My name is Jason, but I often go by JP. I just turned 44yrs old. I’m from Pennsylvania and I’ve been on YouTube since 2010, and doing YouTube full time since 2018.
01) What first sparked your passion for exploring the outdoors, and what made you want to share those adventures on YouTube?:
I’ve been a curious and adventurous person for as long as I can remember. I know as a little kid I was very inquisitive and curious and went exploring with friends in the woods. As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate both nature & history and love showcasing them for my audience. My channel started off with videos of random things that interested me, but it wasn’t until I started incorporating adventures and exploring (with nature & history mixed in) that my channel really started to grow. Although not everything I film is related to those, I would say the core of my channel is about exploration of all kinds.
02) When you’re gearing up for an adventure, what are the essentials you never leave home without?:
As for essentials, the most important thing is a camera. Without a camera, it’s just a good story. My phone is always on me as a plan B, but I always try to plan ahead for my video projects (make sure equipment is charged, gear packed and sometimes a snack or lunch). Depending on the situation or location, will determine which camera I bring. As for other items, a flashlight is always good to have, gloves, and sometimes a power bank.
03) How do you choose your next destination?:
How I choose my next destination or location is a complicated answer… I would say about 75% of the places or items I film I find myself by driving around and looking at new places, Google Earth, social media (groups, posts, websites). The other 25% is either recommended to me by viewers or from word of mouth. Once I learn about a potential location I add it to either a winter or summer list (depending on location) and I’ll then do research prior to heading out (Google Earth, old map images, research of item or location, etc) to determine if it’s worth filming. I don’t film everything I find or that is recommended to me, but that’s how I find the majority of the places I film.
04) Have you ever come across something completely unexplainable while exploring — whether it’s a paranormal encounter, strange artifacts, or unusual wildlife?:
I’ve come across several things while out filming, some of them physical items, others are things I couldn’t see or explain. Items I find out in remote areas (typically in the woods) are everything from a porcelain toilet, toddler shoes, cars, etc. As for what I can’t see or explain, well I do believe in the paranormal and have done several Investigations and I’ve encountered everything from apparitions, footsteps, shadow figures. Other times it’s rustling through leaves with no one there or the feeling of being watched. Sometimes it’s your mind playing tricks, but other times it’s not.
05) What has been the most rewarding part of sharing your outdoor adventures with your audience?:
The most rewarding thing for me? There’s two answers to that. The first is the final result of what I created. As a content creator, I’m a one man crew where I’m responsible for everything (finding locations, researching them, driving out to them, filming, thinking of different angles or shots, taking photos, editing & uploading). When I go through all that effort and see the final result of something that I created solely on my own, it’s a good feeling.
The second and more rewarding thing is the response from the viewers. Most of my viewers are middle aged and older and many can’t get out and do what I do, whether it be for health reasons, time constraints or lack of knowledge of locations. So, many people comment about how they live vicariously through my videos and that they feel like they’re with me on my adventures. That right there is something that always gives me the motivation to keep making videos and knowing that I may make a small difference in someone’s life or even giving them a small break from everyday life for that moment while they’re watching my video.
06) For those just starting their YouTube journey, especially in outdoor exploration, what’s one piece of advice for them?
Advice for starting out… One thing I’m proud to say about myself is I had zero help from anyone throughout my YouTube career of 15yrs. I never worked with a larger channel, I never had guidance or a mentor, I basically taught myself how to become a content creator and the best tool was learning from my mistakes.
A few things I can offer is to be genuine, being fake will come through on camera.
Don’t chase after what’s popular or trending, film things that interest YOU and the audience will eventually come.
Don’t start with the intention of making money, do it because you like the process or making videos and/or showing people things they weren’t aware of.
Have patience! You will experience highs and lows in every aspect, but set small goals and see them through before trying to achieve more.
Have thick skin, because you won’t please everyone. No matter what you do, say or show in your videos, someone will eventually complain and try to get under your skin. Criticism is good, but insults and trolling are not worth engaging with.
07) Where do you see your channel in the next few years? Any big goals or dream locations you’re hoping to film?:
My main two goals for the coming years is for my channel to reach 500k subscribers. I’m not far from half way, but I still have a long ways to go. Not sure if I’ll ever reach that number, but I also never thought I’d break 100k.
My other goal or dream is to travel across the country, maybe route 66 or train trip and explore places along the way.
