Mr Sean Davey shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Sean, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Of these three (Intelligence, energy and integrity), integrity is the most important. We all share a proportion of trust with everyone that we deal with. Some people have great communication skills, others, maybe not so much, while others have great energy in their approach to work, but it’s those who have integrity, that I make the most time for. I’m kind of one of those people who can spot a person of low character usually within minutes of meeting them. I make time for those in my day that are easy to get along with and though we all seem to disagree on a lot of stuff these days, I try not to let that effect ny day. Like if I’m not jiving with a certain individual, I can move along soon enough. It’s much easier to choose to be around similar minded folks.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Aloha everyone. My name is Sean Davey. I used to shoot a lot of photography for surf publishers, worldwide, but as the magazines started to disappear during the early 00’s, I made the decision to start printing fine art prints and canvases from the large archive of imagery which I produced during my magazine career and beyond. I print (and sign) everything, myself, using a large Epson printer, called a P9000. I’m able to produce single prints up to as large as 44 x 120 inches and three times larger than that if the image is turned into a triptych (where the image becomes three separate panels, all creating a larger print, together. I’ve been doing this now for around 20 years and my prints hang in hundreds of homes, all over the world. I only use premium quality papers, canvas and inks from Epson, the very same that are used by museums all over the world. Everything that I print is on a one-off basis, making everything a custom creation. I typically turn most orders around in just days. I only sign prints and canvas that I create, myself. This instantly gives my creations more collectivity, especially with art collectors.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was 16, I shot my first photograph, quite fittingly of an ocean wave. I went on to become an internationally celebrated surf photographer and it was that 1st photograph which paved the path that I followed.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Around 1990, A burglar made off with almost all of my camera equipment. I had just moved from Brisbane back to Sydney and did not have camera insurance. I think I stopped shooting pictures for about 8 minths till one of my old friends gave me his old Nikkormat camera and I started over again. The feeling of being able to create again was thrilling and I have not stopped since.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
I guess I’d look at that fad and ask myself, would I do that, would I purchase one of those and if my answer is no, then I would disregard that as somewhat of a fad. Ultimately with art, you have to do what motivates you, what inspires you because you have to love what you do, to be be great at it. Sometimes, you just simply have to be there, in order to get a great picture. One that you never would have seen, had you not simply been there at that moment.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely! I’ll always do my best simply because as an art photographer, most of what I do is to satisfy my will to create. I am my own worst critic because at the end of the day, I have to please myself with my work, before I unleash it to everyone else.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://seandavey.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/sean_davey
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/414534/admin/page-posts/published/?msgConversationId=6548068998196658176&msgOverlay=true
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeanDaveyPhotography/
Rainbow Palms. This rainbow appeared above my home and stayed there for about 40 minutes, all the while there were loud thunderclaps happening.
This is Kelly Sleter taking off at pretty big Pipe and this is just about as dangerous a picture that I’ve ever taken. I could feel the lip of the wave dragging me forward. In fact, if you look at the wave, you can see both where he is coming from and where he is headed.
Speed Bowl. This is longboarder; Dino Miranda driving so hard and fast off the bootm of the wave at big Pipeline. It’s one of my favorite surfing pictures.
Contemplation. A hawaiian sea turtle just floating aimlessly at Shark’s Cove.
Silhouetted Surfers. 2 surfers captured on an 800mm lens to make the sun appear much larger in front of them. Photographed at Sunset Beach in Hawaii.
Swim in Blue. A swimmer passing me by with a yacht in the background, in the crazy clear waters of Waimea Bay.
Turtle Flight. Another image that so well illustrates how beautifully clear the waters are at Waimea Bay, with a Hawaiian Sea turtle swimming past.
Under The Rainbow. The schools of fish swimming in Waimea Bay with a beautiful rainbow above them.
Velocity Curl. A beautiful tubing wave at Teahupoo, in Tahiti.
Image Credits
This underwater picture of me at work was photographed by fellow surf photographer; Erik Ipple
