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.