Jack Schaefer

Our first Palomar Photography Student Profile of 2023 is Jack Schaefer (@Jacks_pixx).

Jack is a current student in the Palomar Photography program, who specializes in making dreamy and aesthetic portraits. He hopes to open a photography studio of his own someday, but he already works as a freelance photographer. Jack said, “I want to continue to shoot for agencies and magazines because I love shooting in the studio. I’m more comfortable in a controlled environment.” That may be, but his work outside the studio is also stellar.

Jack started with photography during his junior year of high school and has already completed 8 of our photography courses and is currently enrolled in 160 (Professional Practices), 209 (Portfolio), and 225 (Portraiture). Once he completes his classes, he hopes to transfer to a UC, preferably UCLA or Berkley. Asked if he had a favorite photography class, Jack said, “I really liked Photo 100. I felt film was more of a hands-on approach which I prefer. Ever since then I’ve been shooting with film and have been loving it, especially black and white.”

Regarding his views on his work, he said “I got into photography because I felt it offered me an entirely new perspective on everyday life. I just felt the need to create. Photography allows me to turn anything I find beautiful into a work of art. Plus I feel I can really express my creativity through my photos. Another thing I like about photography is how it can bring people together. I’ve gotten to meet a lot of cool and amazing people through photography. If there’s one thing it has taught me, it is to be more social and engaging.” Seeing his growth over the last few semesters, the photography faculty and staff wholeheartedly agree.