Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Dang.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for joining us today. How you started and how you got to where you are today. You can include as little or as much detail as you’d like.
It all started from when I was helping my cousin and sister take those typical “tumblr aesthetic” pictures for their social media pages back in middle school using my cousin’s DSLR. I never really thought much of it, but looking back, that was what exposed me to the realm of photography and got me into creative directing. Fast forward to high school, whether it be my Instax polaroid, my Canon Rebel T5, or even just my phone, I would always have a camera on me, always ready to capture and document those memorable moments that I had with my friends and family. Being exposed to a lot of media and pop culture all throughout my childhood and now having a growing love for photography, I started branching out from just documenting those special moments to now coming up and piecing together various moodboards to shoot with my friends and family. With the help of my friends and family, I was consistently able to bring those moodboards to life and post out different photosets that I created on my social media pages. My friends and family started telling me that I had an eye for photos and were always super supportive of me, so I decided to step out of my comfort zone, take that leap, and start taking bookings for photoshoots, specifically prom and graduation photos. I was surprised with the amount of people reaching out, messaging, inquiring, and booking me for prom and graduation photoshoots when the seasons came around. It felt great and gave me that extra confidence boost that I needed.
With the way that things were going, I knew that I wanted to try making something out of it, so with the power of social media, I decided to utilize it as a tool and started reaching out to different like-minded-creatives and artists to help bring my moodboards to life and collaborate on different projects with. Although it took countless amounts of messaging and having to deal with countless rejections, being “left on read” numerous times, and getting flaked on, I was finally able to connect with like-minded creatives that I could not only collaborate and work with but also learn from. Applying this strategy was what started to get the ball rolling for me, allowing my photography page to grow and keep my creative flow going.
Reflecting on this journey that I have embarked on for the last 6 years, it took a lot of trial and error, overcoming the fear of rejection, using my creative spark, and having that drive and determination to get to where I’m at today. Even though I’ve been doing this for over half a decade, I’m excited to continue to learn, grow, and see where this journey will take me.
Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Like anything in life, nothing really goes as smoothly as we would like. From times of having the film that I shot ending up being out of focus or turning out blank to having my SD card crashing and my camera battery die mid-shoot, I would have to say there were many bumps on the road of my photography journey. Despite all that, I wouldn’t wish for anything to be different. If anything, it makes this journey so much more fun, and all my photoshoots and the outcomes feel so much more fulfilling and rewarding. Without all the mishaps and the obstacles along the way, I wouldn’t have been able to grow as an artist and continue learning, constantly expanding my network, and be one step closer to where I ideally want to be.
We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I do a mix of things such as concert photography, behind-the-scenes for shows and brands, and fashion editorials. To sum things up, I specialize in shooting portraits and creative directing. For as long as I can remember, photography has been and continues to be my creative outlet. Whether it be shooting with different mediums such as digital or film or having the ability to express my emotions by bringing different moodboards to life and directing different photoshoots, I love the versatility that photography provides for creative expression. This ongoing journey hasn’t been easy, and there are so many challenges that I’m constantly tackling. Looking back at all the photosets that I’ve directed, edited, and pushed out and reflecting on the growth that I’ve amassed, I would have to say that I’m most proud of how much I’ve grown as a photographer, an artist, and just as an overall human being. Throughout this journey, I was fortunate enough to work with and learn from various artists and like-minded creatives, and I’m beyond grateful to have had those opportunities. Although I’m still not exactly where I would like to be, I have to remind myself that 16-year-old me would be in awe of the milestones that I’ve achieved and of the artist and person that I am today.
Like my fellow photographers and artists, I have a strong commitment to take advantage of opportunities and value and appreciate every photoshoot and creative endeavor that I take on. There have been many times where I contemplate on stopping my creative journey, but I remind myself to embrace the trial and errors and to persevere. The dedication I have to my craft is what helped me achieve my accomplishments and lead me to where I am today.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Even though it’s inevitable that life is constantly going to throw curveballs at me, the things that matter to me most is that I always stick to my core values, keep my intentions genuine, and to just live my life the way that I feel works best for me. Not only is my ongoing journey as an artist, not the smoothest – this game of life isn’t either. Regardless, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Contact Info:
- Website: jonathantdang.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jtdthephotographer/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathantdang
