Today we’d like to introduce you to Greg Zook.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Greg. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I graduated with a biology degree from University of Colorado. Realizing shortly after graduation my love was in the creative world I left for Los Angeles to explore a career as an artist. After struggling to get a start I began started working as a graphic designer in the advertising world, all the while I was taking night classes slowly improving my drawing skills. In the mid 90’s, I was hired by Maui and Sons as a surf artist in Pacific Palisades. Mostly working in the merchandise world, we mostly sketched ideas and finished airbrush work in the computer. I was approached by Warner Brothers Merchandise to use surf style attitude to do illustration for their product lines including Warner music artists. In 2006, Warner Brothers Instituted company wide layoffs, I was shocked for two weeks prior, I had just received a substantial raise. I freelanced for WB as well as surf companies for a couple of years living near Laguna Beach and selling my fine art oil paintings to supplement income.
Being a freelancer, I could go anywhere and decided to buy a log cabin in Big Bear where
I continued to freelance and sold paintings in a local gallery. The owner was also a photographer and invited me to shoot a wedding with him as a second photographer.
Having used photography as a backup for illustration it was a great fit and I eventually moved into photography full time. I focused on commercial work at first but found capturing human emotion much more challenging and appealing. I met my wife who was a makeup artist in 2010. We currently work together in Lake Arrowhead.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, the road was definitely not smooth! In the 80’s, you really needed to be in LA or New York to stand a chance at making a decent living as an artist. I left Boulder with $300 in my pocket, knowing only one person in LA that let me crash at their apartment in Santa Monica. I really struggled to make a living in the beginning, surviving on potatoes and deli meat, also happy hours at local bars! Los Angeles was tough. The best of the best is here, I truly spent every waking hour developing a marketable skill set.
Someone I interviewed with recommended to break into the industry you want to be in, starting in an entry level position. The entertainment world is where I decided to go. I started as a production artist, taking night classes at Art Center and the Local 838 Cartoonist union, which is considered an inexpensive alternative to Cal Arts. I eventually developed a signature style working in the surf industry. The rewards paid off with opportunity. I can not imagine any other world I would like to work in then the creative one. The same skills that make a great illustrator translate in other arenas like photography. My style in photography comes from being a classically trained artist first which helps me in being different in a highly competitive marketplace.
Zook Studios – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Currently, I focus on Weddings which is about 80% of our business, but one thing that keeps us fresh is doing other work. I still do commissions for paintings. We frequently do celebrity events and commercial work like working in the Biker industry. My style has a strong artistic viewpoint. Although “Artistic” is a word that tends to be overused like, “Out of the box” but my background really comes to play when I am given freedom on an assignment.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Maintaining your integrity as you go through the difficulties of life while not sacrificing important relationships like your family and friends. It is so easy to compromise your values, but being honest, staying fresh and current is so important. I never stop learning. I get so excited by others who have paved the creative world for us like Claude Monet who said. ” …. draw with all your might; you can never learn to much.”
To me money and financial success are important but take a second seat to doing what you love to do. The challenge lies in finding a way to combine the two. Being acknowledged by people in your industry means something as well. One reason we compete in an international competition, wppi, each year. It is a great marker on how we are doing, a panel of judges well known in our field of photography who pull no punches as they judge. I think most of us would like to say they did something that may have brought joy or impacted someone’s life in a meaningful way that is something I strive for.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.zookphoto.com | www.zookstudios.com
- Phone: 714-809-4309
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Images by Greg Zook
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