In conversation with Jacobo Campos
& an invitation to our first Open Call
‘In conversation’ is Playground’s newsletter series, where we invite friends, acquaintances, and individuals we admire to share their creative thoughts and explore the art of playfulness.
Playground readers,
I’m thrilled that this series is resonating with our audience, and I’m especially excited to introduce you to our collaborator here in Stockholm, fellow expat Jacobo Campos. Jacobo is a friend, a photographer, a warm soul, and a creative whose work I admire deeply (even my profile image on Substack was taken by him!).
I first met Jacobo through a mutual friend, and since then, we’ve worked together on both magazine issues – he captured a listening bar, Hosoi, for the first, and a furniture studio, Massproductions, for the second – as well as on client projects. His editorial approach and the way he plays with light is simply brilliant.
As you can tell, I’m a big fan! I hope to send more fans his way, so without further ado, here’s Jacobo. And don’t miss the details about our Open Call for contributors for Issue 3 below…
What has been taking up the most of your mind lately?
In a very general sense, lately, I’ve been thinking a lot (I still am) about what makes me happy with the work I do and what doesn’t, what I want to put more effort into, and how to move forward from there.
What is one subject you’ve been interested in recently that is completely unrelated to your area of work?
I recently picked up a new hobby – climbing (indoor bouldering) and I’m spending a lot of time thinking about how to solve the problems that I couldn’t climb in my last session.
Where would you take us if we asked you to give us a one-day tour of the city you live in?
Even though Stockholm is nice all year round, I just want to point out that summer is when it really shines for me, so I will always recommend something like:
For a day in the city I would recommend a nice walk at Hagaparken, visiting the Trädgården and Carl Eldhs Ateljémuseum is a must. Maybe a nice exhibition at Moderna Museet, a drink or lunch at Schmaltz, a nice wine at Ninja, and then go for a meal to a new favorite Bacchanale. But for the best meal and wines in town nothing like neighborhood favorite Bar Libertin.
Snap a picture of your creative space / work desk right now! No cheating – do not tidy up.
What are the books/films/podcasts/any piece of media that truly influenced how you perceive creative work?
This is always a complicated question to answer as I believe (not trying to be original here) that everything is an influence and everything you see, read, hear, or feel, is reflected in your work and life, either as something that you would like to incorporate to your work, or something you don’t want your work to look like.
But if I have to mention a couple:
A book that I picked up recently and has changed my way of perceiving photography is “Rich and Poor” by Jim Goldberg.
Also, I’m reading a book from a Spanish writer and film director Rodrigo Cortés called “Los años extraordinarios” with a very particular way of writing that I would define as humorous chaotic order.
If you had one extra day in a week - what would you use it on?
Doing something unplanned.
What are the ways you incorporate play into your daily life?
I get tired of things very rapidly, especially of repeating myself. I love learning, I love trying new things and finding ways to incorporate that into my work. Playing with new subjects, processes, etc. is the way I make my creative work more playful.
You’ve worked on projects across different places, such as Stockholm, Shanghai, and Galicia. How do different environments influence your style?
I think the environment has a bigger impact on the feeling or mood of your work but not that much on the style. It is the people that you work with who can have a bigger impact on that. A picture during a summery day in my beloved Rias Baixas would definitely have a different feel to a picture in Shanghai during raining season, but the style will be the same.
As a photographer with experience in both editorial and commercial work, what are the key differences in approach for each, and how do you navigate them?
I would say that editorial work tends to be more personal, many times it is your own ideas that you develop in the photoshoot, teams are smaller, and more things depend on you. Whereas commercial work always involves a larger number of people: client, art director, production, hair and make-up, stylist – the list goes on. Everybody is part of the creative work and has their own input that needs to fit within a bigger creative idea.
What excites you about photography the most?
I guess this is the question I’m asking myself (see question one) hehe, but more seriously, I take a lot of snap photos without any intention or attention to detail. I get attracted by something, I grab my camera and I shoot. That, per se, is a very exciting moment, but even more exciting is sitting down and reviewing the pictures and finding all those common threads that tie your work together. It is a bit like psychoanalysing yourself.
Are there any photographers or artists who have significantly influenced your style or you look up to?
Many and in many different genres. I tend to like photographers who can do any kind of project and still be recognizable. The pinnacle of that for me is Irving Penn. Someone I’ve been obsessed with recently is Niegel Shafran and his workbooks edited by Loose Joint.
What are 3 tips that a brand should know, or think of before collaborating with a photographer?
Tricky one…. First is asking yourself as a brand if that photographer represents the image that you have or you want to achieve. Second would be asking what that photographer add to my brand, and, third, remember you call a photographer (or a creative in general) because you like what you see in the portfolio and he is an expert on what he/she does. Finding a middle ground between your vision and his/her vision is the best way to go.
What’s your dream photography brief?
If you mean a dream job: one that allows me to go on a location trip for 1 or 2 weeks with a small creative team to explore a place that I have never been to before and do a project navigating between commercial and personal. If you mean a creative brief for a job: one that has great ideas and a clear direction of what is wanted but gives enough room for me to have the freedom to work with it. More important than the brief itself is a great connection with the art director, and the rest of the team, especially on the day of the photoshoot.
To see what Jacobo is up to next, follow him on Instagram!
Creative people of Substack, this one’s for you: for the first time, we’re launching an Open Call for Playground Magazine Issue 3, and we want your ideas!
This issue will aim to explore what freedom within play, creativity, and the creative industries means. We’re looking for your unique, honest take on this theme, and are open to hear how you would approach it.
Submissions are open until 27 November. Press the button below to learn all the details, and submit your ideas:
Be honest, have fun, share your ideas, and spread the word to all your creative friends!
Greetings from Auste & Playground team.