Martin Jerge was born and raised in Northwestern Pennsylvania, growing up near Lake Erie. As a child and adolescent, he was academically inclined, which allowed him to acquire various scholarships. He attended college in Indiana to study engineering, on the advice of his parents.
After taking a course in photography, Martin found a new passion. He decided to study professional photography instead and took many freelance contracts as a photographer. His first contract was filling in as a photographer for a friend’s wedding.