We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jason Weller. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jason below.

Hi Jason, thanks for joining us today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

Long before I was a commercial photographer here in the US, I was a young nightclub photographer living in Japan.

At the very start of that phase of my career, before I really knew the ropes, I met a group of young DJs in need of work for an upcoming show. They were opening for a much more prominent artist coming in from Paris, and were about as green as I was.

Anyway – day of the show – I arrive to the venue with my lone DSLR and strobe in a small bag. As I’m prepping backstage, suddenly this British guy with people carrying his Pelicans starts tearing into me and demanding answers on what I was doing in his nightclub. He was not in fact the owner of the club but rather was one of the most prominent nightclub photographers in Japan and I was in his territory.

At the time, I knew nothing about how these things operated, but after a good scolding I offered to assist him for the evening and fortunately he accepted. By the end of the night, I had broken through his initial gruff exterior and he had taken me under his wing. Fast-forward to the next year, I was the lead shooter under his promotion, which managed the biggest party in Japan at the time – a conglomerate of over 15 nightclubs throwing a single event.

This experience – and his willingness to take a chance on a random kid with a camera backstage encroaching on his territory – marked a significant milestone and changed the trajectory of my career. Reflecting back on this experience, I am filled with gratitude and recognize his kindness as one of the first elements of what would eventually shape me into the photographer I am today.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hello, my name is Jason and I am the owner of DRIPPED – a commercial photography service. I started DRIPPED because I have an unwavering belief in the power of the image.

Its role is absolutely vital in any business, and I fully appreciate its gravity and importance to my clients. I aim to offer top-notch services efficiently and at a fair price, because I feel personally invested in their success. Whether their business is established or in its infancy, I look to foster long-term relationships with my clients. To that end, I consider their success and my success as one and the same.

I came up in professional photography as a nightlife and lifestyle shooter over in Japan, where I spent the majority of my twenties. Over the years, the lessons I picked up there were legion, but nothing more important than the shaping and creating of my own light on a variety of different subjects. Adventure cycling, rap battles, pool parties, portraiture, DJs, body suspension, live shows of all kinds – whatever crossed my path – I shot it.

Then, as often happens in life, something entirely different and unexpected crossed my path – product photography. Product photography immediately drew me in because of the constantly changing subject matter and the challenge of building each shot completely from the ground up. Every ray of light. Every shadow. Every angle, color, and expression. All of it. It drew on the things I loved about what I had always done, but doubled down on them – took everything to the next level. There was no turning back from this detail-oriented style of work.

When we get a product in at DRIPPED, I like to start at the most fundamental level. Every part of each product was designed with intention by someone at some point, and I think it’s imperative to think about it in that way. From there, all the way through location scouting, model selection, research, shooting, and finally post, I endeavor to give my clients precisely what they need in order to achieve their goals in stunning fashion.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I firmly believe that the cornerstone of my business and the key to our reputation lies in the power of word-of-mouth recommendations. In today’s digital age, where information is abundant but often impersonal, personal referrals stand out as a testament to the quality and reliability of our services. I also prefer to focus on building relationships rather than just transactions. Each positive experience a client has with us becomes a potential story they might share with others. This organic and authentic method of growing the business has helped create a loyal client base and a reputation for excellence.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Back in early 2020, I was working as a commercial photographer for a startup that specialized in marketing data and creative services for Amazon sellers. Working for them was overall a wonderful experience, but at the beginning of COVID, the company had to lay off nearly every single employee. It was in the wake of this, and at the dawn of the pandemic, when I was faced with hunting for a job or forging my own path. It was a massive risk, but as the years pass by since then, I look at it as one of best calls of my life. I now not only do what I love, but have now worked with brands and businesses from every continent on Earth sans Antarctica.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://drippedimage.com/
• Instagram: @dripped.af

Image Credits
I created and own all of the provided images.