Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Taylor.
Jack, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I can’t imagine a life without art–it surrounds us in nature everywhere and every day, and I find it impossible to avoid it. From the melodic chirp of a bird, the taste of a perfectly ripe avocado, the smell of a blooming jasmine tree, to the magenta-laced shoreline during sunset, I find myself overwhelmed with day-to-day senses. In a reaction to and to honor these senses, I’ve always tried to give back. First, it started with sound— I’ve been playing music since I was seven years old, switching off between piano, trumpet, bass, drums, playing in many different types of bands. That has slowly culminated into a lifetime of music production which I still do today (check it out here: www.mistermidnightmusic.com). Next, it was food— I went to culinary school, worked the San Diego restaurant scene, served my time on the ‘line,’ and even had my own catering business for a couple of years. So I had the sound and taste senses down, but something was still missing! I had reached the ability to express myself via music and food, but visually, I’ve always had so many untapped ideas, so the next obvious step was to explore photography. I grabbed my first DSL (Canon) camera in 2016, and I’ve just become absolutely consumed, capturing my life and travels and little vignettes of day-to-day beauty that I find. In the past year, I’ve met an amazing group of local photographers who share the same passion, and we’ve created a bi-monthly meet-up ground called “SD Photo Squad” where fellow photographers can meet while learning and sharing techniques while supporting each other’s art.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Photography. Music. Food. Repeat. This has been the year-of-the-photo for me — I’ve been focusing on documenting my travels and really trying capture moments, scenes, and vignettes that are normally missed by the average eye. My practice has been to bring my camera with me EVERYWHERE and when I have moments of “whoa, that’s pretty cool looking,” I stop, set the composition, and capture. Sometimes I failed to capture what I’d hoped for, and sometimes the unexpected photos end up being my favorite, but each time is a learning moment to set myself up better the next time.
Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
KEEP LEARNING! That is my mantra. Life is so short, and there are so many amazing things to discover. I’m also convinced that we all have hidden skills and talents dormant in our brains and it’s up to us to give them life. If you ever have an “I wonder if…” or “I’ve always wanted to…” don’t let that thought pass by— read a book, do a Google search, scour YouTube, take a class or go to a local meet-up. Access to information is endless! Once you discover that information, it’s all about PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! If there’s anything I learned from being a musician or working in a kitchen, it’s that repetition and mistakes create better habits and make you better at your craft. Take a risk, mess up, and do it again and again and again.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Check out my @mrmidnightmusic page on Instagram or jacktaylor.photos website, and if you are still reading, I cordially invite you to come out to the next SD Photo Squad meet-up! Whether you are an experienced photographer, interested in modeling, looking for like-minded creatives, or just want to step up your photo game, it’s the perfect place to do so. The group and I would love to meet you, and if you have an upcoming special event, we would love to capture it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jacktaylor.photos/
- Email: jackwtaylor.photo@gmail.com
- Instagram: @mrmidnightmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sdphotosquad/
- Other: www.mistermidnightmusic.com
Image Credit:
Jack Taylor
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