Miguel Jacob never formally studied photography, but over the past five years you’ve seen his images in magazines such as Fashion, LouLou, Wish and Fashion Quarterly. Jacob also counts companies such as Capezio, David’s and Pink Tartan among his clients. His first solo show, “Always on Camera,” was recently on view at the Alison Milne Gallery in Toronto.
I took French Language and Literature at the University of Toronto. In my third year, I went to Paris and attended the Sorbonne. After finishing my studies, I taught English at a high school in Bordeaux for two years, and did a program to teach French at the university level. When I came back to Toronto, I got my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).
I’ve always been interested in the arts. During my teens and twenties, doing artistic things was sort of a hobby. I took Cinema Studies courses, and I organized a cinema club at OISE. Then, in 2003, I wrote and directed a short film shot on Super 8. You can always make excuses: I need this training to do this or this training to do that. I’d lived my life that way; to be a teacher you have to be certified. Then, I thought, “What would happen if I picked up a camera and just did it?”
I’ve always been a fan of photography. I’ve always had a love for fashion. My brother Luis and I modelled a little when we were teenagers, so I was on-set a lot. Before I shot, I did different conceptualizations—light designs—for Fashion magazine. I was getting all of these ideas and sharing them with the person I was involved with, a very well-respected stylist. I thought, “Why don’t I shoot on weekends, because I don’t teach then?” I had so little time to do anything else, but I loved the work. I took a year off from teaching and never looked back.
The majority of stuff I do is either editorial or advertising. Along the way, I’ve tried to do some personal work. I’m interested in doing work that doesn’t have to be published; it sort of bridges the gap between art and fashion. I’ve also been working on video, but I haven’t done one I can post just yet.
I’m really excited about my first solo show. I really enjoyed the interaction and the realm of possibilities. When you’re doing something that’s self-initiated, and you’re working with people who don’t adhere to the mould of people who are shot for fashion, it’s quite amazing. I shot over 60 portraits, and I’m only showing 26 of them. I’m wanting to do more personal work, something that really expresses myself.
