“The most genuine, most passionate, and most talented people you meet have usually gone through the hardest of times to get to where they are. Look at it as a test of will. If anybody could do it then everybody would.”
We had an incredible interesting and open chat to British but L.A. based photographer JAI about admirers and criticizm, about not minding covering up nips and lady gardens on social networks and about not chasing numbers or followers but instead keep working hard. And what about his work? That doesn´t need a lot of words – it speaks for itself with an incredible strong sensuality paired with coolness and: It is highly addictive.
The story behind your artist name JAI – or is that actually your real name?
Yes, Jai is my real name. It’s actually a Sanskrit name, when translated it means ‘victorious’. I always liked the uniqueness of my name so I choose to use it as my artist name.
You are British but based in Los Angeles, CA. Tell us something that is typically British about you and one thing that you have inherited from the Californian culture so far.
Since living in southern California, I am able to spend most of my time outside shooting, surfing, or exercising. The weather is so perfect for everything outdoors. In England, it rains the majority of the time and you are forced to stay inside. I have definitely adopted that “California sunny disposition” because of this. I am still very English in many of my ways though; I like to watch football (the real one where you use players use their feet not hands), I like drinking stella (I know it’s a Belgian beer), and I still swear too much (my dad says).
Your work contains a lot of pretty woman. And a lot of nude elements. You must have a lot of admirers but also people criticizing the way you take photographs of woman, right? Does it bother you and how do you deal with it?
A nude woman is one the most beautiful things in this world. There isn’t a single great fashion or portrait photographer that hasn’t or doesn’t shoot women in their birthday suit at one time or another. To me it’s completely natural. To be able to direct and capture a model in authentic way is an art form that is intimate and organic. I believe anybody can take a good image; but to make a recognizable stylistic image is what photography is all about.
When it comes to criticism I am just happy people notice my shit. To be honest, I am just trying my hardest not to talk shit about a lot of the really bad work that is out there and people think is good. I think a lot of photographers take themselves and their work way to seriously especially in the social media realm. I´ve spent my whole life being different and doing shit the way I want to do. Basically, if your not paying me, I don’t give a shit what you think. I make imagery that I like and I plan on continuing to make work that I like.
“I believe anybody can take a good image; but to make a recognizable stylistic image is what photography is all about.”
How do you feel about this censorship on Instagram and Facebook regarding nude images?
It is what it is. Its for the best, instagram and facebook would be covered in proper sketchy stuff else. I personally don’t mind covering up nips and lady gardens. Yes it kills the romance of an image but I would rather censor or crop my work than have to pose models in dodgy implied nude type poses.
Do you see social networks as a blessing or a curse for art and people? Or a bit of both?
It’s a bit of both. It’s a great way to build an audience but I can see how it has affected people’s reality. Just because someone has a lot of followers and gets a lot interaction with their posts doesn’t mean anything in actuality. Just because you are popular, doesn’t mean you are producing good work. It just means that you are popular.
On the other hand maybe nobody knows who you are or what you do, and you work gets little interaction. This doesn’t mean that what you are producing is not good. You have to remember that social media is just a point’s game, where there never is a winner as the points just keep going up. Don’t chase numbers and focus on your work. Keep producing new work all the time rather than getting stuck on and in your phone.
“You have to remember that social media is just a point’s game, where there never is a winner as the points just keep going up. Don’t chase numbers and focus on your work. Keep producing new work all the time rather than getting stuck on and in your phone.”
I spoke about this topic with another photographer recently as well and he told me it´s a lot harder to make a selection of what to publish as we are flooded by images –so it´s a lot harder to stand out even with good work and to actually sometimes even realize yourself what the good images are. How do you select what you publish?
I try to create and select work that I like. It took thousands of hours of practice and taking photos to make imagery that I actually started to like. I try to make and choose stylistic images that have narrative and something thought provoking to them. I believe anybody can take a one good photo, but to make imagery that is authentic and has a visual style takes a lot of time and hard work.
Let´s face it –being an artist is never that easy. What keeps you motivated; what drives you to do what you are doing?
You have to love it; If you don’t love it you wont do it. I believe it takes around ten to fifteen years to become an over night success. I don’t really know why I chose to be a photographer. I just know that when I make imagery, it feels very natural to me. It’s the only thing I have ever stuck with and it has become my profession. I have struggled and I have sacrificed a lot of time for it.
I believe you have to go though hard times to become the artist or person that you can be. The most genuine, most passionate, and most talented people you meet have usually gone through the hardest of times to get to where they are. Look at it as a test of will. If anybody could do it then everybody would. Sometimes you have to pay your dues to get to where you want to be. If you never give up you will never fail.
“A nude woman is one the most beautiful things in this world. There isn’t a single great fashion or portrait photographer that hasn’t or doesn’t shoot women in their birthday suit at one time or another.”
Beauty is reflected in…?
I would say true beauty is projected and not reflected. You can find beauty in anything if you connect with its energy.
The most important thing in life for you is?
Health, family, friends, happiness, love, art. Standard things. I can’t choose one over the other as they are all one and the same thing. If I had to give a clever answer, I would say the most important thing in life is the sun. Without it there would be no life.
www.jaiphoto.com
www.instagram.com/jai.photo
