Photography is a solo journey

An Outside eye

How helpful would it be to have an outside eye look at your work or ask the questions you need to get un-stuck?

How valuable would it be to have someone help you quiet some of the voices in your head—

someone to help you fight the resistance that holds so many artists back—and get you moving forward with confidence?

Perhaps more practically speaking, wouldn't it be great to have some one-on-one time with a photographer who has been where you are, and has found a calling in helping you get the most out of this craft with practical insights and real-world ideas about making the kind of photographs you're longing to make?

1:1 Sessions are 60 minute conversations on Zoom that start where you're at. That might be the need to build a stronger portfolio, or to have fresh eyes look at your work and suggest new directions. It might be a desire to prepare for that once in a lifetime photography trip, or to learn Lightroom skills you've struggled to acquire. Or perhaps you've been wrestling with finding your voice and need someone to help you find some clarity. It wouldn't be the craziest thing in the world if, like me, you just want someone to look at your work now and then and tell you you're making progress.

I've been there. Photography is a very individual pursuit, but we don't have to do it alone. Sometimes all it takes is another person to give us the nudge we need.

silence the monkeys

Asking someone to look at your work, to give an unflinching opinion, or to hold your feet to the fire can be really hard. You're basically opening your mind and heart to someone else and giving them permission to dig around in something deeply personal. So if you're even considering this, there's a good chance your mental monkeys are getting loud with questions.

Am I even good enough to work with a mentor?

What if he sees my mistakes or doesn't like my work?

What if he just doesn't, you know, "get" my work?

What if he only confirms my biggest doubts & fears?

Mentoring is one way to silence the monkeys—or at least to keep them distracted—while you concentrate on moving forward in your craft. If we waited until we felt our work was "good enough" or we had no lingering doubts and fears, we'd never do the work that would become not only good enough, but truly our own. We'd never answer the doubts, or push through the fears. The monkeys would win, and no one wants that.

My job is not to help you make work that's like mine, but to make work that's more and more yours. It's to help see the so-called mistakes (our greatest teachers) and blind spots and help you move beyond them. It's to help you ask bigger questions, and engage in work that challenges you. My job is to help you see the possibilities, and the next steps.

If you're a photographer who is a little closer to the beginning of their craft, I can help you find greater focus and prioritize changes that will move the needle a little faster. If you've been at this for years I can help you regain some lost momentum, find your voice, or get out of the rut. Don't let the monkeys win, they just don't want to have to change.

what it's worth

Mentoring is an investment. Here's what others have said about the value of our time together.

"Mentoring has had a much stronger and more lasting impact on my work than any class or workshop. David critically examines my images - not random examples from others - and gives honest assessments and concrete recommendations to improve my portfolio and individual images. I am a better photographer, editor and curator because of David’s mentoring."

- Cindy Mirabella

"David's personalized instruction was invaluable and packed with actionable feedback and helpful advice. I requested a portfolio review and some input on editing, he gave me tailored sessions to address my specific photography needs and editing struggles. David has a unique ability to effectively communicate complex topics in a way that's easy to understand. His guidance saved me hours of time, saving me from "trying to figure it out myself”. Wholeheartedly recommended!"

- Mark Hayward

"The sign of a great mentoring session is knowing what you need to work on and how to go about doing that. David does a wonderful job of setting you on a path before the conversation ends. I look forward to future conversations with him!”

- Ann Tyer

"Over the years I have had a number of one-on-one sessions with David. Those sessions did more for helping me wrestle with my questions than all the hours I’ve invested in courses, books, and YouTube videos put together times ten. David is not only a masterful photographer but a brilliant, insightful, and most especially, patient teacher. He doesn’t tell you how to do it but rather what questions you need to be asking. Spend an hour or two with David one-on-one, you’ll come away excited about photography all over again. "

- Kerry Gordon

"David was easy to talk to, he was a great listener, and I felt good bouncing ideas off of him. It was only an hour, but I gained more in one hour than I've gained all year on my own in terms of practical advice on how to move forward."

- Brittany Blake

"If you are looking for strong advice, book a session with David. Get prepared for a meeting that you will shape the way you'll move forward."

- Rodrigo Caetano

""Working with David has changed the way I approach creativity. I learned the value of showing up again and again, even when I don't feel like it. He pushed me out of my comfort zone. He always balances kindness with thoughtful, honest, and incredibly helpful feedback. His mentorship has shaped not just my photography, but my broader creative process and even how I approach projects at work. One of the most valuable lessons he taught me is that creative output requires creative input—a mantra that I use at the office, craft table, or when I approach photography. To top it all off, he makes me laugh until I cry."

- Erica Everhart