February 26, 2017

Meet David Carlson of David Carlson Photography in Los Feliz

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Carlson.

David, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My first jobs as a photographer were in the early 1990’s for a theatre company in Massachusetts and a fitness magazine in San Francisco. I really liked using the camera to tell stories and capture interesting moments, but what I enjoyed most was meeting and connecting with new people. While I went on to work as a public relations writer on Wall Street and then as an English teacher in Arizona, meeting and connecting with new people remained the most enjoyable part of my work. After 20 years as a headshot photographer in LA, it’s still what I like most about my job. The technical aspects of photography interest me, but the people I shoot interest me much more.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The biggest challenge facing my business now is marketing. For 10-15 years my business in LA grew steadily with little or no marketing and I was lulled into believing that running a successful business was as simple as doing good work for a reasonable price and treating customers well. Those qualities are obviously still important, but
economic pressures on the advertising and tv/film industries have created an increasingly competitive marketplace where there’s less and less money to go around. At the same time, the advent of social media has made marketing increasingly important to small businesses like mine. I underestimated the role of social media and am now playing catch-up.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the David Carlson Photography story. Tell us more about the business.
I specialize in headshots for actors and professionals in the LA area. I’m known for being easy to work with and for offering a wide range of looks at reasonable rates. What I’m most proud of, and what sets me apart from many other headshot photographers, is that I take the time to personalize each session and make it more about the person I’m shooting than about my particular style.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
About 20 years ago, not long after I moved to LA, I was walking my dog past a well-known talent agency in West Hollywood. With the innocence only a rookie can have, I went into the office and introduced myself as a new photographer in town. The impromptu meetings went well, or so I thought until I got home and got a call from one of the assistants who scolded me for being so unprofessional. “You can’t just show up unannounced!” she said. “With your dog! You’ll never get any work in this town!” It must’ve been my lucky day because the assistant went on to become a successful manager, and she’s been sending me referrals ever since.

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