Meet Rob Flate of Rob Flate Photography in Silverlake

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Flate.

Rob, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started studying photography in high school here in LA at Hamilton High and then spent 2 more years at UCSB as an art major working with film in the darkroom. I left Santa Barbara in 2000 and moved back to LA, but it wasn’t until my daughter was born in 2007 that my interest in taking pictures came back. I got my first DSLR and started taking photography seriously again. Since then, I’ve been slowly building my skills, my style and my business. My bread and butter have been headshots and that’s what I do on a daily basis, but my wife Sara Flate (who’s a prop stylist/set designer) are working together and doing more creative, lifestyle and branding work.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
A smooth road?! Of course not. I waited tables for 17 years while I pursued a career in the arts. I had small bits of success along the way, but it wasn’t until August of 2017, that I was able to fully transition out of that and I now work full time as a photographer. It’s still a daily grind of promotion, shooting, editing, retouching, communicating with clients, etc. etc. But, SO personally fulfilling.

I didn’t hate waiting tables. I always worked at fun places and made ok money, but in my 30s with a wife and 2 kids I just really felt unsatisfied and stuck. The next step up for me was to become a restaurant manager and I didn’t want that. I also started to become very aware that I wanted to make my kids proud and build something they would admire. That’s when I gave photography my all and started staying up to 2 or 3 am after work and doing all the things necessary to build my career.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Rob Flate Photography – what should we know?
My daily work consists mostly of shooting actor headshots. My work is unique because I’m a very easy-going guy and that comes through in my portraits. My style is relaxed and natural. There are other headshot photographers in LA who do a great job getting certain types of shots. But when an actor needs a very straightforward, natural, real person headshot, mine excel.

Currently, though, my wife would dare to build a new branch of business as a creative photography team (she’s a set designer/prop stylist) and we’re doing work in lifestyle/brand and creative work. That’s the direction my business and photography is going and I’m putting a lot more attention and time into that.

I’d have to say I’m most proud, personally, of persevering through the difficulties of creating a business and bettering my own skills while working full time with a family and raising 2 kids. There were PLENTY of times I came close to deciding to commit to the service industry and going with a career that had more security.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Nobody deserves credit for helping me get where I am like my wife does. Since we met in 2004, she never pressured me to “get a better job” or give up. She always helped me in any way she could and allowed me to pursue what was important to me despite financially hard times.

My sister Lisa and her husband, Dustin helped me out in some important ways, too. They gave me some key opportunities to shoot some projects that got published.

Another photographer friend, Ray Kachatorian, has been someone who’s always made himself available to help with technical or business questions.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.robflatephotography.com
• Phone: (310) 850-5058
• Email: rob@robflatephotography.com
• Instagram: @thisguyrob
• Facebook: facebook.com/robflatephotography

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