Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Morgan.
Hi Jeremy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I was a playful, outdoorsy kid, getting into my fair share of trouble. School wasn’t easy, I had a hard time paying attention to lessons I had no interest in, and it became problematic. I barely scraped by to graduate high school, but I did and was able to move on to the adult world. My interest in photography started when I was 16. My mother, Rhonda, was the manager of a 1-hour photo lab in a Target in Fort Worth. I was developing 35mm film before I even knew how to use a camera, but it sparked an interest. After graduating high school, I moved to Phoenix Arizona, and attended a tech school for motorcycles and powersports, pursuing a career in a dealership setting and remaining in the industry for the following 20 years. During this entire time, I was still taking photos of anything and everything, never giving up the passion for trying to capture the best shots. In January of 2022, a little over a year ago, I was given a Canon Rebel XS DSLR camera from my buddy “Chicken,” and I got busy learning what all those buttons and knobs did – I had only been using my phone as a camera during previous years. YouTube had a wealth of information, and I administered myself photo lessons. Once again, I was back to taking pictures of everything I could to help hone my skills behind the lens. I enjoyed taking landscape photos, as well as wildlife, and doing street photography. One night, I decided to take my camera to a concert and see what that was like and was stopped at the door. I was told I couldn’t bring it in unless I had permission from the band… this was new to me, and the challenge was accepted! I went home and started putting together a portfolio to try and get a band to let me shoot their show. Eventually, I got a yes from a band called “Rehab.” The shots I got were unreal to me; I couldn’t believe I was responsible for them! I was hooked at this point, I started shooting nothing but concerts, beginning locally and then moving up to some of my favorite bands touring through the area. I built my portfolio this way until I came to a new barrier; the press pass. We are now in about month 8 or 9 of using a real camera, and I needed to find a publication to back me, so I could get into bigger shows and work my magic. When you move into shooting bigger artists, their management team wants the pictures to go out to the public, so a publication to shoot for was my top priority; I got in touch with the right people and let my portfolio do the talking. Soon I was shooting for two different online publications, DailyReggae.com and TopshelfMusicMag.com, doing album reviews and photographing shows that were now getting a little more attention than my Instagram account was. After a couple months of working with them, Chris and Jamie of DailyReggae.com applied for photo credentials for me to shoot the Cali Vibes Festival in Long Beach, California, and got approved! This was without a doubt, the biggest event with the highest profile artists I have ever had the pleasure of shooting, including Jack Johnson and Snoop Dogg as headliners. This just happened a couple weeks ago, and I’m still buzzing from it! I guess that brings me to pretty much current time, and I can only imagine where this road will take me next!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I could write a book on the obstacles life has thrown at me growing up, but I was taught at an early age how to adapt and overcome. I’ve been able to navigate life a lot better with that skillset, checking my ego and disconnecting in order to properly negotiate a life situation. As a photographer, most of the roadblocks I have had to overcome on this new adventure were internal, experiencing what’s been dubbed as the “imposter syndrome” – feeling like you don’t necessarily belong in a category that people put you in. I was starting to be introduced to others as a “photographer,” and this felt very odd to me; I’m just a mechanic that likes to take pictures! I realized that maybe I WAS becoming a photographer … and kind of just let it happen, even started referring to MYSELF as a photographer! I still work my day job, and that in itself can be an obstacle. It’s hard to take random days off and make it to a lot of the shows I’d like to, but I’ve done a decent job at balancing it all so far. One of the most annoying speedbumps I hit most often, though, was the inability to get in touch with a lot of the bands I was trying to gain photo access to. Without permission, I couldn’t go in with a camera. So there have been times when I just showed up to the venue, hoping to catch a band member outside and get some sort of “OK” to be there and get photos. It didn’t always work, and if the show was sold out, I was going back home! Being backed by publications now, it’s a lot smoother of a process! Music is something special to me; a big reason is that I don’t possess the skills necessary to play the simplest of instruments; they just don’t make sense to me. Musicians might as well be magicians in my eyes. I was always infatuated with the rock-star lifestyle. Although I don’t live it like they do, I have found a way to be on stage and in the middle of it all without having to know a single thing musically, thanks to a camera.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The professional side of my career lies in the powersports sector (street bikes, dirt bikes, ATVs, etc.). I graduated high school, transplanted to Phoenix, AZ, and attended Motorcycle Mechanics Institute. I picked up on everything with ease, graduated, and threw myself into the industry. I started off as a porter, moving up to builder, and eventually a full-time technician. I spent the next 15 years repairing and maintaining customer vehicles in various dealerships until I was offered a position as a fixed operations manager. Basically, I manage the entire parts and service department now, overseeing the operations that bring revenue into the store via parts sales and servicing units. All of that work needs to be coupled with play, and that’s where the photography comes into the scene. After work, I load up my gear and head to whatever venue has a some great music playing, and I fill up my memory cards. When I get home, I unload them onto the computer and dig through it to see what I got. Then comes the editing; I easily get lost in Lightroom for hours, tweaking brightness and colors, creating that perfect snap. Photography is a great release for me, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
What matters most to you?
Memories matter. Long ago I gave up the pursuit of material things after realizing I received more happiness from remembering things I’ve done or places I’ve gone. It made me stay in the moment longer, enjoying the journey more than the destination. Everybody always wishes they could go BACK to the good times, but don’t LIVE in the moment when they are being made. I feel like that’s why I have such a passion for photography. Taking pictures freezes time essentially, keeping those memories fresh and preserved for future enjoyment. With digital photography, it’s possible for countless generations ahead of you to have a window into what your life was like long after you’re gone. I find that so interesting, seeing that when I was growing up the only pictures I had of my great-grandparents were tiny, black-and-white photos that didn’t tell much of a story. Although it was a glimpse, I always wished I could have seen more. I want to tell stories with my pictures, transforming memories into a physical medium.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://817stills.myportfolio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highlydecentphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/highlydecentphotography/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/HighlyDecent
- Other: https://topshelfmusicmag.com/author/jeremy-morgan/
Image Credits
Jenna Shaw
Jeremy Morgan
