GREATEST: Ja Tecson
Having picked up his first camera, a Bronica, at the age of five, Ja Tecson grew up observing photography through his father's eyes.
Crediting basketball and its team building aspect as fundamental in developing his work ethic as a photographer, Tecson continued to build his visual vocabulary over the years. He shot all throughout high school and later joined the yearbook staff with an unlimited budget to shoot whatever he wanted. We sat down with Tecson to discuss his work, his connection to Hawaii (and how it led to shooting for Nike), and how a house party he went to with his older brother in fifth grade opened his eyes to the world of sneakers.
I think with all the shifts in our industry, it will always be a challenge to evolve with the same kind of passion we started with. It makes life interesting.
Ja Tecson
What was your childhood like growing up? I know you’ve mentioned you were really into basketball and being outdoors. Do you think that aspect of being active outside – amongst people – has worked into your photography?
The more I think about it, the more I realize that basketball has played one of the biggest roles not only in my personal life but in my career. People don’t realize that it takes a lot of courage to play. From playing in front of a crowd to dealing with trash talking, playing against older and more skilled players, and doing the work it takes not only to be in physical shape but to be mentally strong. You’re also learning about teamwork and tactics against all the different competitors you come up against. At a young age, I realized that fundamentals were very important, but the ability to entertain a crowd was a talent and gift. If there is anything I have learned from my childhood, it’s that basketball philosophy transferred into my work ethic as a photographer. It helped me build an ability to adapt, to evolve, to work with people. More importantly, basketball helped me develop the ability to have fun and hopefully wow the crowd visually.
So were you already actively shooting with your camera in high school?
In eighth grade, my dad basically gave me his Canon Sure Shot Supreme. It was the first camera I had with me at all times, so I felt empowered, like I had been given the keys to the kingdom even though it was probably not a big deal to him at the time. He provided the film. I just thought it was cool that as soon as I was finished with a roll, I could leave it by the coffee table by our front door, and it would magically appear the next day as 4x6 prints.
In high school, I was the homie that photographed everyone and became the official historian for that important time in our lives. It was fun because I was learning the craft through experience. I was composing. I was directing. I was praying that the shot would come out nicely, which most of the time it did not. I would learn this the hard way when my dad would come home from the photo lab and the look on his face meant that he was not impressed with what I shot. It was just a different time. My dad didn’t like the idea of wasting film and experimenting the way that photojournalists or photographers did. They had this kind of snapshot style. I was shooting food, textures, my dog, basketball courts and my friends. I can only imagine how it would’ve been if I had access to digital technology, or even an iPhone back then, but I think for all people that start off with analog, we all learn a little patience in the process.
The next epiphany came when I joined the yearbook staff with two of my buddies. For the first time I could shoot whatever I wanted. Our yearbook editor, who happened to be my basketball coach, basically told us we had an unlimited budget for film and photo lab. I just remember thinking of the possibilities. I felt like those possibilities were important for me at that age. It let me dream a little more. It let me kind of produce shoots in my head and have the freedom to make mistakes, but also the permission to create.
If we fast forward, I first met you at the ‘Feels Like Home’ pop-up you had with Sophia Chang at KICKS LA. How did it feel being able to return to the neighborhood you grew up in to host this community-based event?
It honestly meant everything to me. It was a bucket list moment for so many personal reasons, but giving people an experience through the photography and curation of products was a new challenge for myself at the time. I wanted people to really get a sense of who I was through the sport of basketball, and also through the people I work with.
Anyone who has worked with Sophia Chang knows she embodies good taste, relentless hustle, and a love for culture. When Soph and I came up with the list of brands that could be cool for the pop-up, it was just a matter of having the courage to inspire them with what our passion project was. Everyone off the bat was so supportive, and it just gave me the energy to see this project through despite all the obstacles that came our way. It really was a dope concept store, but I felt connected to everyone that was on that shelf. Jeff Staple was one of the first people who came on board and asked us to let him know whatever we needed. We had products from Staple Pigeon, 143, Herschel, Big Bad Wolf Kids, Jason Markk, Hypebeast, Tried and True Co., KILLSPENCER, Contrast Magazine, MONO Hawaii and UNDO. The homies at Pintrill also made custom pins for us. Much love to the people at KICKS LA for giving me the creative freedom to do what I wanted with the space too. My bro, Sergio, is responsible for this pop-up happening as well as my first very solo show that I did with KICKS LA at their Brentwood location a while back.
A lot of your work is centered around Hawaii. You’ve been heavily involved with Powwow since its inception. What’s the history with Hawaii and you?
Hawaii, for me, has been about finding myself and having these epiphanies in the process. The island was one of the first places I visited by myself without knowing anybody, but hoping I could produce these images I had been envisioning in my head. So I did what my mentors and what many successful people did: I took the leap and kept my faith in myself strong. I reached out to as many people as I could, cold-called agencies and brands, and fortunately got to experience the aloha culture while doing all of this. There was a point where I wasn’t getting any callbacks, and I felt like my engine was running empty. Hawaii, in so many ways, pushed me to my edge, almost like what New York has done for a lot of other artists.
Powwow is a week-long event that gathers artists from all over the world to celebrate music and art. I’ve been to a lot of events and festivals, but you have to be in Hawaii to experience the love that is taking place as they paint the neighborhood of Kaka’ako. I go back to the islands as much as I can to reconnect with the people and also tap into that part of myself as a reminder that life is an adventure.
I had worked with some great brands, but I hadn’t worked with my dream brands yet. I had just gotten back home from a trip to Hawaii where I produced an inspired library of new imagery that I was proud of. The stars aligned when a friend from Nike invited me to a creative vendor fair for up-and-coming artists that was taking place at the Nike offices in Culver City. I had a few days to create some kind of experience in a booth and was starting to feel the anxiety. I just remember feeling more excited to share the photos that I made in Honolulu, and the spirit I captured from those photos had a new connection to me, that I had felt as an artist. What separates one photographer from the next is the actual connection you have to the photo and the connection an audience has to that photo. That is why Hawaii is such a big part of me. It’s where I was able to build that connection. A week after that vendor fair, I started to work with Nike.
Is it harder for you to shoot commercial work versus personal work? That’s how it is for me. Sometimes you get into your head when you realize that you have expectations and guidelines to work with. Does it ever get hard shooting for your kids and friends versus a brand’s campaign?
I believe that when you put in the work and find your groove as an artist, commercial and personal worlds come together. Obviously, the client needs to be happy, but you always hope that it is a collaborative process. I think the more you shoot, you experience those epiphanies I was talking about. You start to understand what kind of work you want to get commissioned and start building a strategy to attract those kinds of people into your life that can empower you. Then somewhere along the journey, your commercial work will start feeling like your personal work. I think with all the shifts in our industry, it will always be a challenge to evolve with the same kind of passion we started with. It makes life interesting. I get what you mean though when you ask if it’s hard shooting my kids versus brand work. There is a random switch up there in our brain that messes with us.
Obviously the connection you have with Jeff Staple, and your whole journey with your love for hip-hop, you being a breakdancer in high school, being into basketball...What role have sneakers played growing up for you?
I was a kid who lived a very blessed life with hard working parents that gave me an education and a basketball court in my yard. I was not spoiled by my mom and dad like some of my classmates were. I remember watching all of my friends roll up to school with brand new pairs of kicks on the daily that were so fire at the time. I was starting to understand how culture and design were playing a role in my life, and it was exciting. The first pair of Jordans that my mom bought were the Air Jordan 6s. I remember my best friend, Souren, had the Jordan 3, 4 and 5s in all-black, so I begged my mom for those. At that time, my love for MJ and basketball was at an all-time high, too. I was rocking a wristband on my arm every day to school and pretended like I was chewing gum since he did that a lot in Michael Jordan’s Playground.
When I was in fifth grade, my older brother took me to a house party with him. It was the first time I saw a breaking crew perform and do their thing on the dance floor. I was straight up in awe watching them move, and their fashion was next level. I just remember them all having either Adidas or Pumas on, and was immediately hooked. I begged my mom again every day. I remember when I got my first pair of Adidas Superstar shell toes at the Beverly Center. It was a great day.
During the Jason Markk X MINI:LICIOUS Kids Shoe Cleaning Workshop, we got a chance to chat briefly regarding the tightknit circle of friends (and fellow parents) you have had the chance to know over the years. What is it like to be able to continue the bond of friendship through parenthood?
Being a parent is not easy, nor is being a creative. I think everyone needs a supportive community in order to stay on the path to success, and at the same time, we need that community to keep us grounded. The fact that I’ve been able to share the bond of parenthood with friends, while also collaborating with them creatively is a dream come true. I count my blessings every day because it won’t be like this forever. The kids will grow up and new chapters will begin.
Interview and Photography: Diane Abapo