Due to the digital revolution and the proliferation of imagery on the internet, photography has been devalued to a certain degree. It’s very analogous to what happened with the music business when streaming and file-sharing did away with record sales. But there are still plenty of opportunities out there, it’s just largely up to each photographer to make things happen themselves.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I grew up in mid-Michigan but moved to Los Angeles in my mid-20s to go to
music school, percussion to be specific. Upon graduation, I decided to stay in
LA and pursue a career in music. A little over 30 years later, I’m still playing
drums for a living.
The photography came a little later and has mostly been a
way of supplementing the income on the side. It’s something I’ve been very
passionate about but never really pursued as a business. Once music became a job, photography became a creative escape from that job.
way of supplementing the income on the side. It’s something I’ve been very
passionate about but never really pursued as a business. Once music became a job, photography became a creative escape from that job.
2. How and when did you realize your passion for photography?
I got my first point-&-shoot camera at around 9 or 10 years old, eventually
graduating to an SLR camera in my late teens. But I was taking pictures just for
the fun of it, documenting holidays, last days at school, etc. It wasn’t until my
mid-30s that I began to take photography more seriously as an art form, taking
a darkroom class and eventually building a darkroom at home.
But as has been the case with most photographers, I eventually transitioned over to digital entirely. I’ve shot almost exclusively with my iPhone for the last 12 years or so.
3. What are some tips you would like to share with amateur photographers?
Be patient. It takes a long time to find your own voice and vision as a
photographer. Try it all: landscape, portraiture, still-life, street photography,
fashion, etc. Find out what genre of photography excites you the most and then
pursue that genre with everything you’ve got. And study the work of the greats
and acquaint yourself with the history of the art form.
Eventually, you will start to develop a recognizable style you can call your own. But it takes time. Also, do it because you love it, not just to get lots of likes on social media. If you’re not single-mindedly obsessed about taking pictures and are doing it for the wrong reasons, you won’t last long. Photography, like any art form, can be very discouraging at times; there’s a lot of failures involved. So you have to be doing it for the right reasons otherwise you’ll give up when things get tough.
4. What are the important skills one should have to be a successful
photographer?
You have to develop what certain photographers have referred to as “visual
literacy”, which simply means the ability to “see” photographically; to be able to
recognize strong composition, good light, proper timing, etc. Once again, this
takes a long time to develop, it doesn’t happen overnight. You have to spend
years looking at countless photos as well as paintings. And you have to get out
there and shoot, shoot, and shoot some more. Eventually, your eye will begin to
develop and your understanding will grow.
I’m not a great businessman so I’m probably not the best person to ask about
the business side of photography, but I will say that it helps to be good with
people. If you’re easy to work with and treat people respectfully, that will benefit
you in all areas of life, business, and beyond.
5. What are various opportunities available for aspiring photographers?
Due to the digital revolution and the proliferation of imagery on the internet,
photography has been devalued to a certain degree. It’s very analogous to
what happened with the music business when streaming and file-sharing did
away with record sales. But there are still plenty of opportunities out there, it’s
just largely up to each photographer to make things happen themselves.
Social media is both a blessing and a curse in this regard, but if you’re doing good
work and getting it out there via Instagram, Facebook, a personal website, etc.,
people will take notice. And if you’re really hustling and giving it all you’ve got,
opportunities will begin to present themselves; doors will start opening.
work and getting it out there via Instagram, Facebook, a personal website, etc.,
people will take notice. And if you’re really hustling and giving it all you’ve got,
opportunities will begin to present themselves; doors will start opening.
6. Which is your favorite book and why?
J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”. I remember being amused by the
main character’s blend of cynicism and humor. I read it the first time in school
and found it very depressing. I read it again in my thirties and thought it was
hilarious. I’m curious how I’d view it now if I read it again.
David Ingraham - Photographer
Interviewed By: Navya Garg
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