It is time to meet our March 8th - 14th, Weekly Feature Creative, Brian!
Creative's Name: Brian Davis
Type of Creative: Photographer
Genres: Portrait & Architectural/Street
Tell us about you! What is your story? Married, kids, fur babies? What things do you do besides your craft? I'm a certified O.R. Nurse at the V.A. in Lake Nona, and my wife and I moved here just over a year ago from NYC. We have 3 fur babies (cats). I enjoy a good British mystery when I'm not working (either in the O.R. or with photos).
Be straight with us... what brand do you use? What is your favorite piece of gear - lens, camera body, etc? I use Canon digital cameras - a 70D, T1i, and an old point and shoot. I also use a Nikon and Pentax film camera.
When you go on one of your travels, where do you go & what gear do you bring with you? Since moving to Florida, I haven't gone on any photo expeditions outside of the Artistic and Cooperative events, so most of my interesting landscape photos are from my iPhone 8.
What editing programs do you use? Lightroom/Photoshop.
What has been the hardest part of being a photographer? How long have you been a photographer? I've been an artist for quite a while...first as a studio artist, and then transitioning to photos almost 20 years ago. I tend not to like people (I know, I know), so my work has primarily been of nature and cityscapes...but I've been trying to change that as of late. The difficulty is now in conveying how I want the model/sitter to pose for a shot when I don't have a crystal clear image of what I want it to be. Every photo opportunity is a learning experience.
What makes your passion shine and what are you most passionate about when you see your finished work? I try to take a photo that doesn't have to be altered too much in post... and I enjoy moving around seeing through the camera at something... and when I used to develop my own film negatives and prints, I loved seeing the image blossom in the chemicals. As for finished work, I've never been one to particularly like something... or think that someone else will enjoy it, either. It comes with an artistic temperament, I suppose...
Would you change anything you have learned? What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind with your work? I would like to learn more... and as mentioned previously, every photoshoot is an opportunity to do that. As for a legacy, I want to be remembered as someone who was curious about my environment and strove to leave behind beautiful images of what I thought was important...as well as someone who was kind, courteous, and professional in all aspects of dealing with nursing and with photography.
Among your works, which is your favorite & why? This is a tough question for me to answer, so I'll have to get back to you on this after further mulling and thinking.
What inspires you? Who's work has influenced you most? What is the most rewarding part for you? I very much enjoy the portrait styling of Irving Penn due to his capturing of an individual's true self. The same for the anonymous nanny turned famous photographer Vivian Maier and her candid/street work.
Tell us something we wouldn't know about you, from looking at your portfolio. I am a big nerd, and count Star Trek, Doctor Who, comic books, and Legos as nerd properties I enjoy.
What advice do you have for people just starting out? Listen to the professional advice of those who have been around a while, and if a situation feels "off" or unsafe, remove yourself from the situation immediately. Your safety is of the most utmost, so try to bring a friend and/or chaperone with you when entering an environment you are unfamiliar with. Also, try to meet the professionals ahead of time at a public place and get a feel for them. This will allow you to see if you actually want to collaborate with them.
Thank you, Brian, for sharing your creative journey with us! We love having you as part of the Artistic Alliance Community!