Meet Jackson Randall

We recently connected with Jackson Randall and have shared our conversation below.

Jackson, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

I will never forget the day I decided to get out of my comfort zone. I picked up the camera and went to a public sporting event in my area (Battle At The Rock). In fact, 19 year old me, who was fully capable of driving, and had been driving for some years at that point… had my dad drop me off, due to gut wrenching nerves. As I continued to peruse this passion of mine, I made myself vulnerable… I branched out, asked questions, then became friends with other creatives, so on and so forth. Things then began to flourish. To all of the young kids or new creators…take that risk, ask questions, study the craft, and be a sponge. For the seasoned creators, be the one to plant the seed in someone else, speak to those who look uneasy or nervous… because you were once in their shoes. Everyone has their first day, just like I did. You never know what could come from such a simple gesture. Just do it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

My story is like any others to be honest, nothing exuberant. I was in a broadcast journalism class in high school. in front of the camera, absolutely hated it. I would fiddle with my camera once in a blue moon, I always loved to document my experiences with friends and family, but nothing super serious by any means of the imagination. Years later I fell in love with photography and everything with it. From capturing the photo, turning a raw image into something special, and the friendships and connections I would make during shoots. At the end of the day… Art is subjective, there are no rules. Over time I learned to shoot with a purpose I really just let the moment come to me. With experience they just start to come naturally. when it comes down to it… shoot what you like, be a sponge, take it all in, and just continue to grow.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

As I continue to peruse this passion of mine, I make myself vulnerable… branch out, constantly ask questions, made friends with other creatives, so on and so forth… then things begin to flourish. I am always looking for ways to expand my horizons and not be stuck into one box, wether that be trying to styles, tweaking my colors, or bending the “rules”. So take that risk, Be a sponge.For the seasoned creators, be the one to plant the seed in someone else, speak to those who look uneasy or nervous… because you were once in their shoes. Everyone has their first day, just like I did. You never know what could come from such a simple gesture. Just do it.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

I know I am not the only creator in this boat. One of my biggest struggles would be the enemy of comparison. I have always struggled when it comes to comparing my journey to someone else’s. There is a saying I like to reflect on when I am struggling with this. A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. Comparison truly is the thief of joy. Continue to work hard, everything will pan out.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shotbyran.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/J_randall__