About JTC Photography
Hey, my name is Jon Chaffin
Photography started as a nerd project for me over 15 years ago. I’ve always been technical. I love learning things I may never need to know, taking them apart, and figuring out how they work. Photography, editing, and video were things my brain—and somewhere along the way, my soul—naturally absorbed.
At first, it was fun. Then I started thinking that maybe I was actually good at it. But life changed, and I changed with it. Somewhere through the ups and downs, photography became more than something I enjoyed. It became a way of holding onto things I could feel but could never completely put into words.
My wife sees the mountains and tears up. I can stand beside the ocean and feel something almost spiritual. A thunderstorm rolling across the plains, the morning sun cutting through the clouds, or an empty stretch of land can stop me cold. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to see life everywhere—the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, the difficult, and everything in between.
LIFE DOESN’T FIT IN ONE BOX
The photography industry loves rules. Pick a niche. Follow the trends. Do what everyone else is doing. Stay inside the lines or prepare to fail.
I think that’s bullshit.
Life does not fit inside one clean, pretty box, and neither does my photography. I can care just as deeply about creating something unforgettable for a young woman closing the chapter on high school as I do about a farmer working his field, an animal moving through a pen, wildflowers beside an old road, or a storm rolling across a distant mountain range.
I would be miserable photographing the same thing the same way every day. I chose to be an independent photographic artist because I want the freedom to follow what moves me—to photograph people, land, light, struggle, beauty, confidence, uncertainty, and life itself. The subject may change. The reason behind the photograph does not.
WHAT I WANT THE WORK TO DO
I’m not interested in being booked fourteen hours a day simply so I can say I’m busy. I don’t want volume for the sake of volume. I want emotion. I want vision. I want the work to be seen, felt, and remembered.
Maybe that means creating a photograph that brings someone back to a place where they finally felt at peace. Maybe it means capturing a moment they never want to lose. Maybe it means helping a mother who no longer recognizes the woman in the mirror see that she is still vibrant, magnificent, badass, and feral—and giving her something tangible that reminds her of that every morning before she carries the weight of the world again.
Whatever it is, I want to find the part that matters. I want to see it differently, chase it honestly, and create something that keeps speaking long after the moment has passed.
I may not be the right artist for everyone. I’m okay with that. But if you feel life deeply, reject the ordinary, and want to create something really fucking amazing, we should talk.
FAQ
WHAT IS A PRIVATE PHOTOGRAPHY COMMISSION?
A private commission is photography created around something that matters to you—a person, place, memory, milestone, or idea. Instead of selecting a predetermined package, we begin with a conversation and shape the work around your story.
HOW IS THE CREATIVE FEE DETERMINED?
Private commissions begin with a $600 creative fee, but that amount changes with the scope of the work. Time, creative development, project complexity, location, production requirements, exclusivity, special access, and the intended final artwork can all affect the fee.
A focused portrait commission may begin at $600, while an original, one-of-one artwork developed over several weeks or months may require a creative fee in the thousands. Every project receives a complete proposal before anything is signed or paid, so the scope, creative fee, additional expenses, and estimated artwork investment are understood from the beginning.
WHAT CAN I COMMISSION?
Portraits, couples, families, boudoir, milestones, meaningful events, animals, land, homes, businesses, and ideas that refuse to fit neatly into a category. JTC Photography creates commissioned work throughout Amarillo, Canyon, and the Texas Panhandle, with travel available beyond the area. No location is too far or impossible as long as it's legal!
DO I NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I WANT?
Not at all. You might have a complete vision, a place you cannot stop thinking about, or simply a feeling you cannot put into words yet. Bring me what you have, and we’ll discover what the commission could become together.