Conversations with Jason LeCras

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason LeCras.

Jason, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Where do I start? I guess the beginning of my photography career came from skateboarding in N.Y.C. Photography and skateboarding go together like pb+j and it’s pretty cliche I know, but there it is. And at first I was shooting gritty black and white photographs of friends and scenes around N.Y.C. It was a hybrid of skate and street photography.

But, that city is expensive and I had to pay the bills so I naturally I started working in restaurants. Before I knew it the restaurant world had sort of consumed me. I was still making pictures and little by little I was being hired to photograph for publications like The New York Times, Wired, and San Francisco Magazine (when I moved to Oakland for about 5 years). It was at S.F. Magazine that the editor turned to me and said “you know food, you should shoot more of it”, which is what I started working on for them quite a bit.

Fast forward to today in L.A. and I find myself shooting food and lifestyle but always with an eye for the unexpected, a bit of a throwback to my days shooting street photography in New York.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Art is rarely easy. And with the ever changing landscape of photography there are definitely tons of new challenges but I think it helps really sharpen my skills as a working photographer and ultimately makes me better.

Basic struggles are how to pay rent and buy the gear as you need it, fund projects, etc. all at the same time. It’s a constant juggling act.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’d say I’m a lifestyle photographer with an emphasis on food + beverage, and always looking for those candid moments. I’m probably most known for getting those moments ahaha. I think I’m most proud of the fact that I stuck with photography and also the fact that more often than not I get to work with friends. I’m very lucky to call photography my job.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Honestly it would probably be skateboarding in Manhattan with my friends from like 8 or 9 in the morning until the late hours of the night consuming only iced tee and slices of pizza. That’s pretty hard to beat.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jasonlecras.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonlecras
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-lecras-b6b903108