5MINS with David Williams
David Williams – you may know him as the photographer who shot ‘Men with Cats’ – a project that threw him into the spotlight and bagged him features on a huge range of sites ranging from Huffington Post to Mashable. So what’s David been up to since breaking down the crazy cat lady stereotype and going viral online? With an eclectic range of personal work and commissions under his belt (shooting everything from a skunk festival to USA election night.) the answer is – quite a lot!
Hiya David, Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got into photography?
I started taking pictures of punk and hardcore bands while I was in high school. I then received my formal education in photography in Denver, Colorado. Five years ago I moved to Brooklyn, New York, started assisting photographers and began shooting commissions.
(Cat Show: Courtesy David Williams Photography)
(Men With Cats: Courtesy David Williams Photography)
Do you think Men with Cats opened doors for you career wise and what have you been up to since, in both your personal and commissioned projects?
I think so. I don’t know if I’ve ever specifically been hired because of the book, but a lot of people saw my name and the work. Hopefully that helped put me on the radar and showed editors that I’m capable of shooting bigger projects and assignments.
My book came out in February and this has been my first full year shooting and not assisting. That all started organically because shooting jobs started getting in the way of assisting jobs. So, I think that the wave of Men With Cats really gave me the confidence to shift my focus 100% towards being a photographer. But I think that constantly shooting personal work and assignments really helped open most of the doors in my career.
(Stuffed Animals: Courtesy David Williams Photography)
You have a distinct personal style and your work often captures the weird and wonderful. What draws you to these particular themes and what (or who) inspires you?
I’m a big fan of humor and color. I also love film and I’m inspired by directors like Todd Haynes and Tim Burton (but like pre 1998 Tim Burton). In school I discovered photographers like Martin Parr, Lars Tunbjörk, Andres Serrano, and Cindy Sherman and immediately fell in love with their work and style.
Also, my friend, mentor, and first photographer to ever hire me as an assistant, Naomi Harris, is a constant inspiration to my work. She’s the queen of shooting personal work, and every project is so unique and beautiful.
This Skunk Festival I went to in Ohio earlier this year was my favorite job of 2016. I had been speaking with the woman who put on the festival for a few months and she told me I should come out and photograph it. Everyone was super weird, but in the best possible way. I stayed in this motel in suburban Ohio surrounded by people and their skunks.
(Skunk Festival: Courtesy David Williams Photography)
Can you tell us a bit about your commission to shoot US Election Night for Bloomberg and your work documenting the protests afterwards?
Bloomberg sent me around New York City all night to photograph various election watch parties and scenes on the street. The older I get the more interested I’ve become in politics, because I know the decisions made by our government directly affect my life as an adult. So it was exciting to walk around Manhattan and capture the spirit of the city on such an important night. Obviously late into the night, as I passed by giant screens projecting results in Times Square, I felt a wave of anxiety and sadness pass through me.
Like millions of other Americans, I woke up the next morning feeling depressed and shocked by the outcome. Multiple protests sparked up that day and although I didn’t want to leave my house, I knew that being surrounded by like-minded peers would be the best way to cope, so I grabbed my camera and headed back into Manhattan.
(Election Night: Courtesy David Williams Photography)
What would you say have been your favourite projects to shoot over the course of your career?
Shooting my book is definitely a highlight because it was such a massive project. I had to shoot 125 new portraits in about 2 months. I didn’t really have anyone helping me produce any of the shoots and I felt like I’m most successful when I’m very busy. In 2009 I went to McMurdo Station for three months to photograph scientists who were working with Weddell seals, which is the most unique experience I’ve had in my life.
A bit of a tech question, but we all love a bit of camera geekery now and then - what sort of cameras and lenses do you enjoy shooting with and why?
To be honest, I’m not much of a gear nerd. I shoot with canon bodies and try to stick with prime lenses. I love lighting with q-flashes when I’m shooting portraits. I shoot some street stuff with a Fuji x100s and a little Speedlight. The gear and lights is not what interests me about photography.
I’m focused on connecting with a subject and taking an interesting picture and using flash helps my pictures pop in the way that I view the world. I also tend to shoot very rapidly and love the surprise element of shooting with flash and not always knowing what you’re going to get. I also tend to lock in my shutter speed and aperture and adjust my iso if lighting situations change, which is my favorite part about shooting digitally.
(Protest: Courtesy David Williams Photography)
What's next on your agenda for 2017 project wise?
I’m hoping to make it down to the Presidential Inauguration in January. I’ll be going to Thailand later in the year (for my honeymoon!) and plan on shooting a lot there. On top of that, I plan to continue focusing on shooting editorial commissions for publications who believe in my work and allow me to do what I love!
View David’s work on his website: www.davidswilliamsphotography.com or follow him on Instagram @davidwilliamsphoto
Written by Emily Valentine - follow her on twitter and instagram @emily_v_photos @hashtagphotomag
