Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Cook.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Justin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been interested in photography since I was a kid. It started in a documentarian way, just an avenue for me to keep a record of events or the things that I was up to. I used to take a camera on class trips, or road trips with my grandparents and it was fun to drop the film off at the lab and get it back to relive the experience.
I moved to LA in 2009 from Jordan, NY to pursue a career in film/video production. I didn’t have a specific area of interest, it was all new and exciting to me. I landed my first job out of college working on a web show called AOL Music Sessions. This was essentially a dream job because I play guitar and music has always been a passion of mine. I used to spend all my free time and money going to concerts, so to come from a town of about 1,200 people and to be in the room with some of the biggest artists in the world (Lenny Kravitz, Weezer, Rihanna, Adele) was absolutely incredible to me. I worked various jobs on that show, working my way up from PA to Assistant Director, but then AOL decided to shut down its music vertical around 2012, so I spent the following years working on less-than-ideal content.
In 2016, I started shooting BTS and unit stills for AOL shows because they didn’t want to hire a photographer and I would be on set anyway. Then, later that year, the AOL/Yahoo! merger caused our entire production staff to be laid off. This was bittersweet for me because I was comfortable and I liked everyone on the team, but I had hit a ceiling years before and was essentially wasting time there. When the time came to make the next move I knew that I wanted to transition from video into stills because I really enjoyed taking photos of models and actors while I had been on set over the course of that year. It was tough because although I had seven years of production experience to build on, I was basically starting over again. I began by identifying things that I liked about the work of other photographers who I admired and tried to mimic those as best as I could. Totally, trial by fire, experimenting with what worked and what didn’t until I started to carve my own path. I really enjoy working with models and other creatives toward a common vision. I love the feeling and energy I get from people when the work is done and the end result is better than anticipated. I’m nowhere near where I want to be, but when I look back on my work from a year ago, I see a tremendous amount of growth so I’m excited to see where I’m at in the years to come.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Things haven’t been too crazy or bad for me at all. I think there are always bumps in the road when you start out in something new and in life in general. To me, it’s about how you handle those things that really matter. I think as creatives we all tend to struggle to some degree with self-doubt. I think those mental hurdles can be hard for some people, but I just try to keep my mindset even-keeled. I don’t get too excited about the good or too down about the bad because one way or another everything will work itself out.
Justin Cook Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m a photographer who specializes in conveying a feeling, story or emotion through lifestyle and editorial images. I’m very inspired by the music and culture of the ’60s and ’70s, so there’s always a retro element that creeps into my work. I think I’m most proud that this freelance journey was born out of change and necessity and in two years has grown into something bigger than I could have imagined. I’m currently working on a lifestyle campaign (which I can’t talk about yet) that a year ago would have seemed very far out of reach, but now has become normal. That’s crazy and awesome. I think as people our unique viewpoint and perspective is what sets us apart from others. Every person has their own life experience and as an artist how you process that experience is what gives your work legs of its own.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is always shifting and changing. When I was younger, success was monetary. I think now I measure success by the quality of life. If I’m able to live and create and travel exactly how I want to with no restrictions, then that’s a success. Having the freedom to choose which jobs to take or where to travel to is more in line with my version of success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.justincookcamera.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookcamera/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cookcamera/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/justin-cook-photography-los-angeles
Image Credit:
Dawes drummer Griffin Goldsmith, Ali Hatfield, Rachael Leaf, Amanda Summer with styling by Mia Hummel, Madison Wyborny, Laura Ivaniukas with styling by Katie Carey, Adriana Celine, Jacquelyn Smith
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