Five quick questions with pro advertising photographer Chase Jarvis

TPS 2020 5Qs Chase Jarvis listing image
US photographer Chase Jarvis will speak on The Photography Show's Super Stage on September 17 (Image credit: Chase Jarvis)

Award-winning photographer and entrepreneur Chase Jarvis is one of the most influential photographers of the past 20 years – and he will be among the headliners at The Photography Show 2022, taking place at Birmingham's NEC on 17, 18 & 20 September. The three-day show will have hundreds of talks and demonstrations, with Chase Jarvis headlining the Super Stage on Saturday September 17, at 1.15pm BST.

Get tickets for The Photography Show now

His expansive portfolio ranges from shooting advertising campaigns for mega-brands including Apple, Nike and Red Bull, working with athletes including Tony Hawk and Serena Williams, and collaborating with global icons including Lady Gaga and Richard Branson. 

The founder of online community CreativeLive, Chase will inspire attendees at The Photography Show to harness their creativity, delving into his wealth of experience as a photographer, entrepreneur and creator. 

In the meantime, find out more about Chase and his career to date as he answers five quick questions ahead of his headline appearance… 

'Paris, France' by Chase Jarvis. Catch him at The Photography Show  on Saturday September 17, at 1.15pm (Image credit: Chase Jarvis)

Five quick questions with Chase Jarvis    

1. You shoot varied and diverse images including sport, lifestyle and street scenes – plus landscapes, still life and Polaroids. How do you maintain consistency so an audience can still identify with your work?

It's important to develop your own personal style through repetition and volume. If your personal style is well developed and you know who you are and what kind of photos you want to make, then it becomes second nature. You could only ever do you. 

2. How does your weekly podcast influence you as a person and a photographer?

It started out selfishly to learn and be inspired by people outside the photo industry like Brené Brown, Richard Branson, Jared Leto, Tim Ferriss, etc. 

Building a community of people from different disciplines has profoundly affected my work because it avoids the echo chamber that the photography industry can be. 

Photographer and entrepreneur Chase Jarvis, a headline speaker at The Photography Show  (Image credit: The Photography Show)

3. How does storytelling vary from a single image in photography to being able to have more time to develop a narrative with moving images? 

When I'm forced in photography to make an entire narrative in one frame, it's complex and I'm always wishing I had moving pictures. 

And the opposite is also true. When shooting moving images, I've got things like time and audio to consider. The grass is always greener as each has its own constraints. 

4. On extreme assignments (eg mountains), where keeping equipment to a minimum is vital, what are the three essential pieces of kit you absolutely cannot do without – perhaps a favorite lens? 

It depends on what I'm shooting, but a fantastic base kit is two Nikon D5 bodies, a 14-24mm f/2.8, a 24-70mm f/2.8 and a 70-200mm f/2.8.

5. With so many people taking up photography and videography now, how can photographers and videographers stay fresh and pioneering? 

There's only one you. Focus on making pictures that only you can make. 

'Dive', by The Photography Show 2022 Super Stage speaker Chase Jarvis  (Image credit: Chase Jarvis)

General entry tickets to The Photography Show and The Video Show are now available, and visitors can choose to add Super Stage tickets to their event itinerary for £12 per session.

More about The Photography Show 2022

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Alistair Campbell

Alistair is the Features Editor of Digital Camera magazine, and has worked as a professional photographer and video producer.