About Jack
Photographer.
Creative Partner.
I’m Jack Simpson, a corporate event photographer based in San Francisco. I started Jack Simpson Photography in 2016 and now work with corporate event teams around the globe who need a low-lift, experienced photographer to capture their brand with consistent results.
In 2026, I was named one of the 11 Best Event Photographers in San Francisco by Peerspace. The year also brought opportunities to photograph FIFA World Cup VIP activations, President Obama, and international conferences in Calgary and Paris.
Before photography, I worked as a San Francisco paramedic. That job required solving problems under pressure, reading a room quickly, and staying calm when plans changed without warning. Those same skills now shape how I approach every event I shoot.
Outside of corporate event work, I pursue personal projects in street and conceptual photography. My street work appears in World Street Photography Vol 6, and I wrote A Tactical Guide to Corporate Event Photography, a book for event planners and photographers on approaching visual storytelling with confidence.
The Long Version
From the back of an ambulance to behind the lens.
Four decades, two careers, and one throughline: being useful to people on the day it matters.
1979 Hello, World.Hello, World.
The beginning. A life that would eventually take a few unexpected turns before finding its way behind a camera.
B.S. in Biology
Graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Biology. At the time, there was no obvious connection to photography, but curiosity, observation, and an interest in how things work would prove useful later.
22 Countries. 5 Continents.
Left home to see more of the world, traveling through 22 countries across five continents. Along the way, blogging and photojournalism became a way to document the people, places, and stories encountered along the way.
The First “Real” Camera
Photography stopped being something to casually explore and became something to take seriously. Began studying lighting, composition, and the craft of making photographs with intention.
Paramedic School & the SFFD
Entered paramedic school and began working toward a career in emergency medicine and the San Francisco Fire Department. At the same time, started documenting the people and moments behind the scenes of emergency medicine and first response.
An Unexpected Career Change
An injury during the fire academy forced a change in direction. What started as a serious hobby suddenly became a full-time career in photography.
2× Finalist at StreetFoto San Francisco
Two images were selected as finalists in the 2018 StreetFoto San Francisco competition, marking an early recognition of the work as a photographer.
Published in World of Street Photography
Selected for publication in World of Street Photography, Vol. 6, continuing a personal exploration of people, places, and the fleeting moments that make photographs worth keeping.
Learning to Light Everything
During the pandemic, turned inward and focused on mastering advanced lighting, headshot, portrait, and product photography. At home, a darkroom provided another way to slow down and return to the fundamentals of making photographs.
A New Chapter
The work evolved toward corporate photography, with a growing focus on events, conferences, and headshots. Years of working with people in unpredictable environments became an unexpected advantage: reading a room, anticipating moments, and staying calm when things move quickly.
A Blockbuster Year
Opened a private photography studio in San Francisco’s historic Clocktower Building at 461 2nd Street, and then watched the work reach an entirely new level. Photographed FIFA World Cup VIP activations, had the extraordinary opportunity to photograph President Obama, and traveled internationally for conferences in Calgary and Paris.
After years of following the work wherever it led, the camera had taken me a pretty long way from the back of an ambulance.
