It wasn’t until he introduced me to Chuck Holliday (my partner in crime now, what up Maloof lol) that my photography really kicked off. By this time, I was doing shoots here and there, but I wanted to kind of work with another to just see someone in action. Yes shooting on my own is one thing, but it’s pretty much a blind man trying to go from the Bx to Manhattan when he never done it before kind of thing. I tried to get a co-shoot with Champ but for some reason it never panned out, however with Chuck, I think the first chance that popped off, he had me in there. While others didn’t think I was ready, Chuck gave me the chance to flex my skills, much respect on that note mannn! After the co-shoot, I signed up with Model Mayhem, and now 2 years later a lot of things have changed. Where once I couldn’t get a model to work with me, I have them calling, sending me notes trying to work together. Where once I was nobody (trust I’m not saying I’m big time now), now I’m respected for my work. But has it come to an end?
Not that I can’t get models to work, or I’m not respected in the game, my biggest issue is time. Before I was just doing photography, had a little web design company and all the time in the world. Now I own a Digital Media company, running a budding digital magazine (Check out G Style come November by the way), and about to become a father, all while still working a traditional 9-5 with Overtime sometimes. The shoots I have had scheduled, I’ve had to cancel or reschedule lately. The models who I would before set up and shoot just for some TFCD, I’ve scaled back to only shooting if I was doing something for my magazine G Style. Even shooting for G Style has slowed, I’ve recently start relying on other photographers and licensing images. I want to shoot and still enjoy, but man where do I find the time. I haven’t given up, shoot I’m still trying to cop that Olympus Evolt-330 camera. Just where does a brother find the time, hopefully I can still find it somewhere…
maineeeee i wont take the credit for you doing your thing, you was doing your thing when you first started off (when you was showing me ish in the old afterhours forum via PM), but if anything i was probably one of the few dudes who didnt have an ego about working next to somebody who was doing it up big, thats all, whereas Chump (or Champ, depending on who’s brainwashed) probably couldnt find a rule in his narcissist handbook that allowed him to work next to anybody else equally as good or better.
i think if anything, its the simple transistion from part-time photographer to full-time mogul (which i’m also doing myself) ala L.A. Reid in music, and its just an evolution, not a retirement or not having interest in it. if anything, i’ll carry on the legacy until its time for me to hang up the lenses (most likely next year), but growth is a beautiful thing, and on anyday i’d gladly toss my Nikon in the hudson river to be a better mogul.
either way you still have a load of URM’ers who still ask to this day when theyre shooting with you (Ashley, KG, Cha Cha, Phenice, Jasmine), so even in a part-time of a part-time photography run, you know you still have the fam waiting in line for you.
I’m so proud of you Jason. Sometimes it is necessary to scale certain things back to make room for development. You have developed into an incredible business man. I feel privileged to have know you since the beginning of your emergence of your new found status as “NYC’s next Go-to Guy” and rising media mogul in your own right. Great things are coming. And if you can make time in your busy schedule, I’d love to shoot a couple flicks next time I’m in New York, lol.