Last update 5-5-2023: Native Floridian, Father of three grown “boys”, photographer, writer, illustrator, videographer, media support specialist, public relations, kayak, runner, cyclist, and cartoon artist. Helping others using my artistic abilities and 20 years of customer service experience. I enjoy working with people because it allows me to keep capturing and creating. My pages are filtered because professionalism is essential, and I have some fantastic companies and people supporting me and want to represent them in the best way possible.
Jack “JT” Norton 2022 Try and Keep Up!
• Some quick facts for those of you that care about this stuff. Disc Golf: I picked back up Disc Golf again in July of 2022 and have been on a tangent of playing new courses.I hit as many courses and state as I could in 2022 and began Tornament play in 2023 Cycling and Running has dropped off a bit because I have been focused on Disc Golf and refining my direction. How far can you throw one of those disc golf things? (As of 5-5-23) Consistently 280 to 350! My longest mesasure controlled drive was 427 feet March 2023. What is your favorite racing class? - I personally like Pro Fuel Nitro Harley. They just possess a very unique sound a feel when they get down the track. They are incredibly tough and consistent machines and the field of racers are pretty well matched up which make for great racing. What Brand do you prefer? - I own and use the big three Nikon d850, d750 , Sony, A7III, and Canon, My always with me "beater" camera is a T7i and A7III What is your favorite event to work? - I do not really have one specific but enjoy the process more than anything else. Now some get busier than others but that does not always mean it's my favorite. I enjoy downtime because I can spend that time with racers and their families. Is there anyone you will not work with? - I will work with anyone but it some cases due to certain historical reasons and some would have to pay in advance and its non-refundable for my services. Do you modify your photographs? - I personally do not like modified photos BUT YES I do modify them when I feel it's needed. I know what my audience likes to see and modifying a photograph is necessary to appeal to this taste. Again what I personally like and what do for my audience are two separate things. What got you doing this full time? - It was because my mom and I enjoy doing this. It also gave me the ability to be here as she got older and her health declined. I took care of her for four years and we had some wonderful memories that I will carry for the rest of my life. This also allowed me to travel and see some amazing places and people.
What did you do before this? - From the ages of 13-29, I was a prep man and automotive painter for companies such as Don Mealey Chevrolet and Courtesy Cadilac before moving into the cable industry. I spent 18 years in cable installation as a field installation contractor in both technician and leadership roles. During this time I would move from contracting into the "inhouse" cable industry and 11 years were spent with bright house networks (now Spectrum aka; Charter)there as a field service technician, QC technician, HSD product specialist (call center), HSD Call Center supervisor, Kissimmee Field supervisor, and Audit supervisor before our department was eliminated and supervisor staff was let go. The technicians thankfully were absorbed into other departments. I have received industry excellence awards as a contractor, as an in-house field technician, four as an HSD call center supervisor, and as an Audit Supervisor. It was a great time working with some great people. I have worked in numerous states and seen some crazy stuff over the years but I also like helping people so it was a good fit for me. Why don't you post your event images? - People don’t buy enough of them. Every time they ask and I post them they don’t buy any. I don’t bother anymore because it takes up too much time. Do other photographers give you a hard time? - No, most of them know me pretty well by now and know how I work so it's not an issue. There is one that works NHRA events that really does not like me but we have never spoken, hopefully, one day he will approach me because I respect all of them for the hard work they do, he is a fantastic photographer. What photographer(s) do you look up to or admire? - I don't really "look up" to any but it is not meant with any disrespect. I only care what my audience/subjects think, but there are some fantastic photographers working out there and I love seeing their work. If I don't get the shot I want someone to get it! How much do you cycle? - I bike 36km at least once a week, with sometimes an extra leisure ride on one of my weekend days that usually are 50km. The longest ride to date? - That would be 139.29km 3/27/22 What did you start riding on? - I started cycling on a low-end used 2008 Giant mountain bike, moved to a brand new 2020 Felt Hybrid, and then on 1-9-2021 upgraded to a Cannondale road bike full carbon Super-six that was destroyed early in 2021 when I was rear ended coming out of Virginia. I'm now on a full Carbon Specialized tri bike. Cycling Personal best? - click here for my Personal Best Running Personal best? - click here for my Personal Best Factoid: In 2019 The JTNorton Try & Keep Up! Media support programs were at 27 events in 23 states, racking up 21,986 miles. We reached 27.9 million people with our content without boosting. Factoid: I’m an avid kayaker and when out, it is usually more than 4 hours. The average time I spend out is 6-8 hours and have had run ins with three gator and a pair of dolphins. I have kayaked numerous states and I’m now into fishing as well. Kayaking list link Factoid: Yes, I'm single, and don't have relationships with people within the industry I work or support. I don't believe I’m good boyfriend material, some of us are just not meant to have that in our life. Factoid: I do not disclose partnership details or information even after we end our agreements. Factoid: I’m not a reporter, so any information made public, my partnerships must approve it. If I’m supporting a news outlet, certain stories and events must be published for news purposes. My core principle of confidentiality will always remain in place. “What is Said between Us Stays Between Us.” - JT Factoid: I provide support as the entity requesting the support. It’s your audience and they should come to you, not go through me to get to you. I will push and support you but want the content to start at your outlet. This is about you, not me.
• Associate Degree in Commercial Art, back when it was still called that.
• 2011 CSX Photographer of the Year
• I have lost four cameras while kayaking, three via alligators, and one because a pair of dolphins decided to use me as a play toy.
• Bitten by three snakes, brown recluse, and once was stung by 14 hornets on the St Johns River. (2008) just to name a couple.
• Coldest temp worked -9 Colorado / Hottest temp worked 157 (with track temp) south Florida
• Married: once, we are now friends, and she has remarried to a great guy.
• JT has gone down the drag strip several times under the mentor-ship of Pablo Gonzalez see below. I’m not an active drag racer but I have done it. He also won my sponsored championship SDA 2017 (see next note)
• I was the class sponsor for Ultra Street Class 2016 / 2017
• Supported BIV and XDA racers with cash bonuses for the number one qualifier and or perfect reaction time achievements. Began doing it again in 2021 for XDA
• Published in Finland’s Bomber Magazine (motorcycle) 2019, Orlando Sentential twice, and several European publications for illustrative works that I can’t post here.
• I do not favor one camera brand over another and use all three regularly, but my primary is the full-frame mirror-less Sony A7III for events and travel. My favorite overall is my Nikon D850, my beater camera is a Canon T7I.
• The first drawing my mom recalls me doing was an airplane at the age of about two.
• JTNorton.com is a registered business with the IRS
• JT has gone down the drag strip several times under the mentor-ship of Pablo Gonzalez. See below. I’m not an active drag racer but I have done it.
CONTACT ME AT: JAKED35MM@HOTMAIL.COM
2022 partnerships: Platinum Fleet Repair / Dragbike.com / Balch Racing / and WhatAGraphic. 1 Silent Partnerships – Please visit my Partnership page
2021 partnerships: Schnitz Racing / 190hookup.com / Dystany Spurlock / Fast Andie Rawlings / APE Race Parts / Pablo Gonzalez Racing / JT’s Auto & Cycle-AMRA, / Vantine Nitro-Sports / LSR Nitro-Harley-ManCup / Dragbike.com, and WhatAGraphic. 3 Silent Partnerships – Please visit my Partnership page
2020 partnerships: APE Race Parts / AFM Racing, / JT’s Auto & Cycle, Schnitz Racing, Vantine Nitro-Sports, Fast Andie Rawlings, LSR Nitro-Harley, Dragbike.com, Balch Racing, and WhatAGraphic Please visit my Partnership page at top of the page. (two silent partnerships)
2019 partnerships: AFM Racing, APE Race Parts, Schnitz Racing, Tak Shigematsu Racing, Vantine Nitro-Sports, Fast Andie Rawlings, Balch Racing, and WhatAGraphic . (three silent partnerships)
2019 was a fantastic year, with 27 events 21,500+ miles traveled supporting people, companies, and teams with their passions. Influencing tens of thousands in the real world face to face but also 9.4 million via our social media partnerships. I also got to see incredible places like the Grand Canyon south rim and Zion National Forest in our travels. I fill in my downtime by finding somewhere to go along the way, and it creates content for us.
9.4 this number is much higher than I thought, but one of my silent partnerships has the ability and resources to this kind of data that I can not see. The entire JT/T&KU! Program as of 3-25-2020 reached 27.9 million across all our platforms in 2019.
Influences on JT Norton
Some people have been in the lives that affect us, but then some influence and shape us for a lifetime. For me, one of them was Arno; We would spend countless summers hanging out running and playing role playing games, working the local yearly haunted houses, or just chilling out drawing or going through his endless collection of comic books. We met, and he taught me how to run D&D games (game master GM), leading to countless other great games, stories, memories, and fun times with friends for many summers to follow. Sometimes this included staying up around the clock.
Arno was the reason I met my former wife and now have three wonderful boys. When I left home to be my own, the first place I had was a room rented from his mom. Before Arno I hung out with some not too nice people, and we were doing some things we should not have been doing. This life-changing meeting and growing up with Arno took me to a better place, and I’m a better man because of him.
Thank you friend you will be missed BUT NEVER forgotten because you’re a part of me!
Brandi is a beautiful and intelligent person that I love beyond any words could ever describe. She is absolutely one of the central people that got me to where I am today. I’m able to do this full time, take care of my mom, and help so many people. One of the best friends I have ever had and will forever be grateful.
Robert Parker: the guy who let me tag along many years ago and exposed me to the larger world of national drag racing. (shown with Kenan Dorsey soon to be Mrs. Parker)
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