ScreenSpace: Photographer David Cameron
Meet David Cameron. He’s our September homage for ScreenSpace: A monthly celebration of the best photographers and directors presented by Smashbox Studios WEHO and Culver City. Born and bred in California, David Cameron had an early relationship with creativity. He’s danced from fashion in NYC into the advertising world as a rising star, paving the way as a director for fashion icons, beauty brands and award winning music videos. Some of the most beautiful women have sat comfortably in front of his lens, and on top of his success in film and advertising, his beauty and fashion photographic works translate as such: impeccable poise, graphic composition, class and simplicity. You know what comes next? An exclusive interview between Smashbox Studios and David Cameron — a director, a photographer, a friend, and a multi-faceted entrepreneur…
SMASHBOX STUDIOS: Let’s start with some back-story. You come from a design background, left California to go to NYC, and had a successful line at that. How was that experience for you and what did you learn from it?
DAVID CAMERON: I was 23 years old so it was pretty cool to be running a company at that age. But it seemed very natural to me at the time, and it was an incredible experience. The fact that i came into directing and photography form the world of fashion has given me a unique perspective. It’s more common now, but 20 years ago, it was an unusual move.
SB: Did you ever think you would end up as a photographer/director?
DC: I’m not sure i see myself in terms of designer/director/photographer or any one label. I’ve always been very comfortable moving between mediums and it seems to suit my abilities. After i left fashion to pursue film, it became apparent to me early on that i would use everything I’d learned as a designer in the role of director. And as i began to explore photography, my directing experience informed my approach to taking pictures. I also have such a huge amount of respect for the photographers that have inspired me, I’m reluctant to use the term casually as a moniker.
SB: What are some things that inspires your work?
DC: About 4 or 5 years ago, I stopped looking at magazines and reels. I felt that I needed to step back from the constant search for ‘reference’ material that is now so ubiquitous in the world of image making. Agencies and creatives expect it as a means to understand aspects of the concept you are presenting, but too often I found that it was being literally interpreted to the point of copying. As a young man it was an important part of my education to immerse myself in the history of film and photography, but at this point its much more challenging and rewarding to start from scratch and let an idea evolve. So inspiration has to come from something other than existing images. It has to come from experience, memory, imagination, or something that happens on set that you’ve never planned for. Plus i find so much inspiration working with talented DPs, Production Designers, Stylists, and Hair and Makeup artists. Its such a buzz when you hit on something fresh when collaborating with a good team. Its that creative tension, the desire to achieve something great, make something beautiful that keeps me inspired.
SB: How do you view films being made right now?
DC: There are great short films being made with small budgets and big ideas. Its a very creative approach to film making utilizing new technology like the Arri Alexa and the Canonn 5D producing beautiful images. Its also interesting to see my kids shooting, playing with cell phone cameras, making little movies with IPhones. All very intuitive and uninhibited. I find that very inspiring.
SB: You’ve shot at Smashbox Studios plenty of times. What is your relationship like with our stages?
DC: I’ve been told that i was the first director to use Lightbox at the Culver City lot as a film stage! I love working with natural light for certain beauty projects and I had been shooting a lot in daylight studios in New York. It was hard to find in LA and we often used old factories downtown to achieve this look. When I saw Lightbox for the first time several years ago, I knew I’d found a new home to shoot in LA. Its just a great resource for me and has been constant in my work for many years. I think we’ve shot something like 30 plus commercials and music videos, as well as print on the Lightbox stage. We’ve built major set pieces on that stage, constructing the set windows right up to the stage windows to give an ambient daylight look to the environment which i don’t think you can ever really cheat successfully. It gives the sets a very soft real ambient daylight look. As a photographer, I tend towards a very minimal look and love working on a white cyc. Smashbox Digital has also been a big component in my development as a photographer, and I’ve recently had the pleasure of working with the motion team there on a film for my wife designer Kendall Conrad’s new collection.
SB: What’s your favorite part of the creative process, whether it be pre-pro or simply snapping the camera in the moment?
DC: I like a deadline. It probably comes form my years as a designer when we had to deliver a 30 piece collection every three months and there was no room for being indecisive or arbitrary. I approach every shoot with the same set of disciplines I learned then. So the pre-pro process is very enjoyable for me in that I’m a quick decision maker. It’s one of the things that comes from my experience that I really value. I just know what I like. No dithering. I really enjoy being involved in every aspect of planning the shoot and of course I’m responsible for the end product, so it never occurred to me to approach it any other way. Its just my nature to try and do it all myself, but its not a good idea when you are steering the ship. Of course the other aspect that i find totally addicting is the moment on set after all the planning, discussion, preparation and its just you and the talent in front of your lens. Its a strange mixture of adrenaline, seduction, concentration, and trust. Once you are in sync and you’ve established that bond with your subject, you begin working together to make a beautiful image. Thats a great feeling.
SB: Who or what has been your mentor throughout your career?
DC: My wife Kendall who has been there for all of it and continues to support and inspire me. My parents. Michael Vollbracht. Roberto Cecchini. Its a big list and I’m grateful for their guidance.
SB: Favorite Photographer, favorite Director?
DC: Impossible to name one favorite. Penn. Avedon. Steichen. Hitchcock. Vincent Minnelli. Walt Disney.
DC: I’m currently working with C magazine on a series of portraits which appear each month. Its a very satisfying assignment in that the subjects are these really lovely young woman, some of whom I’ve watched grow up, who are about to make their mark on the world. They all come form different backgrounds and have a diverse range of talents and interests but they are all California girls. Kelly Lynch and Mitch Glazer’s daughter Shane was the first C Girl, and this month it will be Gia Coppola.
SB: Finish the sentences. Always…
DC: Always. Always trust your instincts.
SB: Never…
DC: Never settle.
*We’re not settling, we will follow our gut, David*
sending...
