Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Sean Weiss.
Hi Jason, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Strangely enough, Steve Aoki has a lot to do with where I am today.
In 2015, I was shooting for a men’s clothing subscription box company doing E-commerce photography. That was my first camera-based job. One day, I was asked to shoot a party up in the Hollywood Hills hosted by Aoki that our brand was sponsoring. I was excited, but nervous, because a wedding was the most similar kind of thing I had photographed up to that point (not very similar), and I was still pretty green at shooting weddings. The party went well, but while I was there, I met a woman who worked for a website, or blog, that offered photography covering events of all kinds. She told me “you should work for me” point-blank after very little small talk—so I did.
The next 3-4 years with that website would be my introduction to the world of event photography in Los Angeles: red carpets, galas, parties, dinners, exhibitions, you name it. Most of the time, it was like trial by fire. Let’s just say I didn’t have the best teacher to help navigate this new world of 8am next morning turnarounds, naming every person I photographed, PR people, people with superiority complexes, and flash photography. I failed, a lot. But I learned so much, and luckily, I kept getting hired.
One day, a couple years down the road, I was asked to shoot a birthday party for, you guessed it: Steve Aoki. While there, I met a photographer who shot for BFA. I had never heard of them before, but their website was the first thing I looked up when I got home. I was star-struck. The most famous people on the planet, at the biggest, coolest-looking events, shot by a team of inspiring and talented photographers. I knew immediately that’s where I needed to be. And not too long after, I cold emailed them, and the rest is history.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like I said before, I was—and am not—without my failings. Event photography is the most challenging type of photography to perfect, in my opinion. You’re constantly in new and unfamiliar shooting locations, often tasked to execute a mix of portraiture, photojournalism, still-life, fashion, and architectural photography, all in ever-changing or challenging light conditions, sometimes with hundreds of subjects, usually in just one, short night.
I was yelled at a lot in the beginning. Sometimes, for good reason. Missing one person’s name at an event out of 100 people I did name—that used to do it. Not delivering enough edited photos (I used to have a minimum), or not turning in the edited photos by 8am, even when the event ended 5 hours earlier, at 3am—those things killed me. But, I get yelled at a lot less these days. And, I’d like to think those early days are a big reason for it.
There’s no better feeling than knowing you crushed a party, artfully documented a runway, or killed a two-minute portrait session with Kylie Jenner. It can get pretty high stakes. And, like Billy Farrell, founder of BFA said, “You’re only as good as your last party.”
P.S. Don’t let your camera break and be completely unusable at the exact and only moment you have to take the event’s most important photo featuring Jessica Alba. Trust me, you won’t ever let it down.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Today, I’m a Principal Photographer for BFA. I’m eternally grateful to have the opportunity to meet some far-out people, travel the country, and document some fun, interesting, and exclusive events. I’ve been published by institutions such as Vogue, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, and even the MICHELIN Guide. And, I have a budding, personal client base that extends my reach into editorial, portraiture, food, and even wedding photography.
Aside from being the best teammate and leader that I can be, and making sure that every client gets exactly what they need photo-wise, I really enjoy taking portraits of guests that don’t look like they’ve been taken at an event. Event photography can get pretty monotonous, especially when step and repeats are involved. If I can pull someone away from the main action of the event for just 30 seconds, and set them up in a really cool spot or way with great light, I think they really appreciate it, and enjoy the outcome just as much as I do.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
In short: say yes to every opportunity, be a nice person, talk to people, and put in the work. The rest should sort itself out. But, it’s never been easier to reach out and talk to your heroes. So, just do it. The worst that could happen is that they don’t reply. So, if you must doom-scroll, scroll for artists and work that inspires you. Make mood boards, recreate your favorite photographs. Or, just tell a fellow artist you admire their work. You never know where a simple compliment can take you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jasonseanweiss.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonseanweiss/
Image Credits
Jason Sean Weiss/BFA.com
