Tantalum: When shooting you have the opportunity to see the visual outcome. What do you find to be the most difficult when bringing a team of artists together to create a cohesive look?
Jack Waterlot: The most difficult thing when putting together a team is to create exactly the image that is in my head.
Tantalum: What or who would you say influences your work?
Jack Waterlot: The most important thing for me is to always be in the Fashion that is current, to be in that moment. That is why I always study and look at the latest editorials of the biggest fashion photographers.
Tantalum: When sending your work out for the world to see, what do you hope your element of the project says to the viewers?
Jack Waterlot: When the world sees a photo, I want them to recognize and say, "That is Jack Waterlot's work.”
Tantalum: What was the best piece of advice you were given when starting out?
Jack Waterlot: One day I worked with a well-known stylist and he guided me through the entire shoot. The advice that he gave me for that shoot allowed me to understand that it was the smallest details that made the shoot perfect.
Tantalum: Who took the time to teach you the art early in your career? And what was the most valuable lesson they taught you?
Jack Waterlot: Greg Kadel, Sebastian Kim, Steven Klein… They are my best teachers. Looking at their work, and trying to recreate their work, I was able to learn, by myself, how to fix my lights, my retouches, my expressions. My biggest lesson has been "To be as strong as them.” I never had a teacher; never has anyone taught me how to take a photo. It was the books and the biggest photographers that helped create my technique.
Tantalum: As an editorial artist, what do you feel is one of the biggest mistakes beginners tend to make?
Jack Waterlot: Being too much, meaning: Too much makeup, too much hair styling, too much styling of wardrobe, and too much movement and expression in the model’s body. For me, these things are a big faux pas.
Tantalum: Words to live by...
Jack Waterlot: Cover; editorials; big magazines; campaign; creativity; and for sure, money.
Tantalum: What have you learned from your experiences shooting high fashion spreads?
Jack Waterlot: It's my specialty; that is all I want to shoot at all times. That is what allows me to really develop my creativity.
Tantalum: How has the experience of working with a team to complete a project benefited you?
Jack Waterlot: With a creative team, you can realize exactly what you imagined.
Tantalum: How would you describe your artistic style?
Jack Waterlot: HIGH FASHION.