Van Camp, Jack (1953-) | University of Illinois Archives

Jack Van Camp (1953-) from Danville, IL has been a photographer since the 1970s. Initially a nature photographer who was also an avid blues fan, Van Camp began taking his camera to blues shows in the Champaign, IL area in the mid-1990s. Influenced by jazz photographer Herman Leonard, he shot in a similar style but used 35mm film and natural light as opposed to the staging and artifical lighting often used by Leonard.

Van Camp often collaborated with Dave Nolan while shooting blues shows in the area, as well as on two blues photography exhibits. Nolan is an experienced, self-taught photographer who has held several gallery shows throughout the state.