Before I picked up a camera
I played drums in a few local bands. I loved doing anything involving art. I was in the tattoo shop every other week. All of this was my way of expressing myself. Then, like most people, life had to slow down. Well... kind of... The point is, I always had some form of art in my life.
The thing is, I hated getting my picture taken... Not the best way to sell myself as a photographer, but stay with me for a second. It is hard to find a photo of me where I'm not making a weird face, smiling was NEVER an option when I was in front of a camera. It just felt off.
Then I got my first camera
Being bored one day, I drove to the beach and took a picture of a catfish. It was as you would expect... horrible. But then, something happened. I found out about post processing. Thats when I got sucked in. Once I put that stupid fish through Lightroom, the world of photography had me.
Just like every hobby, I dove in... in the deep end... with cement boots on. Every second of free time, I was either shooting, learning about photography, or thinking about what I want to do next with my camera. Unlike other hobbies, this has never changed. I had a new form of art in my life.
I started out shooting mostly landscapes. First I traveled around the bayou, then the state, then the US, then Canada, and so on. But, after going to beautiful places like Seattle, Hawaii, and Banff, it was hard to top that. So I sat down, and did something I hated...
I turn the camera on myself...
At first, it was EXACTLY as I expected. Fabricated smiles because “I want people to see that I’m happy.” But something wasn't right. I looked fake. But why? I am a very happy person. I have a great life. Great friends and family. Great son (well, hes a little crazy at times, but what kid isn't?) Great hobby. What gives? So I gave it another try. This time, I just relaxed, and took the photo. There I was. I had a picture of myself I could look at. That's when the light bulb went off. Sometimes it looks too staged. Most people don't walk around with a giant smile on their face. That would look creepy if everyone was smiling ALL the time. (For those of you who smile all the time, don't stop being you. You look great). But, when I look at a picture of myself, I want to see the real me, not a cheesy, fake, posed, cookie cutter picture that someone else thought was me.
Rant over.
Once I started taking portraits, I learned that people are way more interesting than anyplace I have ever been. Ive seen the blue glacier lakes in the middle of the Rocky Mountains of Canada. Ive seen the waves on the North Shore of Hawaii. Don't get me wrong, these places are breathtaking but, it was all kind of the same in a way. People, on the other hand, are always different. Everyone's life is truly known only to them and everyone has their own story. I want to tell your story. I want someone to look at a portrait I take of you and know exactly who you are and what you are feeling.
I want to make you feel how I felt when I took a photo of the real me.
Testimonials
“Dave knows how to just let you be you. It was the first time I felt almost comfortable getting my photo taken and I couldn't be happier with what we ended up with. A great shoot with some really fun moments. If you want some genuinely unique photos, look no further!”
“Dave made me feel comfortable and he captured me exactly as I imagined !
Thank you Dave , much appreciated. I recommend DL Media for all photography projects.”
