Meet Jamartae Jackson | I am photographer/ Visual Storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jamartae Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jamartae, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
For me, it has been to create art. Forget being perfect. I find that when you get lost in the creative process, every session just comes out better. It makes sense when you think about processes. If you increase efficiency, you can push out more content, and less thought during the process allow for more creativity. You get to see what truly makes the overall picture a story and that is the best part. It leads to authenticity, which equals comfort and the rest is history from there. Sometimes these situations give you the most peace and the most business inquiries. The biggest lesson would be to go after what you truly want with your business and career. No one is going to wait for you.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When you see my art, I want it to tell a story. For me, the process is all about creating authentic images. If there isn’t a story behind the picture, I don’t see the point of taking it. I think that is what sets me apart from other photographers. I always try to trust my instincts even if it goes against the grain of the Initial idea.

When we talk about the proudest moment, it has to be See Me the Art Gallery. It was the first gallery that I have had the opportunity to participate in. It was definitely life-changing as I tag teamed this gallery with Esau Rodriguez Olvera another very talented artist. The synergy we share is wild. We are always on the same page.

In regards to excitement, I am actually identifying volunteers for a photography project relating to the Loc journey. I want to collect the stories of how this experience has impacted the lives of black men and women. I am sure that this project will produce some amazing images. Oh, I should also mention that I am learning videography as well. So more visual arts coming your way soon. Ultimately I am just excited about the process which will help me continue to grow and develop as an artist. It is the only way to honor all of those who have helped me become the artist I am today. I have been shown a lot of love and patience with this photography thing. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been a natural and honest process that has forced me to mature in a way that I did not anticipate. Most of all it’s been a test of how bad do you want. So know when it comes to my business, please know that you’ll get more than just a couple of pictures. You’ll get an opportunity for peace, love, and acceptance. The focus will always revolve around telling your story and nothing else.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
That’s a good question. I would honestly start by bringing them to the crib and cooking for them. I like to dabble a little bit in the kitchen, and my family is big on creating comfort. It would be wrong for me not to start there. Once they’ve recharged their battery, I would take them out to one of my favorite daiquiri spots. Right now, Flavors Daquiri’s is my go-to. They are on South Cooper Street in Arlington. They are good people, and they’ve always created a fun environment, so that would be the first stop. Then we’d head over to Deep Ellum on the weekend and walk around and hit up a couple of the restaurants out there, but it’d be more for the street art and energy of the area. It has something for everyone, so we’d probably spend a whole day there just cracking jokes and relaxing. The photographer in me would want to take them to Muller Park for a breathtaking view and to chop it up as well. Eventually, we would make our way out to Greedy’s in Desoto. It’s a low-key spot. I’d also take them to the African American Museum of Dallas, Free Play Arcade in Arlington, and The Oak Cliff Cultural Center, they always have some cool art. If I get a chance we’d go back home to Mesquite and grab a burger from Griffs. I’m not a club person, so we’d probably hit a Mav game if it’s basketball season, or just really chill. I’m a homebody, but we’d do some random exploring as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First, I have to start with my mom. When I say she has been a sounding board for me, I can not even begin to quantify her impact. We are so much alike that it is just too easy to talk about anything. When my mind is clouded she always knows how to free my mind. She is also why I have a name for my photography business. When my brother and I were kids we had some tough moments, but mom would never really let us know how tough. She would always ask us a simple question; “What are you?”We would respond with high pitch voices; “I am a Great Black African American Man.”(Insert huge kool-aid smile and stare up into the eyes of a superhero.) That same phrase has remained with me every step of my journey. It has always gotten me through the toughest of times.

One of my biggest catalysts to all of this would be my wife. Man, I was talking about photography for about three years, and she finally called me out on my procrastination. She hit me with that dreaded statement no one wants to hear. “Okay, so when you start, let me know.” It was just the fuel I needed to move forward, and she knew it. Needless to say, I took it as a challenge, and we got things started. My partner, wife, and best friend always knows what I need, even if I do not like how it comes out of her mouth. Thank you so much!

I also have to give a shoutout to my parents as a unit as they have been happily married for 33 years and remain a constant source of support. They always find a way to be there no matter the situation. I also have to say thanks to my guy Aaron Hinojosa he is basically family and was a former co-worker that helped me to realize how fun photography could be from the relational component. When I saw him make everyone smile at a photography session, I knew that I needed that feeling.

I can’t Forget the one and only Maleta Hill. When I say she is the truth, I mean it. I talked about my business in a staff meeting one day, and she was like, I got a camera to get you started. As a matter of fact, I would like to thank the whole Hill family, as they allowed me to take photos of their family to help me hone my skill, but most importantly, they’ve treated me like family.

April Brown is another person to who I have to give thanks. She has thrown opportunity after opportunity my way when it comes to moving towards my purpose. When I say this woman is walking excellence, I really mean it. She’s given me creative idea after creative idea to help me navigate the next steps and ways to make my art authentic.

There have been so many people who’ve helped me during my journey. I just do not have enough room in this article to reciprocate all the love that I’ve received. To all of you, I say thank you, your support means the world to me.

I also think it’s so important to mention those who came before us. In this last year, I‘ve fallen in love with some of the OG Black Photographers and their work. I mean they were absolute geniuses, and when you look at the detail of their work and understand the calculations that they had to make to create the perfect photos with the equipment they had it’s mind-boggling. The only thing I can equate it to is making the impossible possible. Like they had a cheat code in their DNA that let them say Nah, I am doing what I dreamed, and there is nothing you can do to stop me. So major shoutout to Gordon Parks, Ernest Withers, but also to my Pop, who showed me his work before I knew that I needed photography to be whole. As I reflect, I’ve seen him with a camera in his hand my whole life. He was recording videos, critiquing films of our sporting events, and capturing moments. I vividly remember the first photo he showed me. It was a sunset of Panama that he took while in the military. It’s was so beautiful and now that I think of it, it was a masterpiece the way he was able to capture the sunset so perfectly. It’ll always be the first picture I think of when I think about storytelling through photography. It’s only fitting that I end this question with the person who implanted the love for the gift in my DNA. Thanks, Pop, and I love you.

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