Rangefinder Magazine
May 2006

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David Humphreys LORRAINE A. DARCONTE
A Broad Focus

“After Party.” Client: Louisiana Old Governors Mansion Foundation. Sinarcam 2 with Sinar Digital back and Nikkor 28–105mm f/4 lens.

If you stumbled upon David Humphreys’ website (www.fabphoto.com) you might, for a moment, think you were looking at the work of several accomplished photographers—including a few that specialize in food, fashion, corporate and industrial photography, as well as one who’s adept at creating unique imagery with a little help from Photoshop. But, in fact, one very versatile man created all the images featured on the site. Hence, it’s no surprise that Humphreys’ list of clients, which includes Cox Communications, Louisiana Sweet Potato Association, Honeywell, Coca-Cola, Travel & Leisure, and Modern Maturity magazine, is just as diverse as his work.

Versatility comes easily to Louisiana-based Humphreys, who tried his hand at a variety of careers before settling on photography. “I’ve done so many different things in my life,” says Humphreys, who has worked as a singer, a magician, and a mechanical designer. “I wanted to go into graphic design, but my parents wanted me to go into mechanical design. And so, I worked as a draftsman and absolutely hated it. One day, they woke me up on the drafting table and told me I was fired. It was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.”

From there, Humphreys worked a succession of odd jobs to make ends meet. He was also taking a lot of pictures and found he really enjoyed it. “[Photography] was a way for me to express myself,” says Humphreys, who also paints and dabbles in other creative endeavors. “I started out with a very small point-and-shoot camera and eventually bought a Pentax. I liked shooting people in black-and-white and started working with local beauty salons. I’d photograph their clients for free and if they were interested in purchasing pictures they could, and the salon could use them too. From there, I built a darkroom and started working on a business plan.”

Humphreys couldn’t afford to go back to school to study photography, so he started buying Time Life books. “They were fantastic,” he says, “and they really gave me great technical information.” He studied the masters, began experimenting, and eventually purchased a Hasselblad. He also took a job working at a camera store and began compiling a portfolio. Things really took off when an acquaintance that worked in public relations told Humphreys his images were marketable. In particular, he singled out some shots of a violin, noting that they could be sold to the local symphony. “I had no idea how much photography was needed in advertising,” admits Humphreys. “I actually sold that picture to the symphony. It was my first sale.”

“Chosen One.” Sinarcam 2 with Sinar Macroscan and Sinar Digital back with Sinaron 80mm f/4 digital lens.

Buoyed by his initial success, Humphreys began showing his work to local agencies. “Back then, Baton Rouge was a small town and I had to be very diverse to make a living. I shot people, fashion, architecture, interiors, exteriors, and then some. One of the things I love is studio work—tabletop and product. It’s something I really gravitate toward,” he says. Now that Baton Rouge is a larger community, as is the world at large, Humphreys finds himself narrowing his focus somewhat. “I’m in a position now where I can specialize a bit more. The majority of the work I’m doing now is food photography. But I also do a lot of product for cottage industries—specific shots of products that can’t be purchased at stock agencies.”

“After Party.” Client: Louisiana Old Governors Mansion Foundation. Sinarcam 2 with Sinar Digital back and Nikkor 28–105mm f/4 lens.

This is the type of work that sustains his business today, although food photography is where his real passion lies. “Food is so beautiful and tactile,” he says. “It is one of my favorite things to photograph even though it can be extremely difficult. I also love food photography because you can eat while you work.” In addition to assignments, Humphreys works with Foodpix, a food stock agency in California that represents him through Getty Images.

When shooting food stock, Humphreys finds it’s best to keep up with the latest photographic trends and know what buyers are looking for. In doing so, Humphreys’ photographic style has changed over the years, mainly to accommodate the marketplace. He describes his early technique as European in flavor—clean, straightforward, and elegant, with beautiful lighting and a large amount of depth of field. “To some extent,” he states, “I’m now working more with selective focus, softer lighting, and muted tones. With advertising, Humphreys says he’s acutely aware of photographic trends, and often utilizes them, while still maintaining his own unique look.

Well Rounded Studio

Although he started his career some 25 years ago with a single 35mm camera, today Humphreys works with everything from view cameras to digital capture. Included in his arsenal of equipment are 8x10 and 4x5 Sinar and Horseman view cameras, 35mm Nikons and Nikon D1Xs, Hasselblads, and a Sinarcam—used with a device called a macroscan—that allows him to capture images at 110 MB. “I shoot a lot of digital because I have high-end cameras that can be used for any purpose, and the quality is exceptional.”

Humphreys’ studio does its own Photoshop and retouching work. The studio also does its own printing, though Humphreys doesn’t get a lot of calls for prints aside from his fine art work. “In 25 years,” he says, “I’ve had a conventional darkroom and processed E-6, C-41, black and white, Cibachrome, and color prints. About five years ago, because I ran out of room, I donated my conventional darkroom to Louisiana State University. I always have access to [traditional] darkrooms if I need one,” says Humphreys. The new digital darkroom features high-end Macintosh computers, scanners, a Fujix Pictrography printer, and large and medium format Epson printers. “Advertising lives on speed now,” says Humphreys. “Fortunately, we don’t sacrifice any quality for that.

“Mojito.” Client: American Express, Travel and Leisure Golf magazine; story on Puerto Rico. Sinarcam 2 with Sinar Digital back and Nikkor AF Micro 105mm f/2.8 lens.

“There’s also no such thing as a rush charge any more. We can load images up on our FTP site and get them directly to the client. We can shoot photos in the morning, retouch them, and have them out to the client in a matter of hours. It’s a big difference,” states Humphreys. “[In the past] we used to have to wait on film and retouch film; sometimes we were looking at weeks, now it’s hours.” Like many photographers, Humphreys has clients that prefer film over digital, and vice versa. He finds his food clientele have a harder time making the switch to digital. “I’m not sure why,” he says. “Perhaps they’ve worked in film for so long it makes it difficult for them to trust digital. And there are distinctions between digital and film. Film is a medium that renders beautifully,” he admits. “Film is definitely better for some things, while digital is better for others.”

To Market, To Market

Humphreys relies heavily on the Internet and websites to promote his businesses. Besides his commercial work, he has partnered with Wes Kroninger, a former freelance assistant of his, to form Fine Light Studios, which focuses more on classic family and signature portraits. “We have websites for all our businesses, which work like a portfolio for us, and we promote them through every avenue we possibly can. We market directly to manufacturers and food people and to agencies, graphic designers, and to the public.

“Shea #3.” Client: Rigsby Frederick Salon Gallery Spa. Sinarcam 2 with Sinar Digital back and Nikkor 28–105mm f/4 lens.

“We also do direct mail and a large amount of charitable and pro bono work. That said, I do it because I really love doing it. But I do find it does come back in rewards. The community sees my name, they know I’m out there, and they remember to call me. It works that way even though it’s not intentional,” states Humphreys. “It’s a good thing. I also do a lot of advertising in local magazines and public radio, again, just to keep my name in the public eye.” One venue Humphreys prefers to skip is sourcebooks. “I have done them in the past,” he says, “but sourcebooks are one of those things you have to do repeatedly. And you don’t often get work the first time around, so it can be extremely expensive for the return on investment.”

Now that Humphreys is 54, he believes it’s important for him to focus on his main area of interest and what he does best. “I’m probably going to move away from some of the location work,” he states. “I don’t want to do any more on-site work if I can help it. I want to focus more on my fine art and studio work, such as executive and formal portraiture. I’m also at the point where I like my creature comforts,” he confesses. “In the studio environment, I can control the music, food, etc.

“I’m so happy that I found a career that has offered me so much. I’ve met wonderful people, traveled to places I never thought I’d go to, made a comfortable living and am very happy doing it. I don’t really see myself retiring any time down the road. [Photography is] something I can do as long as I want,” he concludes. “Photography is something you can do as a life passion.”

Humphreys has received numerous awards including, the Photo District News/Nikon Award, the Communication Arts Award for advertising, and the Pete Goldsby Award for his contributions to both his community and the art of photography.