Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Jallo.
Hi Jack, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
This truly didn’t start as a serious endeavor until, maybe, half a year ago. However, I’ve done photoshoots before when friends have needed them for their brands, bands, and to those who wanted to familiarize themselves with their new photography equipment ever since, I’d say 2011. What made me start modeling was actually a coin toss against going back to acting. However, I am a giant nerd about trying new things, so, modeling. Plus, being a total smoke show makes it a little easier to get started.
I used to act as a serious endeavor a few years ago, but I was forced to drop out of it, basically. Shortest answer? An 8-year relationship with a narcissist. I’ve been getting back into acting though, and I’m loving it. It’s funny because modeling was what bled me into acting again. At the time of writing, I have a few projects and acting groups that I’m part of!
But this isn’t ActFest, so I’ll move on. A lot of what got me to where I am has strictly been a lot of interest in the visions of others. If someone is looking for something specific, I always feel honored to help them bring it to life. The other side of the vision piece is that I am so open to new things, trying old things I didn’t used to like a long time ago, or being whatever I need to be for someone else to try a new thing. This mindset that I cannot help, but also do not want to, makes it easy to feel like that is how I got to where I am today.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has had very few speed bumps, but when they are speed bumps, it’s more of a no-more-speed-you-are-gonna-crash-into-a-wall.
Part of this is of my own doing, of course. I have a lot of piercings and tattoos, that can only cater to do much. And, not part of my own doing, but a staple of a common denominator is at least partly due to my racial ambiguity. I’m Assyrian, which for those of you who don’t know, basically means I’m one of very few in a very rich historical culture.
The racial ambiguity can be helpful, but people aren’t typically looking for middle eastern people or for those who can paaaass as a certain race but aren’t that race at all, so there have been lots of shots taken that never hit the net because the vision or ideas from a photographer or fellow model has a different race of person or people in mind.
I’d like to also say that I’ve never experienced, at least, blatant racism. I’m mostly trying to convey that I have to miss opportunities due to my background. Like many others with their backgrounds, of course! I’m not the only person in the world that has dealt with anything like this, and there are those who sadly have to deal with it much more often and much more bluntly.
Most photographers I’ve met either don’t shoot male models, or that “they caaaaan” but don’t really think about it much, which makes sense considering the female-dominated aspect of modeling, and it really is what it really is. These other models put in so much effort and hard work, they deserve what they get and they typically get less than what they deserve.
Sometimes it’s just hard to find a suitable photoshoot, so to make due, I put the effort into making connections and making the work itself rather than just finding it. I’m currently learning how to self-shoot for practice, wardrobe ideas, and more acclimation to understanding the photographer’s side of things as much as I can.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
So! Jallo Oil.
It’s a family business, in case you couldn’t tell! We are multi-faceted and continue to expand in many different ways very regularly. My dad built the company himself after immigrating to the US from Syria. His role is basically to provide, whereas my mom (who immigrated from Lebanon) was to care for my sisters and I. I feel that it’s worth mentioning because it’s integral to the foundation of the business.
I currently specialize as a Territory Manager, but with our newest venture of owning and operating car washes that we’ve been working on, and will have built over the next year or so at the rate of one piece at a time. The first will be open before ShutterFest even begins. Once that first car wash is setting up for its debut, I’ll be there as my job will transfer over to basically facilitating and mastering the integral pieces of efficiency and what clicks vs what doesn’t. This is so that I can go to each new car wash that we open one at a time and teach the managers how to be as efficient as possible.
I feel like I’ve already wrote so much for just the first two questions. I’m going to lightning round myself to give out the other sorts of questions.
I know that I see things from a much wider scope than those who already have an idea about what they’re doing. Because of this, I can typically take any idea and make it even better. Brand wise, honestly, I’d be remiss to answer a question about pride in the work without acknowledging how much my dad and sisters put into it themselves. That’s what I’m most proud of. Considering the nature of the business/job, all I have to say to the readers is that if you’re ever in the greater Tampa Bay area, let’s do a photoshoot in a car wash. What am I going to do? Fire…ME?
What do you think about happiness?
Seeing someone else feel warmth, joy, and glee makes me head over heels happy. Whether I’m involved or not. I like to see progress, I like to see people reach out and actually grab hold of something they weren’t expecting to find, and mostly I like the concept of happiness. We all have different things, yet happiness is hard to accurately describe with words due to everyone having different ideas of happiness. Some people, like myself, don’t even realize I was happy at a time with whatever was going on but didn’t realize it until later.
It’s hard to say what makes me happy, other than happiness itself I guess is what I’m trying to say. There are things that I like, that I love, that I need, but those pieces being met are, to me, doses of happiness rather than happiness itself. I’ve always looked at being happy as a state of being, and not an emotion alone. Feeling happy is one thing, a great thing, but one thing while being happy is a rare, and beautiful thing.
Contact Info:
- Email: jackjallotalent@gmail.com
- Website: Jackjallo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackjallo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011002488754
Image Credits
Carolina Waldroff
Melissa Marie
Here2Say Creative
Chris Image Premiere Studio
Kat Pulse
Klarissa Starr
Shutter Up Tampa Studios
