Jayson Tucker

Jayson Tucker is a visual storyteller who specializes in natural light photography. Take a few minutes to read some expert tips and advice that he has for content creators.  

His creative process 

During his early days, he used himself as the test subject to understand how light worked.  

“As a beginner, yourself is the best subject” Jayson recommended. 

Whenever he is covering an event, the first thing he normally does is walk around and take a few shots to get into his creative zone.  

As a single shooter, he shares that whenever he has a session, he ensures that he arrives on location early (sometimes over an hour before) to capture a few images to test the lighting. 

On the topic of outdoor photography, Jayson mentions that he is not able to control the intensity of the sun, thus whenever he’s doing an outdoor shoot, early morning, and late afternoon work best. He takes extra precaution when shooting at midday, due to the harsh sunlight at that time. 

Creating content solo (without an assistant), he uses the shade to his advantage and ensures that his camera settings are dialed in so that when the talent arrives, he goes straight into making magic.  

Jayson on set.

Expert Tips 

The best way to learn is to practice! 

Photography is like exercising a muscle. Using your camera frequently will allow you to develop an eye for certain details. 

Jayson highlights the importance of knowing the rules of photography but not being limited by them. He encourages photographers to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That means making the best out of situations that aren’t ideal and getting the shot regardless. 

He expresses that having a lens that you can take advantage of in low-light settings is ideal. Jayson recommends that solo photographers should always place their cameras on a tripod, so they can have a longer exposure that allows light to flow in during a natural light session.  

Jayson shared an experience where he was doing a shoot with Sean Paul in a studio setting and he had no artificial lights. He explained that he used a very low shutter speed, opened his aperture wide, and instructed Sean to stay very still to achieve excellent pictures.  

“When doing night shoots every bit of light is important, therefore once you have a great light source, great images can be achieved. Having a tripod is also essential as it will keep the camera still,” Jayson shared. 

Bits of Advice 

One of the best pieces of advice that he has gotten as a photographer, is to be adaptable and study the rules so you know how to break them. He advises creators to set goals that will motivate them; this is a tactic that he utilizes that works for him.  

Jayson is encouraging creators to always be open to learning how they can improve their workflow. 

He shares that the best way for people to learn, especially those who are just starting, is to take up a camera and begin shooting. 

To keep up with Jayson, follow him on all socials (linked below).

View his portfolio here

Author | Ashagaye Mullings

Ashagaye is a Media Practitioner, who is competent in writing, content creation, and marketing. Check out her Instagram here.