We were lucky to catch up with Dale Algo recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dale, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

When it comes to learning my craft I started getting into photography when I was a sophomore year in high school. I saved up money from my summer job to buy myself a camera and then the following year I took a intro to photography class. I’ve always had an eye for visual arts whether it was photos, short videos, graphic design or animation. A lot of my inspiration comes from my childhood and the films that I watched growing up. I used to watch a lot of films from various genres but always was intrigued by the movies that showed colors that popped and compositions that were very energetic. If you can make someone feel something by an image then I think you did the job.

I’ve also attended St.John’s University where I majored in Photography and attended a year of School of International Center of Photography my junior year in college. Getting the technical learning as well as being self taught enhanced my ways of capturing an image because now I could look at an image and understood how it was taken, what lighting was used and everything behind the scenes not shown in a photo.

Dale, 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?

I have been photographing for over 10 years now, what once became a hobby turned into a full blown career. After college I started off working in a rental photo studio where I learned the basics of studio equipment and learned about how the photo industry worked from the different positions to the technical aspects of the equipment being used. I later joined a photo studio in midtown of manhattan where I was able to learn more and gain experience behind the digital components such as file management and digiteching. Seeing an image go from the studio to print to being blown up on billboards and ads definitely opened my eyes as in what e-commercial photography can get you.

Aside from my 9-5 job I have my own studio in Brooklyn where me and my partner collaborate on photo projects that clients come to us for. A lot of clients come to us and hire us through word of mouth or social media and use my style of photography because i believe its vibrant, energetic and experimental. I think one of the things Im proud of when it comes to my work is how versatile it can be used for various works such as weddings to experimental projects to everything in between. I have photographed notable people such as Travis Scott, Pop Smoke, Jeff Staple, Kidsuper, Daniel Caesar, Migos, J. Cole and many others.

I think what I’m most proud of when it comes to my work is my professionalism and preparedness, I can take on any project that comes to me and meet the needs that my clients are looking for without expelling my creativity and vision.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think the best way to support artist and creatives is by supporting the ones closest to you. If you can celebrate artists with large followings who don’t know you at all, you can support smaller artists you are closer with or have a smaller following. They’re the ones who need it the most and need to be put on the same pedestal as the ones verified and sponsored.

You should be going to more exhibits hosted by local creatives and buy the products and services they are selling and if you can’t just share their work to others so their audience grows. Word of mouth is the strongest form of marketing in my opinion.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Youtube, Instagram, TikTok and other social media apps can be a tool to your advantage rather than a distraction. There are so many resources you can gain tutorials, DIY, and lessons you can absorb as knowledge all free to the app users.

So many people are posting “how to’s” because they know others want to learn and gain as much as they can without having to do it on their own. The internet can be a helpful place with large communities are aiming for the same goal, as long as you flush out all the negativity out there you can gain so much.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dale-algo.com
• Instagram: @daleknows
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dale-algo-7b5720126
• Twitter: @daleknows
• Other: Tiktok- @daleknows