We were lucky to catch up with Doug Davis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Doug , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I have always felt I have to work harder than most. My mom likes to say I came out that way. In hindsight I realize that I started building my resilience at the ripe age of 7! Diagnosed with dyslexia in the second grade – 1980 – a time when no one was talking about learning disabilities, I had tutors everyday after school and all summer long to stay ahead. Essentially the tutors taught me how to teach myself, so all through the rest of my schooling I sat in class listening to the teacher and went home and broke down what they wanted me to learn. And it just crossed over… At 9 I would practice my Tai Kwan Do while on vacations, made my car into convertible at 16, and when I got into photography I dove headlong learning everything I could.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I built a thriving career in Commercial Photography for over 25 years working for most all the fortune 500 companies based in Dallas including American Airlines, Frito Lay and Pepsi to name a few. I always loved sculpture and got into welding. I combined that with my keen eye for lighting and developed a niche in product photography. Clients would bring in concepts for their rather boring product, and I built sculptures and created interesting scenes to showcase it.
I have deep respect for Dallas for launching my career and the amazing support of friends in the art and advertising world, but my heart has always been in the mountains. In 2015 my wife and I bought land in Taos and renovated an Airstream so we would have a place for extended stays. And in 2021 decided to make the move permanent and raise our son in a small town.
Taos, as most folks know, has a thriving art scene, a fascinating landscape and endless back roads. Now I’ve shifted toward nature and wildlife photography and depend on my adventure bike to get me places most people can’t. I’m currently working on sculptures and showing my photography in shows and looking for representation.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
First, I feel like we’re a culmination of all the things we have learned and experienced. I was fortunate that my father was an inventor and loved the arts. As a kid we took full advantage of living in the Dallas Fort Worth area… Broadway shows, the symphony, museums and galleries. So as an adult, I had so much momentum in constantly immersing myself in the creative world. If you’re going to be an artist – you have to love art, period, and the more exposure the better.
Second would be determination. When I was younger I called this drive. Now that I am older I call it manifesting. I feel like whatever you think about, work on and enjoy will come to you. Enjoying life is the key!
Third, resilience. Dyslexia was a real struggle at first, it still is occasionally, but the silver lining is that it causes me to see things differently than most people. Now I’m thankful for it! But to get to the point to feel gratitude for a hurdle or set back, you have to push through, keep digging, learning and exploring and you’ll be stronger and wiser on the other side.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
Definitely my parents and my business mentor.
My mom was way before the times, as she saw I learned differently and fought for me so that I could thrive in school. Because of her resilience and fighting spirit I got everything I needed + a scholarship for having a 4.0 GPA!
My Dad was an entrepreneur and inventor and taught me as well as showed me the power of a good work ethic which is crucial if you’re going to work for yourself. I remember him telling me many times, “Doug, whatever you do don’t ever get a corporate job – it will suck the life out of you!” He did whatever it took to provide for our family while never compromising his passion and happiness.
My first and only boss was J.W. Burkey. He had an amazing business sense for a creative and took me under his wing fresh out of college. I learned the ropes as far as making contact with clients, billing, and collecting – all very important things to know as a successful photographer. Eventually JW retired, so I bought him out and started D-Squared Studios.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://d2studios.net
- Instagram: d2studios
- Facebook: Doug Davis
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