Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Antal.
Jack, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I started shooting photos from a young age and have just always gravitated towards a camera. My mom’s quite artistic so I think a lot of it comes from her. Growing up in coastal Southern California, I was always involved in action sports and was always intrigued by taking photos of my friends, no matter what we were doing. It all started with just taking my camera everywhere with me, shooting photos of what I was doing and who I was with. I never expected photography to be anything more than that, I never expected it to grow into what it is now for me. When I was about eighteen, I realized photography was one of my biggest passions in life and ever since then, I’ve always kept it close to my heart. Photography is actually not my job, it’s a passion of mine that I have as a creative outlet and is something I thoroughly enjoy when the world wears me out and when it fires me up. Fast forward to now, I am twenty-five years old and have a career in digital marketing which I absolutely love. But above any love I have for that, I have my passion for photography. It’s where I find my purpose, much of my fulfillment, and has been an opportunity for me to experience some incredible things.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My art is all still photography. Travel, portraits, surfing, landscapes, textures, plants, motorcycles. I shoot a pretty wide range of things, so it’s more of just having my camera with me wherever I go and capturing things as I see them.
I’ve always been inspired by art of all kinds whether it’s music, paintings, floral design, photography, videography. All of my inspiration from these things gets channeled back into still photography. Having grown up in San Diego and being so attached to the ocean, most of my work involves and is inspired by the sea. I’m constantly inspired by things that pass through my eyes on a day to day basis. It’s hard to explain but I get a giddy, ecstatic feeling inside of me when I create something with my camera that I am really proud of that feeling inspires me even more to go do it again. While there’s no real message with a lot of what I shoot, I like to tie series of random images together to communicate ideas or concepts in a metaphorical way. That’s why projects like coffee table books bring me so much joy, I did my first one last fall and was so fulfilled by the process and the outcome.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
I think it’s a really confusing world for artists today, but I don’t think there’s ever been so much opportunity to be inspired, to create, to be fulfilled, to make it a career if you want, and to make your niche known to the world. While I think it has become easier in some senses, it’s also become harder. It’s more competitive than ever; there are so many talented people out there. I think what cities can do to encourage and help artists thrive is to have more events around art. When people come together to share their work and see other people’s work, connections are made, people are inspired, and it lights fires under people that may not have been sparked had they not attended a certain event. No matter how big or small, community art events should be encouraged and supported. If you’re reading this, go to the first random art show you can find, no matter what it is. Go talk to the artist, shake a couple hands. You never know how you’ll be moved or inspired by other people. So much of life is about other people and people are very powerful. In fact, artists are among the most powerful because they’ve channeled thought, emotion, connection, and passion into this aspect of their life. Go support these people and see how infectious it can be.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can see my photos at www.jackantalphoto.com or on my Instagram @_captainjackk. People can support my work by shooting me a message, saying hello, and mentioning if my work was inspiring or what they enjoy about it. You can also order a print from me. I love doing prints and I get really fired up when people want my work on their wall, it’s a huge honor. So if you’re reading this, feel free to reach out and say hello!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jackantalphoto.com
- Instagram: @_captainjackk
Image Credit:
All photos are shot by me
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