We caught up with the brilliant and insightful David Pugh a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi David, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with inspirations and heroes. Are there any historical figures you look up to?

My biggest photography inspiration is Richard Avedon. There’s a fantastic mini documentary on him that you can find on Youtube now that was originally an American Masters special that was released in 1995. In it you learn about how he dealt with his inner demons through photography, but it’s also his philosophy with photography that I find most intriguing. He brought a certain psychology to his work where he really brought something out in his subjects and it’s something that I can only attempt and never think I can accomplish to the extent which he did. What I also find inspiring about his work is that while he did a lot of commercial and fashion work, he was able to venture into very none glamorous work and explore humanity. He taught me that it’s ok to not be apologetic about a vision you have for a photo, regardless of what someone may think.

David, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Like a lot of photographers, I got my hands on a camera in my teen years. I was really inspired by fashion magazines and classic portraiture I would see in museums. And while I loved the fashion (and still do – especially 40’s and 50’s high glam), it was really about the story or symbolism that was being told through the work.

Being in the midwest, the obvious path to being a photographer was capturing weddings, family portraits, and high school seniors. So at 23, I dove right into that world and opened my business. Fortunately, I don’t have any wild mother-of-the-bride stories to tell, but over those five years of running my business, I knew deep down this path wasn’t for me but I pushed on – I was living the American dream of owning my own business that was tied to my passion. It eventually got to a point where I would receive an inquiry and I would feel this immediate dread and would want to say I was unavailable. I felt guilty because it wasn’t fair to the clients – they should have a photographer who was passionate about capturing their wedding or family.

Once the dread of each inquiry became more consistent, I knew I needed to make a change so I closed down my business after five years. Immediately, I got a 9-5 where my photography could be purely of artistic expressions and not something I needed to survive.

Since then, my work has become more authentic – involving dancers, self-portraits, the human body, and landscapes. I am fortunate to have this work displayed and available at Cerbera gallery in downtown Kansas City. Having a stable, full-time job has been life-changing because it’s given me the financial/emotional freedom to fund and create my own projects. I am always dreaming and working on new projects, and the only client to answer to is me and that’s a huge relief!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is the self exploration it forces you to have. With any new work, you have to have perspective, and to have a clear perspective and point of view, you have to really ask yourself hard questions. After you do all that internal wrestling and are able to get it out in front of you, it’s very cathartic and satisfying.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

When I closed down my photography business it confused a lot of people. I wouldn’t say my business was booming but it was certainly on trajectory to being very lucrative. Even with the best of intentions, people would ask why I closed down my business and my explanation would be met with unsolicited advice. Even after explaining my dread around the work, they would still try and hire me. I would always listen politely and then change the subject of the conversation. As time has gone on and I’ve produced more personal work, there has been more of an understanding and excitement from people. I’ve been told by some that they can tell a difference in my work. My current photography has more depth to it than it did in the past, which has been very rewarding. I feel like I can truly begin to tell a story, like I dreamed of years ago.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cerberagallery.com/product-category/david-pugh/?fbclid=PAAabQO5xR26LzXX9jCW1kSh_wnru65yMCbu7kDb2Ia7liIFRFewcgTJaQeeo_aem_AfniiQReTCMJ51FuWGF3QNi_4FRIBoCl2-8JBZKhF4iDe_MsH_0xpu4z0rcN4FlSTt8
• Instagram: @davidkeckpugh

Image Credits
All photos were taken by me