Each photo shot by Jaquan Brooks, a senior sociology major, tells a unique story.
Brooks focuses on the realm of celebrity photography. Often, he travels around neighboring states to concerts capturing behind-the-scenes and live on-stage experiences.
He started taking photos in high school, gaining inspiration from an art teacher who told him to continue with his photography. Although it was a slow start breaking into the world of photography, in 2016 he transitioned into celebrity photography.
“The first celebrity I shot [photos] for was PnB Rock,” says Brooks. “It was for an annual summer concert we have in the Connecticut area.”
PnB Rock passed away in 2022, but Brooks says he will always be thankful for the opportunity he was given by him.
“When he did pass, it did kind of take a toll out of me because he was the first person that made me feel different when it came down to using a camera.”
As Brooks’ photography skills progressed over the years, he upgraded from a Canon T6 to a Sony a7 III to capture the perfect shots. He made the upgrade so people could see a new quality of work, he says.
“In this business, everyone does the same [type of work], but you have to always elevate to be viewed different,” Brooks says.
Brook says the hardest aspect of being a photographer in general is doing things differently with the settings, lighting, shooting locations and the subject of what is being photographed.
“I always try to approach things based on what the clients want but also what will look good for a specific shot,” he says.
He also says the hardest aspect of being a celebrity photographer is maintaining relationships with high-profile clients.
“I always tell people once you get into those rooms [with celebrities], stay in those rooms because it’s really hard to get back [through] a closed door in this industry,” he says.
Last fall, Brooks had the experience of going on the “IOU Tour” with rap artists Rylo Rodriguez and Lil Baby.
He had gotten in touch with Rylo Rodriguez during his album release party which Brooks attended. Although lots of photographers were at this party, Brooks says his photos stood out to Rylo Rodriguez’s manager.
“From there, he loved my photos and asked me to go on a couple tour dates with them,” Brooks says.
Being from Atlanta, Brooks says this experience working with Atlanta-native artists resonated with him because of the similarities growing up in the same area.
During this tour, Brooks was able to be around the artists to get firsthand experiences and capture candid photographs.
“It was a great tour,” he says. “I couldn’t go to every date being a full-time student, but I did go to some [tour] dates, and we’ll be together in the arena.”
Brooks has also grown a significant following of about 22,000 followers on Instagram because of his photography. As his brand grew, he got himself an assistant, Tiffany Brockton.
Brockton oversees managing Brooks schedule. She uses a digital calendar to track all his scheduled photoshoots but is also very organized when it comes to meetings, last-minute bookings and communication with high-profile clients.
“I tailor my communication to align with the client’s preferences, ensuring a professional yet approachable tone,” Brockton says.
Brooks says having an assistant helps him manage his photography. And he has also had to find a balance with his Southern classes.
During the academic semester, Brooks takes photos for regular clients and models daily while scheduling high-profile shoots in advance.
“My job [during these shoots] is to make sure that they’re comfortable, and that they feel they’re getting their money’s worth,” he says.
Brooks charges for these shoots by the hour. He charges $185 for 30 minutes, and $275 per hour, with a deposit required.
“Photographers work in four seasons,” Brooks says. “In the summer I usually range between seven to eight photoshoots in day. Some days and months are slower than others, it just all depends. But it does all add up the more you save your money.”
Brooks takes photos for not only celebrities, but for other people as well. On campus, he is commonly asked to do graduation photos for students.
“I have some [students] that contact me for grad photos from time to time,” he says. “Shoots like those are really for the people to have memories of those moments.”
Since Brooks has been successful with his photography, he invested in himself, buying a gold chain with diamonds with his “Quanlitty” photo logo.
“Growing up with a single mom, we didn’t always get what we wanted,” he says. “I bought it to show and share with people my story as far as when you don’t have it, if you put your mind to it and work hard eventually you could get it.”
However, Brooks says he does not do photography just because of the money. He takes photos so people can encapsulate memories for a lifetime and continue to share their unique stories though photos.
“I want to create something so people have memories in their phone that they can pass down from generation to generation,” he says. “My mom always told me to stay focused [on school] because money doesn’t last forever.”
Brooks says he choose sociology as his major because criminal justice was not offered by itself. He wants to get involved in the field after he graduates due to his fascination with understanding social behavior, social structures and how people understand their experiences.
