Jack Dalbey: Professional Photographer

Judah senior Jack Dalbey is a professional photographer — at the young age of 18. Dozens of people have paid him to take photos for them and of them.

In fact, Jack’s growing photography business has more than 50 clients, and he gets paid to be a freelance photographer for both the News-Gazette and The County Chronicle. Jack has surely surpassed the standard of photography that people expect from someone his age. Here’s how he got started, why he loves it, and where he’s going with it.

Sophomore year, Jack went to an International Motor Sports Association Sportscar Series race in Indianapolis with his dad. He and his dad came with their cameras. His dad used to be a journalist, which contributed to him taking photos. Jack thought it would be fun to try out photography like his dad, and he got some “really cool photos.” The photos he took were panning shots of when cars were racing and when they were idle. He also took photos of the crew in action in the pits. Jack was impressed with the photos he took, and that jumpstarted his pursuit of photography.

Jack got an opportunity to use his skills for the Judah Newsroom when he learned that there was an open position for a photographer. He was just a sophomore, and he was aware that sophomores weren’t being hired just yet. But he asked Mr. Himick, did an interview, and got hired. He started doing sports photography for the basketball team and did more and more Judah sports. Jack found it exciting to do photography, so he got the hang of it. And when he got the hang of it, Jack asked people if they wanted to have photos taken of them, and people paid him for it. Jack realized that he could do something with this. So he launched his website for photography, and his work as a photographer really started to shine.

Jack’s clients include local high school sport teams, couples sharing a romantic moment, families making unforgettable memories, and individual pictures of senior students. Jack even took pictures of the 2025 Illinois Marathon with other photographers for the News-Gazette, describing it as a “fun experience.”

As a professional photographer, Jack is bound to have struggles and challenges. He has to balance photography, which he’s planning to use as a side business, with his aspirations to do mechanical engineering. He faces challenges like maintaining client flow and his commitment to school. But this does not faze him, and he keeps using his talent to capture stories with the click of a shutter. According to Jack, “Photography is a storytelling method.” He says it is a form of art that captures the essence of something. Photography shows you what something looked like and lets you tell stories about it.

Jack has greatly expanded his knowledge since his first photo. Now he sees that knowledge in the people he trains. In the Newsroom, people say that they learn a lot from Jack and that they have become more experienced behind the camera and with photoediting software, technically and artistically. Jack has also learned more and become more experienced with the camera in his hand. With each photo he takes, there is a whole story behind it, and his photos tend to be memorable.

The most memorable photo shoot that he’s ever had was when he went to a track in Wisconsin called Road America and he met up with some drivers. A decent amount of them accepted his offer to take photos for them. He ended up with 10 clients in one weekend, which led to him being constantly busy. But it was still really fun for him to have the opportunity to do that professional work. According to Jack, doing these photo shoots at the track with these professional racers was “truly enjoyable.” He said, “I really loved what I was doing. And every time I was shooting out there, I was like, man, I just love this. This is what I’ve always wanted to do. I felt complete.”

Jack often surprises his customers with his high level of expertise and photography skills. That is something that has affected him and his business. Being seen as “just a kid” sometimes decreases his client flow and lowers people’s expectations. But Jack said, “I try not to let that influence me. I keep focusing and show them why it doesn’t matter.”

To Jack, his faith is also connected to his photography. Jack does photography for his church and does it as a volunteer. He takes pictures of worship, baptisms, and ministry. He sees the joy and emotion of people who come to faith. To him it means a lot that he is able to capture those important moments in someone’s life. Jack said, “I get to capture those moments, and that means a lot to me, because people really like those moments, and they reach out to me for those photos, because those reflect an important part of their life.” 

—Matthew Mattox, class of ’27