Many budding teen photographers or videographers may spend their entire high school career assembling a portfolio to try to get into art school and get discovered.
Jack Craymer ’14 has already surpassed the normal trajectory.
He has not only already started his own photography company, but he has also received calls from well-known magazines eager to employ him.
Craymer can rarely be found without a camera in hand. Since he was 10, Craymer has expressed great interest for both photography and videography. His father, a professional photographer, has had a major influence on Craymer’s passion. He brought Craymer to his very first photo shoot.
“I took some pictures with one of my dad’s cameras and realized I had an eye for it,” Craymer said. “When my family and I moved to America from London, I got my first camera, the Canon T2i, going into freshman year. I was literally obsessed with it, and, as all of my classmates know, I didn’t really go many places without it.”
According to Craymer, he draws much artistic inspiration from both his father and his father’s assistant and digital technician, Alex Dow.
“Dow has been by my side ever since I started taking photos and filming. I really look up to him because he gives me guidance on everything, including how to approach people in this industry and to improve my film and photo techniques,” Craymer said. “He taught me the basics and I thank him for that everyday, because without him, I would be nowhere.”
Clearly, Dow has done a good job, as Craymer has seen much success for someone so young. As of December 2012, he has made videos for Clarks Shoes, Vanity Fair, SELF Magazine, Oprah Magazine, Seventeen Magazine, and U.K., U.S., and Russian Glamour.
“For Clarks Shoes, I was on set to be a photographic assistant, but my dad gave me a video camera rig and told me to go film,” Craymer said. “I edited it together just for fun to show the client and the producers, and they ended up buying it off of me, which was a pretty exciting moment. That’s when I knew I really had a talent and passion for videography.”
In addition to his videos, he has assisted on several photo shoots for companies like Victoria’s Secret and Vanity Fair.
“I love the experience I get from working on these shoots,” Craymer said. “It’s incredible to work with these extremely talented people along with the models.”
Craymer not only works for prominent industries, but also local clients. Recently, he teamed up with Chris Feller, a rapper from Trumbull, to create Feller’s music videos. Additionally, Craymer shoots with Knox McKay ’14, a model at Staples.
“Modeling for Jack was very professional and I enjoyed it very much. After working with many different photographers and experiencing their style of work, Jack is clearly one of the best I have met,” McKay said. “He had a clear vision and executed it in a very different and beautiful way. I know that he will become a very famous photographer someday, and his vision will reach the hearts of many.”
Verity Abel ’14, Craymer’s girlfriend, agrees: “Jack is a really creative person, and his photography reflects that,” Abel said. “He spends a lot of time trying new techniques and putting in the effort to constantly better his work, and I think that’s very admirable.”
Craymer’s work can be found on Vimeo and Flickr, websites that allow him to show curious people his capabilities. Craymer also partnered up with Cooper Pellaton, a Wilton High School sophomore, to create Craymer-Pellaton Technologies, a company that anyone can request video production from, whatever the subject may be. In order to advertise and provide an outlet for people to contact them about business inquiries, Craymer has a Facebook page for CPT.
While Craymer’s work does result in a generous payroll, he says he doesn’t do it for the money.
“What I love about photography and film-making is the freedom you have with the camera and how creative you can be by doing something so simple. When I see a shot that I want, I just need to have it,” Craymer said. “I will do everything in my power to make that shot happen, even if it means going back the next night or getting more equipment. While others want to stop shooting or just take a break, I feel as if I could keep going forever, just because the camera is in my hands.”
