We recently connected with Dominic Episcopo and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dominic, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with something countless entrepreneurs have had to figure out on the fly – how have you dealt with the rise of remote work?

During covid we had to shutdown like everyone else. After a couple of months we had to come up with a new system of working in order to get back to work. What seamed like a hopeless situation at first, ultimately really work out for us. With using Zoom at shoots we were able to create an experience that made people comfortable with shooting with us with out being there and not knowing us. What we would do is have a few windows on the call. One of our windows would be for me to speak with the client. We would also have a window with an overall view of the studio so that anyone not present at the shoot could feel the energy of the studio and literally watch what was happening. We would have another window that would have my camera feed, so every image taken was seen by the client. When we would reach an image that we thought was”final” we would text it to a group that would make final changes and decisions. This would give them the option of looking closely at the image, even enlarge it. Think most of this became standard in our industry for 2020-2022. What it opened up for us was that we could now shoot for clients all over the country or in our city and it was the same experience for them. In the first 6-8 months of 2020, not everyone had this figured out and that really worked to our benefit. Then the dynamic that started to happen was, big shoots that would normally take place in Los Angeles or New York City were having a hard time booking and scheduling because those cities had such strict covid restrictions to get on set. And although we always followed safe work practices, we did not have the same rules in place from the local government. This made it so much easier and reasonable to work with us. During 2020 & 2021 we worked with several big agencies that were all new clients for us and we did a few national campaigns. We are still using some of the system we created then to enhance the experience for our clients at shoots.

Dominic, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Dominic Episcopo Photography is full service commercial still and motion studio. My work has been seen and recognized internationally as a pioneer of the food and lifestyle photography movement. My career spans over 25 years of commercial and editorial experience, referencing everything from early movements in European fine art to the irreverent elegance of the everyday. Our versatile and wide ranging portfolio encompasses everything from corporate advertising campaigns and commercial pharmaceutical sectors, to food and lifestyle editorial, high fashion and low-fi indie musicians.

The edgy rock and roll imagery of the 60s and 70s as well as art history were key inspirations for me as I pursued my career. Originally from north New Jersey, I relocated to Philadelphia to pursue a degree in photography from University of the Arts, where I am both an alumni and former faculty member.

My work has been featured in a variety of national magazines and campaigns, as well as numerous galleries and private collections of notable contemporary collectors and has work in the Permanent Collection of The Philadelphia Museum of Art. I am also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Tilt Institute of the Contemporary Image.

20 years ago I purchased a 180 year old church in the Fishtown neighborhood in Philadelphia. Restoring and renovating the church has become my life project. It now houses my studio on the first floor in a 4000 sq ft space and I live with my family in the sanctuary on the 2nd floor of the church. In 2011 historic church was outfitted with 128 solar panels, making it one of the oldest “green” structures in the USA.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I believe that creative people are the best people. As a creative person we see the world different, there is always something to see, understand or relate to. I have the utmost respect for artist, their drive determination and commitment to their work always blows my mind. But talent is the most valuable commodity there is. For me to be in a creative business is a pure gift, a privilege that has made my life full.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The biggest pivot that I had to make in my business is still the Covid shut down. Obviously we had never seen anything like this in our lifetime and closing our doors for 3 months was terrifying. I had just finished the Goldmen Sacks 10K small business class the previous year, and that had actually had a huge impact on my business. It is a course offered by Goldman Sacks for small businesses. Realizing that most small business owners come from a passion rather than from a business school, they saw the opportunity for this class. It was like a mini MBA done in an intense semester and it’s a full scholarship for anyone that get in the class. It changed my business immensely, I double my revenue in the first year out of the class. My business was hitting a stride like I had never seen before, then Covid hit. After a 3 month shut down we moved the studio to the basement, to keep it further away from our living space and my family. It took a little figuring out but we ultimately found our way.

Contact Info:

• Website: episcopo.com
• Instagram: @dom_episcopo_photo
• Facebook: Dominic Episcopo Photography
• Linkedin: Dominic Episcopo
• Twitter: @Meatamerica

Image Credits
Assistant Andrew Bonacci Food Stylist Brian Croney Prop Stylist Geri Radin