The Man Behind the Lens: Jason Pagaduan (@905shooter)
Walking down John St. on a spring Friday night, the energy of limited, pandemic nightlife creates a tiny buzz in Toronto’s Fashion District. Streetwear here is distinct from streetwear elsewhere. Unofficially dubbed the “Toronto uniform” by some, all-black fits and Nikes are common in this city, and Jason Pagaduan is faithful to them.
You could say it’s part of his brand.
As we pass several condos and patios, multiple yells and waves emerge from the crowds, “905shooter! What’s up?!”
I look back at a somewhat shy and surprised Jason as he tries to figure out what tipped him off. It was a lowkey Friday night out with no concerted effort to draw attention to himself.
“I guess I have a look,” he shrugs as he points to his signature 2019 Raptors Championship hat featuring an OVO pin with the Canadian flag on the owl’s wing.
“I wear this a lot now that I think of it,” he laughs.
Black Nike windbreaker, black Nike crossbody, black Nike running shoes, and his signature setup: Canon EOS 5D III DSLR Body, Canon EF 24–70mm F/2.8L USM Zoom Lens propped up on a JOBY GorillaPod 3K Kit with a Rode VideoMic Pro+.
Hard not to be recognized with 241k Instagram followers and a $5K set up on the street.
A native of Mississauga, ON, Jason is a first-generation Filipino-Canadian photographer. He started posting photos on Instagram in April 2014 as a hobby. From 2015-September 2017 he began working with models and other photographers before being commissioned by brands and companies to do advertising work. In addition to his commercial photography, Pagaduan posts travel content from places such as Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Cebu City, London, and Paris. Perhaps most notably to some, he is known for his time with NELK where he started photographing the group in 2015 before becoming their first full-time employee from September 2017-October 2019. In January 2020, Pagaduan started his own small business, “905shooter”, and became a full-time freelance photographer. Since then, his notable works include the Toronto Raptors, OVO, SoundCloud, and Converse Canada. Most recently, he uploaded his first video to his YouTube channel in February 2021. Jason hopes 905shooter becomes a globally recognized brand and desires to do more commercial work for brands and companies.
905shooter was birthed out of his love, passion, and eye for photography from the beginning.
“It was only a hobby — photography was fun to me. I didn’t think it would someday become a full-time career. I never thought I would become a successful photographer and travel the world. This has changed my life completely,” Pagaduan says.
Jason’s love and passion for photography keep him going every day, regardless of the circumstances. Inspiring others is his mission, and he wants to be an example of what’s possible. In a world where photography and digital content creation are the norm, setting himself apart from his competition is important.
“Anyone can grab a camera and take a photo, but the final product differentiates you from the rest,” reasons Pagaduan. “My goal is to present my photos in my own way. My job is complete if I can take a photo that has been overshot thousands of times and recreate it to portray something unique and something I am proud of.”
Jason’s biggest success started when he was with NELK from 2015–2019 as it allowed him to travel the world, meet new people within the industry, create YouTube videos, and take photos.
“My time with NELK was very important in many ways. It taught me what I valued and things I needed to change moving forward,” Pagaduan reflects. “I want to brand myself in a different way and disassociate myself with my last job.”
This desire to make lifestyle changes is reflected in him quitting drinking alcohol and going over a year sober. Jason is no longer interested in pursuing a similar career and instead is prioritizing sharing positivity with his followers. Mental health and depression are battles he fights daily. He has been trying to keep his mental health stable for the past year and is an advocate for mental health, anti-cyberbullying, and verbal and mental abuse. He is in a happier place doing what he loves to do.
“Some people may not realize this about social media, but when you send personal hate, defamation, and slander towards someone, it’s cyberbullying,” confesses Pagaduan. “People don’t talk about it. Cyberbullying causes people to commit suicide. People lose their lives every day over the hurtful words you say to them. It’s not a joke.”
His experiences have shaped him and now his goal is clear.
“I want to be known simply as a content creator, travel, and commercial photographer. I want my artwork and experiences to let people know that anything is possible if you set a goal,” Pagaduan offers.
Everyone wants their dreams to become reality and have a career that feels more like fun instead of work. For Jason, he’s happy where he’s at and glad his past experiences have matured his perspective moving forward.
“Over the past few months, I have been reading Mark Manson’s #1 bestselling book ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck’. This book has changed my life in so many ways, and I encourage anyone reading this to go get that book. Read it. The things I learned to value, respect, and care for more were taught through the lessons of that book,” says Pagaduan. “I want to be remembered as someone that stayed true to my values, my vision, and my own creativity for everything I do in the future. We all have something to give f*ck about but choose wisely. I would rather be broke doing what I love than be rich and unhappy with my life.”