STILL & MOTION PICTURE CREATIVE
JOSE BATISTA-AYALA
Perth Amboy made me. New York raised me. Washington Heights saved me, and the Bronx curated me.
I’m half Dominican, half Puerto Rican. A performer, storyteller, and all around creative. Mostly self taught and self made, I’ve written and performed plays, poems, films, and one man shows. I’ve also danced salsa semi professionally, acted in a few other projects, and taught myself the technical behind the scenes side of creativity, from Photoshop to DaVinci Resolve and beyond, all in an effort to keep pushing my work forward.
Would I have loved guidance, support, or even a mentor? Of course. But that just wasn’t in the cards for me. So over the years, I learned everything the old fashioned way: through trial and error. Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. That process turned me into a self sufficient creative machine. My range and body of work across different mediums speak for themselves.
And truthfully? I never really liked depending on anyone anyway. Bloop.
FIRST EDITION · LIMITED TO 300 COPIES
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A Blue Shark Teller doesn’t explain itself.
It drifts between instinct and obsession, chaos and rhythm, beauty and interruption.
Some photographs make immediate sense.
Others resist meaning entirely.
Created from tens of thousands of photographs made over years of travel, observation, and wandering, this collection gathers the images that refused to leave the photographer alone.
Taken across cities, coastlines, islands, alleyways, train stations, churches, canals, deserts, and forgotten corners of the world, these photographs are not arranged as a travel diary. They are presented as fragments of a larger visual story.
A Blue Shark Teller is a fine art photography book built on symbolism, repetition, hidden connections, and personal mythology. Images echo one another across continents. Numbers appear with intention. Certain subjects return unexpectedly. Meanings overlap, disappear, and reappear again.
The photographs are sequenced to encourage discovery rather than explanation. Each viewer is invited to find their own path through the work.
Perhaps that's enough.
After all, A Blue Shark Teller breaks all the rules.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT
"My Mother’s Son" is a raw and deeply personal documentary about the rocky relationship between me and my mother, Josie. What began as my mom’s desire to share her story to help others ended up helping me in ways I never expected. This film is about family, trauma, forgiveness, and the difficult journey of healing. Despite years of pain, we found a way to rebuild our bond, and through this process, my family has started to heal. I made this documentary with my own hands, fueled by passion, struggle, and love. Every frame carries my blood, sweat, and tears. It’s not just a film, it’s a part of me. If you’ve ever struggled with family conflict, childhood trauma, or complicated parent-child relationships, I hope this documentary resonates with you. More than anything, I hope it inspires you to believe that healing is possible.
Watch below or (watch here)
