What to know
Photographer Jack Jackson is opening a new Leslieville studio as he continues capturing heartfelt stories between people and their dogs.
His acclaimed Rescued by Love Project documents the bonds between 2SLGBTQ+ people and their rescue dogs, inspired by his own life-changing relationship with his pup Jet.
After a hiatus due to sustainability challenges, Jackson is looking for new partnerships to relaunch the project.
One Toronto creative dedicated to capturing love stories between queer people and their dogs is opening a new studio in the city.
Jack Jackson is a Toronto-based photographer who has spent more than six years taking pictures of the city’s most beloved pups and their people, creating portraits that have become popular because of Jackson’s unique style.
“I’m a huge fan of wide angles, super goofy [shots], big bright skies, those kinds of images. ”Jackson told Queer & Now during an interview in his new studio, located in Leslieville.
“I just want to push myself to do things differently,” he explained.
The majority of his clients are women and gay men, with Jackson striving to make them feel comfortable while celebrating their lives and stories.
(Courtesy: Jack Jackson)
(Courtesy: Jack Jackson)
(Courtesy: Jack Jackson)
(Courtesy: Jack Jackson)
“Whilst for very different reasons, I totally understand why women can be so critical of the way they look, so I want to make them look and feel fantastic,” he shared.
This intentionality and attention to care-based practices are evident when considering his work, the Rescued by Love Project. Through portraits of 2SLGBTQ+ people and their rescue dogs, Jackson documents bonds of love, companionship, and understanding. He describes the projects as similar to “Humans of New York,” but with queer voices and adorable dogs.
“When I do a project session, I have a bit more time to work directly with the client to create something based on their story,” he explained.
“So it’s very much about their story, [and] about how their rescue dog helps them. What do they want? What do they want to see in the image? Do they want to see a moment of fun? Do they want to see a more serious moment?”
INSPIRED BY JET JACKSON
He explained that the concept of the project was inspired by the love of his own pup, Jet, whom he adopted after immigrating to Toronto from the United Kingdom, and facing various challenges.
“She just changed everything for me, everything,” he explained.
First, she inspired him to start his dog walking business, helping him get back on his feet and providing him with both structure and routine.
Jet and Jack (Courtesy: Jack Jackson)
Jet and Jack (Courtesy: Jack Jackson)
“I do have family, but I moved away, and when you move away, you lose all of those support networks, the friendships that I’d had for 20 years, [in Toronto] I couldn’t just call on people,” he explained, adding that Jet became a true support during one of the most challenging times of his life.
And while he does have a network of loved ones who support him from afar, he’s aware that this isn’t always the case for queer people.
“Like it sounds so intense. But I think as queer people sometimes we don’t always have those family structures,” he explained.
“What most people need is love, family, support and a reason to get up. And sometimes we don’t have those things through no fault of our own. You know, that’s why I got the dog, and I just realized there are so many queer people [who are like this] with their dogs.”
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But in the same way that dogs change the lives of their people, the reverse is also true.
“You’ve got all these dogs in shelters, then as soon as they’ve got a family and they feel that support, they start to change. They start to become confident, and they’re happier. And that’s how the project started,” he shared.
“It’s so simple, right? If you’ve got love and safety and the basic things you need in life, you tend to do better.”
However, Jackson has been so busy with client work and other projects that he has recently had to take a hiatus, but he’s currently in search of a new partnership to allow him the financial freedom to continue Rescued by Love.
“Originally, I was doing all of the work myself, and it’s not sustainable, and I don’t want to be a project that doesn’t carry on,” he explained. “So I’m reaching out to the corporates and looking to get it back up and running.”
That funding will allow him to take the time to scout out the right location, have in-depth conversations with the people involved, and pay his assistant to help with shoots.
The project has previously been sponsored by big names like Pet Value, with Jackson doing shoots across Canada, the United Kingdom, and even Australia.
His new studio is soft-launching on December 1. Those interested in booking a shoot with Jackson, or finding out more about Rescued by Love, can contact the artist here.