Hosted by Michael J. Molinski
host@ThePhotographerSuccessStory.com
http://www.ThePhotographerSuccessStory.com
Interviewed: Dexter Davisx
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Today’s Sponsor: none
I need to focus on getting you content, not sponsors!
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Grew up as an artist, interested in comic books, thought he was going to be an artist.
Laguardia High School, Manhattan
Attend college in 1994 for art & graphic design, City Tech - Brooklyn
Advertising design.
Forced into photography at college, had to buy a camera, Pentax K1000
Buy own film, Tri-x 400
Processing in Darkroom
The importance of making each shot with film, working on a budget
After college, a friend was a wedding photographer. Picked her brain, but never second shot for her or anyone, ever. Contrary to what the school taught, she freed him the dependency of the use of a tripod.
How do you find your first wedding?
The search goes on and finds a friend who wasn’t considering even having a photographer.
That feeling of getting paid to be a photographer, now it feels like a business.
Begging for weddings to get people to take a chance that the work is good enough.
First business card from a kiosk back in the late 90’s
Almost a decade later with shooting weddings on the side, a job opportunity and romantic interest have Dexter moving to an area where he knows no one. It wasn’t too far where the transition was cut and dry. Still shooting in the NYC area while trying to build a client list in his new home in Albany.
Networking with other vendors, getting on social media, changing website in 2004, doing everything possible to break into the new market.
Late comer into shooting digital, “that guy who said its not as good as film” Everything started changing and the writing was on the wall to go digital.
“I’ll meet you in the comfort of your own home” as a way to get more clients, leading to some interesting scenarios in the days before GPS.
By 2006-7 a shared workplace was rented out with a videographer. One step closer to getting a studio. Bret Wasserman, owner of Silhouette Art on Video
http://www.artonvideo.com/information.html
The feeling of wanting a “space of my own” is the driving force to get a 2,000 sq ft studio and office space. Hang up photos and showcase the best work.
Getting promoted in his main job, promised to move back to NYC with an office, then everything is just gone! Losing a job in the housing mortgage industry, gave time build up the photography business more and it worked.
With nothing else to lose, he stopped job searching and went all in to be a photographer.
Couldn’t realize his full potential as a photographer doing it only part time.
The benefits of picking up an editor at the beginning stages of growing the business, transitioning into a better work flow. Getting out of Adobe Bridge and Photoshop. 45 minutes.
Night and Day difference transitioning into Lightroom.
In 2011 getting a new office space and shooting area. Adding to the square footage by cleaning out the back room and turning it into the photo spot.
What the added pressures are for photographers who employ editors and studio managers.
The fail story, bad lighting, film errors, nothing to save.
Flash sync errors, before digital cameras just wouldn’t allow you to take a photo with it.
The curtain would drag across the film plane with the flash only exposing a portion of the image.
Canon 5DmkII 1/160th of a second shutter lag example.
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2010/01/know-your-sync.html
Shooting the camera upsidedown so the shutter lag made the sky darker. There’s a reference to this in the link above as well.
Favorite thing to shoot, couples.
Least favorite thing to shoot, babies
Thankful to be able to make a living doing something really fulfilling and enjoyable.
Of over 150,000 people surveyed only 30 percent admitted they honestly enjoy their job and their bosses. Those who show up but are less than thrilled about it — or “disengaged — made up the biggest category at 52 percent of workers. The remaining 18 percent are people actively disengaged — those who vocally express their discontent in the workplace.
http://www.ryot.org/gallup-poll-70-americans-disengaged-jobs/376177
Gear talk:
Pentax in the film days then Canon Rebel 2000, then Canon 20D
PC editing preference, learned on a Mac.
Doesn’t see the advantage of going to Mac after gaining all the experience on a PC
Lenses are the favorite or all gear, 70-200 2.8 is the go to lens for most shoots.
Wants to get the 100mm 2.8 Macro
2014 the year of breaking gear, lots of use with Canon CPS
Recommend for interviews (which was conducted before the show went live):
Jeff Foley
Michael Gallitelli,
Dino Petrocelli,
http://dinopetrocelliphoto.com/about-me/
Doug Gordon (NOT WITHOUT CONTROVERSY)
http://www.douggordonworkshops.com
Should The Photography Industry Turn Its Back on Doug Gordon?
https://fstoppers.com/originals/should-photography-industry-turn-its-back-doug-gordon-13474
Last piece of advice: Try to be different. Push things farther and do things you don’t see other photographers doing and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t. Don’t be afraid to fail.
Failure is not fatal. The worst thing in the world is to not try.
Hosted by Michael J. Molinski
host@ThePhotographerSuccessStory.com
http://www.ThePhotographerSuccessStory.com
Interviewed: Diane Stredicke
Hudson River Photographer
http://www.HudsonRiverPhotographer.com
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Today’s Sponsor: Zenfolio
Get your free trial today: http://www.zenfolio.com/zf/transfer/s/zf/signup/trial.aspx
Referral Code: 95C-HAQ-MT7
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Chelsea Clinton’s wedding in Rhinbeck, NY
Brooklyn, NY
Hudson River Creative LLC
Washington State University
Grew up outside of Seattle
Moved to NYC and attended NYU
Brandsmasher top 100 Wedding Photographers in the US
http://brandsmasher.com/100-best-wedding-photographers-in-the-us-by-photographers-brandsmash/
Second shot for Sarah Smith, Albany photographer
http://sarahsmithphotography.com
Molinski Photography, aka Photographics Solution sample video of us explaining wedding albums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LqFM-YAMG0
Liberty Warehouse Weddings
http://www.thelibertywarehouse.com
Tatiana Breslow
We discuss the least favorite part about the wedding day and turn that into an opportunity to learn how to shot that subject better.
Triathlete Magazine shoot, same approach as a wedding portrait. See the example at http://www.rhinebeckphotographer.com
Setting goals after the wedding season, for example update website or learning a new skill like off camera lighting.
Favorite thing to shoot is the portrait session after the ceremony.
Talk about the emotions behind a first look session versus post ceremony
All about cocktail hour and diving that time up between shooting and actually taking a break
Networking with other photographers and deciding to be an open book to help out each other is the healthiest way to look at this business. They’re not competition, but colleagues.
How we crossed paths for the first time at Hunter Mountain. This time I was doing video while Diane shot stills.
Selling all Canon gear and switching to Nikon!
Playing around with Nikon at Mystic Seminars.
Ergonomics plays a big role
Here’s a list of a bunch of gear we talked about, all are affiliate links to our Amazon account so if you want to support the show, buy your gear after clicking through our stuff :)
Nikon DF
Nikon D750
Ona Prince Street Bag
Godox Flash
Neewer Cheetah Lithium Battery Pack
MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt display
Photo Mechanic
Lightroom
Presets VSEO
Kirk Masten, Masten Labs Film Packs
What it’s like to outsource editing to other companies
The Editing Salon (maybe the Image Salon?)
Queensbury Albums
Workshops with other photographers
Melissa Surprise Photography - Baby & Child Photographer
http://surprisephotography.com
Jeff Mosier - Actor / Headshot Photographer, NYC
http://jeffreymosierphotography.com
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Today’s Sponsor: Zenfolio
Get your free trial today: http://www.zenfolio.com/zf/transfer/s/zf/signup/trial.aspx
Referral Code: 95C-HAQ-MT7
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