Daniel Jackont’s work is full of cinematic references, like “a movie without motion”

Following his time in the military service in Israel, Daniel Jackont, a fashion photographer based in Tel Aviv, picked up a camera with a fascination for “discovering other people’s stories and collecting moments, while creating new stories and images based on these true experiences,” he tells It’s Nice That. As a result, despite constructing the photographic shoots he composes, his series are deepened by narrative, “which might be likened to a movie without motion,” he describes, “where there is much more to the image than the moment which I capture.”

This approach, honed over the past six years of working as a photographer, is one that is driven by cinematic references. From noting directors “like Eric Rohmer and Jean-Luc Godard” to referencing a cinematic colour palette when describing his work, it’s also people – or rather characters – which heavily influence his aesthetic. In fact, what excited Daniel the most about a career in creativity “is the ability to explore and interact with people and to get to know and share their individual stories,” he says.

By taking the time to engage and understand his subjects rather than just photograph them, the aspect of photography which also intrigues Daniel is the ability to mix genres. “I am excited about combining documentary and surrealism in my work,” aiming to develop images, “that are based on authentic feelings and stories,” despite being organised. This also influences the photographer’s approach to casting, preferring to work with subjects based “on their experiences and character” dependent on “a certain story within my photographs.”

Beginning his creative process by developing a message and writing a short script, Daniel’s projects follow a relatively lengthy process from ideation to completion. Preferring to take time over research, testing elements and build on the concept and images, these varying concepts additionally follow a similar framework. “It might change from session to session, but I generally try to connect with my subjects and empower them by encouraging each one to be open and expressive.” As a result, his subjects feel at ease to be “youthful and direct to themselves by using positive memories,” which, in the practitioner’s opinion, “gives the story and the images a naive, playful, and vulnerable feel – as if it were part of a personal diary, childhood experience or a memory.”

An example of this approach can be seen in one of Daniel’s very first projects, which places his attention on themes such as “love, gender, loyalty, and the relationships between an individual and a group”. Resultantly photographing three boys and one girl by a hidden lake in the north of Israel, the scenes displayed “were based on the interactions between the subjects and reflects a youthful spirit, eternal freedom, and a non-judgemental environment that appears to be without effort”.

Built from this experience, another project Daniel is now developing is one that's centred around expressing femininity, working with four women of various creative professions to do so. A hugely personal upcoming project, the photographer’s hope is “to create a personal diary for each one of them – starting with their childhood and continuing throughout their life up until present.” This approach is then divided into two parts, the first being where his subjects describe these experiences from which Daniel can build a concept upon, through to location choices and styling. Then, the actual photographing reveals this character, presenting “a dedicated, independent and determined woman who found her own place and passion.”

With new projects on the horizon, soon Daniel will have a new setting to be inspired by, as he’s planning to relocate to London. “The British culture and landscape is inspiring, and I think that London can be a thriving ground for my creative process,” he explains. He continues to point out that, with a new diverse location to inform his works and the characters that populate them: “I want to continue learning and developing my skills as an artist.”