Meet Jack Perkins – a 19-year old photographer from B.C whose blurry lens has captured the likes of big-time artists around the world including Offset, Soulja Boy, and more.  Explore how Perkins seeks inspiration and is turning the highs and lows of artistry into a fruitful career.

1. Tell us about Jack Perkins – where are you from, what do you do, give us the run-down.

Hey, so I’m Jack Perkins, and I’m from Surrey, B.C. I’m 19-years old and just enjoy taking photos. I’ve been doing this for about 2 years now, and it’s been great! It’s enabled me to have some crazy life experiences such as my first world tour in 2018 with Yung Heazy.

2. In your opinion, what are the most appealing elements of your craft?

I’d say the most appealing part of my work is that people are not only getting to see an interesting picture of a recognizeable figure, but they are getting to see an added layer of how I see the world and how I am seeing that person at that moment I’m capturing the shot. Like the pictures I’ve taken of Offset – you’re seeing Offset in the eyes of how I see the world and him. I think something that intrigues my audience is seeing the world through my blurry colourful lens.

3. How did you start getting into photography and how has your creative process evolved since then?

So I started out by getting drunk and going to concerts with friends and just shooting us doing stupid shit. Eventually, I ended up going to the shows and shooting the artists, then shooting the artists outside the show by setting up collabs via Instagram! I definitely think within the past 2 years I’ve grown and evolved quite a bit with how I see the world, how I frame things, and how I’ve learned to use light and colour and moods.

Offset in LA by Jack Perkins (Sept. 16th, 2019)

4. You have captured a plethora of widely recognized subjects including the likes of Offset, Lil Mosey, Soulja Boy and more. That’s incredibly impressive, let alone for a 19-year-old. Who else is on your must-shoot list?

Most definitely number 1 is just a must, and that is Travis Scott. He’s just such a beautiful man. He’s got exceptional style, good fits, nice hair – he’s just got it all. My number 2 is Steve O. I love “Jackass” and the whole energy of “fuck shit up.” I’d love to do a flaming skateboard shoot or something rad like that! Number 3 I would have to say is Post Malone. He’s just a cutie and I love his style. The rock-rap vibe he gives off is exactly what I love so hopefully that happens one day.

5. If there was a fire in your archives, and you could only pick one, which shot would you save from the flames?

The photo I think I would end up saving is the first photo I took of Lil Mosey cause that was such a turning point in my life. Meeting him that day really gave me a chance to show the world my work. He gave me my first real bit of exposure, so I’d have to save the first pic I did with him cause if all my pics were gone I’d wanna keep that to remind me of where it all started

Lil Mosey in Vancouver by Jack Perkins (Jan. 12th, 2019)

6. What are THREE things that inspire you on the daily?

I have to say music is my biggest inspiration. Sometimes I’ll hear sounds and it will somehow convey a colour, mood, tone, or even people. Number two would have to be just everyday lighting. I’ll sometimes see light on a window or something and it will spark an idea. And number 3 is probably my emotions and how my mental health is at the time. If I’m sad I wanna do darker shots, and if I’m happy I tend to make dreamy work.

7. How do you decide which collaboration/shoot offers to take?

So the way I decide on collabs is based on my mood or state of mind and what type of photoshoot ideas I have. My most recent collab was with bbno$ and so loki. I chose them for my western themed shoot because I wanted something goofy but serious at the same time and I felt that they would embody that perfectly. Most of my collabs come from what ideas are in the bank at the moment and what people are around at that time.

8. What do you think is important to remember when entering a networking situation with other creatives?

Hm, I’d like to say that we should always remember is that at the end of the day, the people we are working with and working for are simply people. I feel people get lost in the clout and sometimes act stuck-up. This is something that pushes a lot of creatives away, so I feel when entering a networking situation you should just be yourself and act normal! Be respectful and treat everyone equally.

(Front seat to Back)  so loki and bbno$ in Langley by Jack Perkins (Dec. 3rd, 2019)

9. How do you continue to develop and expand your creative skills?

So for my creative skills, I think it’s all trial and error. But as for how I create ideas and concepts, I feel all my concepts come from my emotions and trying to convey my personality and how I feel by having people model my ideas. A lot of my concepts also come from music. Sometimes I’ll hear a sound in a song and it will create a full image in my head or a concept and that’s how a lot of my most bizarre concepts came to be.

10. Where do you hope your career will take you in the next 5 years? Do you want to do photography for the foreseeable future?

Yes and no. I’d love to continue doing photos for a while and experience as much as I can in terms of photography events and career landmarks. Eventually, I’d like to go into youth care work. But as for the next five years, I hope to go on world tours with an artist that I like and vibe with such as Lil Yachty or Yung Gravy. Yea, I just wanna keep making my way up and create more art!

Jack Perkins in Whistler

11. What is the best advice you have received from someone who helped you in your career? What is the best advice you could offer someone who is stepping out into the photography sector?

I think the best advice I’ve received was from Offset. I didn’t realize it then, but he told me, “If you want it you gotta give it your all, your every last dollar, and you’re gonna have to sacrifice a lot to get to where you want to be in life.” I think that really resonates with me now because I do really want to make it and create more art with more dope people and rappers. And I think the best advice I can give is to be you – do what you love to do, do what you want, and be confident in your art. I’m just starting to learn to be confident in my work and I wish I had been more confident a while back.

12.  You’ve travelled a decent amount for your photography. What’s your favourite city to visit? Really sell us on it.

So I really, really loved Paris. It’s by far my favourite city I’ve ever been to. I was there in the fall so it was absolutely gorgeous. I was staying across the street from Luxembourg Palace and I would wake up every morning to go for a walk in the park and get coffee and crepes.

Connect with Jack Perkins

Instagram: jackperkinsphotos