography Group Exhibition
Arts Extended Gallery – ”...and the one on the left is your uncle Junior.”
Detroit Artist’s Market – “80” Group Exhibition
Detroit Artist’s Market – The Garden Party Group Exhibition
Detroit Artist’s Market – “Night” Exhibition
Detroit Artist’s Market – Biannual All Media Exhibition
2011
Detroit Artist’s Market – Art for the Holidays
The Scarab Club Detroit – Photography Group Exhibition
National Conference of Artist’s/Detroit – Art party G.R. N’Namdi Gallery
Detroit Artist’s Market – The Garden Party Group Exhibition
National Conference of Artists/Detroit – “Believing is Seeing; The Photography of Ralph Jones” Solo Exhibition
The Scarab Club Detroit – “Working Class Heroes” Group Exhibition
2010
Virgil Carr Cultural Center Detroit – “Diversity” Group Exhibition
Virgil Carr Cultural Center Detroit – “Paradise in the City” Group Exhibition
Scarab Club Detroit – Photography Group Exhibition
Woods Gallery – Huntington Woods – “Images of Detroit” Group Exhibition
Client List
Be My Guest
Carbon Arts Detroit
Chase Photog
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
Edible Hut
Enterprise Holdings
Focus Hope
George Street
Halftime Magazine
Helping Hands Campaign
Le Petit Zinc
Local Motion Green
Michigan Citizen
Michigan Tai Chi Center
New York Daily News
Okela Neveaux
Pro Wrestling Allstars
Sean Hages
Senghor Reid
Service Employee International Union
Steffanie Christi’an
TEDxDetroit
Young Builders of Detroit
Girl Scouts of America ( Michigan)
Publications
TBD Magazine (2017)
‘Round Midnight (2016)
Land Obscura Volume 1 (2016)
Detroit After Dark (2016)
Halftime Magazine (2014)
Dirty Pictures (2013)
While traveling abroad he discovered the perception of Detroit, his hometown, was quite different than his personal experiences. For the last few years he has been documenting the city of Detroit in an attempt to inspire an appreciation and understanding of the uniqueness of Detroit, her buildings, and her people. As a result of this documentation he has set about developing a second career as a photographer, editor, publisher, exhibiting artist and educator.
“Ralph Jones, a favorite of mine, sees Detroit through a very compassionate, humane, non-judgemental filter (his heart) that when viewed through his lens, provides us with an important view of Detroit (his hope). He is an ambassador for Detroit through his photography. If politics didn’t require corruption, he’d be Detroit’s man.”
Dinah Hemenway Oude-Reimerink
“The Gordon Parks of my time”
Mike Wachowiak
“His work makes me better understand how some cultures believe Photography captures a persons soul”
Sheila O’Brien
“Here are a dozen contemporary photographers from Detroit — among them Ralph Jones, Scott Hocking, Dave Jordano, Leni Sinclair and Steve Shaw — holding up a mirror to their own city and neighbors. The result is an honest and nuanced view of the city that gets beyond the cliches of ruin porn and the superficial travelogues of flyover artists and photojournalists.”
Mark Stryker, Detroit Free Press
“Ralph Jones always celebrates light in darkness. His works demonstrate comfort in all environments…”
2021 Kresge Eminent Artist Shirley Woodson
Exhibitions
2024
The Artists Market – The Detroit Lens – Group Exhibition
The Henry Ford Centennial Library – Pop Up – Group Exhibition
2023
Plymouth Community Arts Council – O.G. Exhibition – Group Exhibition
PhotoSC (South Carolina) – The Night – Group Exhibition
2022
22 NORTH - Conversation On Mortality – Group Exhibition
Grosse Pointe Artists Association – Scarab Club Photography Focus – Group Exhibition
Chroma – You Belong: An Exhibition on Belonging – Group Exhibition
2021
The Scarab Club – Gold Metal Exhibition – Group Exhibition
South Haven Center for the Arts – The Skin I’m In – Group Exhibition
The Scarab Cub – 50th Annual Photography Exhibition – (Juror)
The Scarab Club – The Souls of Black Folks – Group Exhibition
2020
The Hannan Center – ‘Round Midnight – Solo Exhibition
The Scarab Club – 2020 Exhibition of Contemporary Photography
Darkroom Detroit – Forethought – Group Exhibition
ArtWorks Detroit – Group Exhibition
The Scarab Club – LOCKDOWN 2020 - On Line Group Exhibition
2019
Cass Cafe – Round Midnight Detroit After Dark – Photography of Jon DeBoer & Ralph Jones
Focus Hope Photography Festival – Curator’s Exhibition
Emerge Arts Festival – Group Exhibition/Competition
Norwest Gallery – Detroit Muse – Group Exhibition
National Conference of Artists Michigan – Brilliance/Heritage Annual – Group Exhibition
Black Box Gallery – Captured In The D’s – Group Photography Exhibition
Whitdel Arts – Members – Group All Media Exhibition
2018
National Conference of Artists Michigan – Brilliance Heritage & Brandywine
Whitdel Arts – House Warming – Group Exhibition
Whitdel Arts – Lay Name Place Reply – Group Exhibition
Whitdel Arts – Drinks x Design: Interiors & Makers – Group Exhibition
DMJ Studio – Fenkell: Unknown Treasures – Group Exhibition
333 Midland – Celebrating Diversity through Photography – Group Exhibition
Focus Hope – Focus: On Detroit Photography Festival – Photo Festival
2017
Detroit Artists at Silver Maples – Group Exhibition
Boll Center – Diversity – Group Photography Exhibition
Focus Hope – In Pursuit of Hope; Reflection on the 67 Rebellion – Film and Photography Exhibition
Art and Soul; Every Child is a Work of Art – Traveling group Photography Exhibition
National Conference of Artist’s Detroit – Detroit Views and Vistas – Group Photography Exhibition
2016
Detroit Institute of Arts – Detroit After Dark – Group Exhibition
Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center – The Dark Side – Group Exhibition
Detroit Artists Market – 313 People – Featured Artist
2015
Nuit Blanche Toronto – The Lava Project; Lava Pour
Boll Center – 313 7 by 7 Group Exhibition
Sweet Potato Sensations – Visionary Voices II: Group Exhibition
Always Brewing – Urban Visions: Photography of David Legg & Ralph Jones
2014
Wayne State University – Follow the Lines: Environmental Legacy, Health, and Fishing the Detroit River
555 Gallery – Pieces from the Whole; A collection of works from Carbon Arts
2013
Woods Gallery – AWAKE & DREAMING - Ralph Jones Photography, Terri Light Mixed Media
2012
The Scarab Club – Photography Group Exhibition
Arts Extended Gallery – ”...and the one on the left is your uncle Junior.”
Detroit Artist’s Market – “80” Group Exhibition
Detroit Artist’s Market – The Garden Party Group Exhibition
Detroit Artist’s Market – “Night” Exhibition
Detroit Artist’s Market – Biannual All Media Exhibition
2011
Detroit Artist’s Market – Art for the Holidays
The Scarab Club Detroit – Photography Group Exhibition
National Conference of Artist’s/Detroit – Art party G.R. N’Namdi Gallery
Detroit Artist’s Market – The Garden Party Group Exhibition
National Conference of Artists/Detroit – “Believing is Seeing; The Photography of Ralph Jones” Solo Exhibition
The Scarab Club Detroit – “Working Class Heroes” Group Exhibition
2010
Virgil Carr Cultural Center Detroit – “Diversity” Group Exhibition
Virgil Carr Cultural Center Detroit – “Paradise in the City” Group Exhibition
Scarab Club Detroit – Photography Group Exhibition
Woods Gallery – Huntington Woods – “Images of Detroit” Group Exhibition
Client List
Be My Guest
Carbon Arts Detroit
Chase Photog
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
Edible Hut
Enterprise Holdings
Focus Hope
George Street
Halftime Magazine
Helping Hands Campaign
Le Petit Zinc
Local Motion Green
Michigan Citizen
Michigan Tai Chi Center
New York Daily News
Okela Neveaux
Pro Wrestling Allstars
Sean Hages
Senghor Reid
Service Employee International Union
Steffanie Christi’an
TEDxDetroit
Young Builders of Detroit
Girl Scouts of America ( Michigan)
Publications
TBD Magazine (2017)
‘Round Midnight (2016)
Land Obscura Volume 1 (2016)
Detroit After Dark (2016)
Halftime Magazine (2014)
Dirty Pictures (2013)