Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Antal.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’m a 24-year-old, Southern California-grown individual. I started getting into photography when I was about 12 or 13 years old. One of my older brothers was in a photo class in Junior High, and I thought it was so cool that he had a camera and was taking pictures, so I begged and begged and waited ever so patiently to get my own camera. When I did, it was a little point and shoot Nikon, and I was so hyped. I took pictures of everything… my siblings, my friends, flowers in the front yard, you name it. I was just all about it.
As the years went on, I got better cameras, got more into shooting, and when I got into college I started taking it more seriously. Fast forward to 2019, for the past six years or so, shooting photos has really been one of my biggest passions in life. It has taken me so many cool places and taught me so much about myself. My photography has just been about following my friends around with my camera and documenting life from a candid point of view that I can put my personal touch on.
Growing up in San Diego, I’ve always been surrounded by a mixture of influence which has really shaped me as an individual, my photography, and what I love to shoot. I love to shoot lifestyle, surfing, motorcycles, portraits, and travel, all of which involve good times with good people. That’s really what my photography is all about: showcasing my friends, the ocean, and details from all the adventures through my lens, the way I see it. I want to inspire people who look at what I do to spend more time focusing on good times with the people they love.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Yeah for me, the road has been pretty smooth. There’s just never been much pressure on me with photography because it’s pure passion. Sure, on some jobs it’s been about making sure I pick the best location and get a grip of great photos, but for the most part, the nature of my photography style makes it so that there’s very little pressure.
My photography is about being a part of whatever is going on and documenting it the way I want. It’s because I have stuck to what I think looks good and what makes me happy to shoot that I have had some success thus far with my photography. I don’t do well with scripts, super posey stuff, or anything inauthentic.
It’s just not who I am, so I try and stay away from that as much as I can. I’ve found that if I align my values with my passions and throw my camera in the mix, good things happen.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
Well, photography isn’t my job. I actually work in marketing for a tech startup in Carlsbad called Raken. I got my degree in marketing and really enjoy what I am currently doing right now with that.
That helps take off the pressure to perform with my photography say no to photo jobs I’m not passionate about. I try and shoot as much as possible and am working on developing myself as a business professional but as a photographer at the same time. I have to work twice as hard because I have a fraction of the time that freelance photographers have, but I’m okay with that. I’ll do work for select companies that I really love, but most of my work is just for me to share with others.
I specialize in what you could call photojournalism. I shoot whatever I think looks cool, wherever I am. Whether it be on a surf and yoga trip to Peru, a road trip to Big Sur, or just another day watching the sunset at home. With all of this, I love to make somewhat moody photos that usually have a silhouette, drastic colors, or some kind of mysterious element to it.
I suppose that’s what I’m known for, and it’s the style I love to shoot the most no matter what my subject is or where I am. I think what sets me apart from others is that I don’t just shoot one thing, I take my camera with me everywhere I go and shoot a whole mess of different things from people to nature to surfing to really anything… I just translate my individual style to whatever I point my camera at.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was pretty quiet, shy, and more of an observer than a center of attention. I was lucky enough to grow up in the best place in the world with the best parents I could ask for. My parents have always encouraged me, always supported me with whatever I wanted to do, always guided me in the right direction, always kept me humble and hardworking, and always loved me no matter what I did.
It’s purely because of them that I am who I am today, and I’ll never be able to thank them enough. I loved surfing the most when I was growing up, and I was always in or around the ocean. That has shaped a lot of who I am and what my photography consists of. I grew up in San Diego, went to high school here, college here, now I work and live here, so I have always been around the same people which has made for really deep connections with the people I am close with.
I also owe who I am to those people, they’ve been paramount to my development and have always supported my passion as a photographer. Through my experiences thus far and through the people that surround me so closely, I’ve been able to fixate on this fact: life is simply about doing what you’re passionate about and spending quality time doing those things with the people you love. There’s not much more to it than that. I’m so excited for what’s to come with travel, creative endeavors, new experiences, and enjoying it all with the people I love.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jackantalphoto.com
- Phone: 7608099047
- Email: jackantal94@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_captainjackk/
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