We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful John Davenport. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with John below.
John, 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?
Thinking about how I learned to be a photographer is making me realize I really did take the long way around it all. I always did take photos and actually wanted to work as a photo journalist. I just really never thought it was possible to work as a creative. It just wasn’t available as a choice growing up. I think that feeling of being unable to be what I wanted to be really took me on a twisted path. Knowing what I know now about the industry and how things work I would have made my work and my creative voice more important, more of a priority, turned up the volume on my focus and intention. Once I decided to go and actually be a photographer I put everything I could into it. I assisted, shadowed, went to digital imaging school, shot 20 hours of sports every weekend. I did what I could to make it work. I eventually got myself into commercial photography full time. I still wish that I had taken better advantage of the resources I had at the time. Created more personal work more test shoots and pushed myself to get ahead. In the end I am basically self taught with the essential technical skills needed to complete assignments. Most important to me is lighting, that’s what makes or breaks it. Along with trusting my intuition, knowing that something is incorrect and working to make it correct this is really what creatives are tasked to do. For me the recipe is Camera skills, lighting, personality, taste and intuition.
John, 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?
Since we just met I will tell you how I got into this mess of photography… Once upon a time in decades past I attended Providence College in Providence Rhode Island. Rocked out to all the grunge and punk bands I possibly could and studied Biology. I knew I couldn’t work in an office or be a 9 to 5 guy and thought that Biology could take me to tropical islands, sailing ships, and adventure! All the while I was spending my time playing drums in rock bands and staying up way to late developing film in the dark room. Music was my main outlet for art and creativity at this time. I put everything I had into banging my electric blue drum set (which I got from my sister’s high school friend) into submission at whatever venue would allow us to play. (Most proudly, CBGBs in New York City a dream come true).
Fast forwarding through a few years of heartbreak, bad luck and really just being broke. I was working as a research assistant for Nancy Hopkins at the MIT Center for cancer research in Cambridge, MA. Where I assisted the post-docs and took care of her zebrafish facility. But also, was able to take all the photo classes offered at MIT and spent once again a ton of time in the darkroom developing and printing photos, playing clubs at night, and thinking about what the next steps were that I should be taking. I left MIT knowing that my documented Dyslexic brain could never keep up in the world of science. But still didn’t know how I could actually become a creative photographer. So, I took a job at Boston Medical Center. I was once again pretending to be a good Biologist and trying to get paid just a little more. I was tasked to set up a Zebrafish research facility for one of the doctors on campus studying Melatonin and sleep disorders. Which I did no problem. Then one day I really just had enough after a lot of things that are just too long to get into. I was asked to finish some crazy project I had no idea how to do and really wouldn’t work out even if I had. I said to my boss sure I’ll get that done for you, grabbed my bag, and went straight home. Never to return! When she asked me what I was planning to do, I said I am going to be a photographer. Then she told me straight to my face… it would never work out but good luck trying! Hahaha I always remember that conversation so clearly… What a sendoff!
I finished up my degree at Boston University Center for Digital imaging arts which I had started while I was working. Met some inspirational photographers from National Geographic and the commercial fashion world, assisted and worked basically from the bottom up doing anything and everything I could to make ends meet.
My first real commercial shoot was just before Christmas. With a stylist’s friend’s help I was called into photograph toys and Christmas trees for Smart Bargains. Awesome! I was in… I soon became the studios full-time photographer. This job put me in the position to help lead and launch the creative studio for the company RUELALA.com where I was lucky enough to work as a fashion and product photographer for about 10 or more years. A super fun studio putting out all kinds of awesome work daily. Meeting, playing, and working with creatives all while getting paid.
Today, I am a commercial freelance photographer and run my own studio. We provide e-commerce support and brand photography to retailers big and small. We also build Shopify websites, shoot portrait, fashion, products and do general commercial work. What I think sets my studio apart form other like mine is that I have sat in the big meets and understand what consumers are looking for and want to see when shopping on line. Many start ups and smaller brands come to me not knowing what angels to show or how to create a shopable web site. To be able to provide this information with personalized service, quality images and low prices I think is great value. I always take pride in my work and want to make everything I ahoot look just right. I am always thinking about new ideas, making images and trying to stay inspired and creative! I am very lucky to be able to do the things I do and only wanna get bigger and better, and will never take this for granted!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I would have to say that I have built my reputation mainly on hard work, personal connections and staying in front of art directors. Looking back at my days spent in the studio there was always a lot going on and a lot of competition as well. I can remember always feeling like a had to beat another photographer to get the best assignments or make sure I could light better and shoot more to stay in the game. It was a real battle and we all took our lumps but it was always fun and creative. I was lucky to work with many different art directors and stylists. I learned so much from them. The most important thing you can do is make great work. With out creating you get over looked for jobs and suddenly you are out of the loop.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I have a lot of non creative friends, doctors and lawyers etc… And it is true that sometimes non creatives just don’t get what we do. They don’t understand that a lot of, at least my journey was an internal battle of me vs me. They could never spend the amount of time I have broke or go through the struggles of starting over time and time again. They need the stability that gets you from point A to point B. The creative journey doesn’t aways do that it has ups and downs and can beat you up at time. There has been plenty of times I wanted to smash my camera and walk away from it all believe me. So its hard to explain, did I get myself behind in some ways yes… can I conform to some kind of non creative lifestyle to pay the bills.. no and no.. things have to work out because there has never been an other option.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.johndavenportphotography.com
- Instagram: @studiojld
