Portraits with Dave Paek

WORKING | WITH | DAVE is like your first dive into the deep end; nerve-wracking at first, but very VERY quickly you're at ease and know you're sailing afloat.
He begins with a cup of coffee off a finer connoisseur's espresso machine, and pastry breakfast (which, if you're like most subjects you wont touch until after the shoot). Possibly to get a feel for your personality, or the opposite, just to fill his stomach! Either way you'll find yourself shooting the shit with him and forgetting you're there to perform. It's the casual basics; how'd you fall into photography (he would sneak into his mother's closet and play with her now antique film cam), why'd you leave wall street (better lifestyle doing what you love), and do you really drink that many cups a day? (yes!)
He sets the tone with mood music, changing it with each phase of the session - a common technique. Fortunately we have a the same taste in music, beginning with the Hans Zimmer Pandora station.  

DAVE will leave you open to explore yourself inside each moment (the smallest unit of acting, ode to all actors reading this) but will guide you with what works and what doesn't. He'll construct the lights and backdrop around you to create a very finite space that, ironically, doesn't feel claustrophobic. As your mind drifts away with the waves of the music, the subtle heat from the lamp keeps your thoughts intact - thoughts you should, if I may advise, dive deep into. You should push to allow your senses to experience those thoughts. Once in the deep end, Dave will talk you through them, to his needs... and click! Captured on a tiny screen forever.  You learn about yourself along the way. Something wonderful.

At a turn, he'll ask you to go ahead and change outfits while he alters the mood music (Freddy Mercury!) and the magic starts all over again. You know he got a great shot when you hear "oh shit!," which he generously shows you right away.
Dave I appreciate the time you took to make this happen and look forward to a round two sooner than later.

You can check out for of his work at http://www.davepaekphotography.com/                             and follow him in the Gram at @davepphotography