Today we’d like to introduce you to David Slocumb.
Hi David, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Well, my mom said that when I was about 9 or 10, whenever I would hear a fire engine in our neighborhood, I would grab my little pocket camera and chase after it. I grew up watching my Dad take pictures with his Polaroid cameras around the holidays (the kind where you had to pull the film out and wait a few minutes to see the picture). It seemed natural. For my 8th grade graduation, my parents gave me a Polaroid One-Step.
The moment that I really connected with photography as an adult was while working downtown, a Zebra escaped from the circus and I just happened to have a camera at work and captured the images.
I started doing street and landscape photography, then decided to combine two of my passions – music and photography and started shooting concerts. When Covid hit in 2020, and there were no more concerts, I taught myself portraits, editorial, and headshots so that when the world opened up, I could venture into other markets.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing worth having is easy. I’ve been rejected by promoters many times initially, but I think that’s was only because they didn’t know my work. There are moments (still) of self-doubt that plague me on occasion; comparing my work to others is something that a lot of photographers face at some point in their journey.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I don’t just take pictures; I create memories. People tell me that they recognize my work before they see my name. Every photographer has their own style. I think it’s all in how you ‘see’ the image. It may sound crazy, but before shoot, I’ll let the image tell me how to shoot it. Whether to keep it colorful or turn it into a black-and-white image, use natural light, or use my strobes. What am I proud of? That last year, on my Mother’s deathbed, she told me that she was very proud of me.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
What I’ve learned on this photographic journey is to ALWAYS do the best you can. To be honest to yourself and your client. If a client wants you to shoot a certain way and you’re not proficient in that style, tell them that! Don’t do it cause it’s good money. Doing it bad will cause a bad review and bad reviews don’t bring in clients.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: David_Slocumb_Photography
