Today we’d like to introduce you to jay thornton.
Hi jay, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Jay G. Thornton. I was interested in photography and took many classes starting at 10 th grade. I snuck into the academy awards my senior year wearing my best sweater. Actually making it on stage after the show made some cool images. Went to junior college for photography but got more untested in alcohol and my dream of being a photographer for National Geographic went away.
2010 I wanted to start making images again and was able to buy my first rangefinder camera. My appetite for knowledge was intense and attended many Palm Springs photo festivals and other workshops. I really gravitated towards documentary photography then onto walking the streets of DTLA making images of random street life. Records of moments in time no one notices. Mostly black and white at that time but have since gravitated toward color after taking some classes at art center Pasadena. I like graphic images that make you ask what am I looking at? I like images that I want to see more than once, creating questions.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Personal struggles being a kid substance abuse growing up in an alcoholic home.
Long term marriage ending 2019
I was successful in finance so I can now just make images for me and I don’t really show them other than instagram and that I stopped for awhile as it was kind just for my ego.
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?
Talked my way into an interview at EF Hutton a now defunct Wall Street firm I was a 4 junior college with an associate degree (2 years) and made was hired through the side door kind of . Worked my ass off kind of helping people with their monies. I was driven and had now where else to go coming from an alcoholic household all four grandparents 2 died from drinking.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I don’t really make money in photography but I would start out shooting everyday training your eyes to see images everyday, color, light, Symmetry, composition, buy books or go to the library to look at photography books, ask for help.
Say yes to everything safe and legit and amazing stuff happens
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Jgt8
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jay.G.Thornton
Image Credits
All photographs are made by me
