Describe your photography style or words that describe your brand?
I believe that my style is best phrased as Romantic & Artistic. I also bring a crazy/uber high amount of energy that I am naturally blessed with. I also combine the excitement and out of the box thinking that came from shooting extreme sports for many years and the entertainment/fashion/modeling industry.
What is a must read or must see?
I would suggest any photography or photographic art magazine out of Europe. They have fewer ads in them – which is very dissimilar to pretty much anything printed in the US. For a must see, I would HIGHLY recommend the following movies: Moulin Rouge, Matrix Trilogy, Amadeus, Love Actually, Shakespeare in Love, Ever After, Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, The Original Highlander Movie, Prince; Sign O The Times, Joe Photo’s Show & Tell, Mike Colon’s 4 Day Experience, Gary Fong’s Getting Rich DVD series, The Photovison series DVDs with Ed Pierce, Jerry Ghionis; What Makes Me Click and pretty much any other movie or DVD series that will enhance your artistic creativity or vision.
For a book, I would recommend “Weddings of Style” by Assouline, David La Chappell’s books and if you’re into traditional or extreme sports, I contributed content & pictures for the cover of “Digital Sports Photography; Take Winning Shots Every Time” by Wiley Publishers. It’s a Number 1 seller on Amazon.
Speaking of books, I am a founding member of Fast Track Photographer with Dane Sanders – who recently published his book: Fast Track Photographer which is available for Audio download or to purchase as a book (http://www.fasttrackphotographer.com/). I have started listening to the audio book & it’s wonderful. Even though I have been in the industry for 2 1/2 decades, you can never learn too much on how to simplify and better your life. Like the old saying goes; “Knowledge is Power.” If you get a chance to check it out – it’s so worth it. And, this is saying a lot from me as most people that know me think that I can’t read as I rarely if ever pick up a book. LOL!
What are your work hours?
Currently I’m working from 6:00 a.m. to Midnight / 2:00 a.m. during the week and about the same or more on Saturday & Sunday for when I’m shooting weddings.
What is your favorite thing about Pictage?
The Product Selection and the ease of use for the album design online. Pictage has grown quite a bit in the years that I have been with them and even though there have been some growing pains as Pictage needed technology to catch up with it’s vision – it has been a great working relationship.
What lens could you not live without?
My 15mm Fisheye. Coming from an Extreme Sports and Entertainment Industry background – that one will have to be buried with me as I’m not letting go from my cold dead hands.
How do you juggle your business and family/social life?
I’m supposed to juggle? I missed that memo! LOL! Katherine takes a very active role in assisting me with the business. I also have a couple of great Associate Photographers that work with us which really helps when I’m booked or would like to have some time off.
What workflow tools do you use?
I’m using Lightroom 2.0 with plenty of presets and CS3 with LOADS of actions. Have to keep it as simple as possible!
How long have you been a photographer?
I’m very excited to say that I’m wrapping up my 25th year shooting! We’re getting ready to launch our “Year of a thousand words” 25th Anniversary Celebration!
What was your very first job?
Since I grew up in the midwest, my first job was mowing the lawns in my neighborhood during the spring & summer, in the fall I would rake leaves and in the winter I would shovel driveways & sidewalks. Then I discovered being a paperboy and did that too, especially for the tips during the holidays. I have always had an entrepurenial spirit since I was a child.
Most listened to song on your ipod?
Rio by Duran Duran.
What is something you have learned this year?
I have taught myself a couple of new on-camera metering techniques that I thought up when I was in London for an Engagement Shoot with Erin & Philip. See it here!
What is a goal for 2008?
To actually decorate my office! I swear, the minute I have it all organized and tidied up, 3 days later it looks like a tornado hit it.
What is one thing we don’t know about you?
I have survived 3 near death accidents since I have lived in Southern California since 1993 and I was a model for Ralph Lauren for 2 years when I was younger.
Who inspires you?
God, my wife; Katherine, my two brothers: Jason & Tony, [b], Jessica Claire, Scarlett Lillian, Joe Photo, Mike Colón, Gary Fong and Keanu Reeves.
How do you get most of your bookings?
Whether we do a small wedding with a couple that has a more limited budget or a couple that has a blank check, we treat them all the same. It’s all about relationships and getting to know our couples like their family. Most of our couples turn into families and we have had the honour of sharing our lives together upwards of 10 years or more.
What is your primary way of marketing?
Word of mouth, Facebook, various wedding websites and our friends.
What blog do you stalk?
Currently I have Joe Photos, Mike Colón, [b], Jessica Claire, Scarlett Lillian, Gary Fong, F-Stop Beyond, Dane Sanders, and Strobist. I have a few pages open usually with plenty of tabs on them for me to stalk daily! Muah hah hah!
If you had a tagline, what would it be?
We currently have one, but if I was to change it, it would be a toss-up between; “Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever” from The Replacements with Keanu Reeves and “A man can change his stars” by the late Heath Ledger in Knight’s Tale.
Any words of wisdom to share…
Follow your heart and your dreams. I started shooting when I was a kid & have met several obstacles in my career and I will continue to evolve and change all the while keeping the dream alive. Know that for every positive thing you seek to achieve, you will be met with an equal and opposite negative force.
Thanks David! Here is some link love…
Site – http://esquirephotography.com/
Blog – http://esquirephotography.com/blog/
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/people/David_Esquire/636655600
Twitter – http://twitter.com/EsquirePhoto