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The Portrait System Podcast
Working Full-Time While Shooting Fine Arts Drag Portraits with David Franco (Re-Release)
00:43:59
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- [00:01]
David Franco
When water from the pipes was pouring.
- [00:03]
Nikki Klosser
Down, filed a claim with his Cox.
- [00:06]
David Franco
We turned it around. Across America, over 600,000 small businesses look to Hiscox Insurance for protection. Find flexible coverage that adapts to the needs of your small business with a.
- [00:17]
Nikki Klosser
Fast, easy online quote@hiscox.com Cause there's no business like small business.
- [00:24]
David Franco
Like no business we know. Get a quote today with Hiscox Small Business Insurance.
- [00:30]
Nikki Klosser
Hey there, it's Nikki Klosser and I want to to let you know about an awesome free giveaway for people on our email list. If you haven't already, click the link in our podcast description or go to theportraitsystem.com signup to get on the list. If you sign up, you'll get a free posing 101 PDF to jumpstart things. It's an epic PDF, so you'll definitely want to get this. Also, just by being in our email community, you'll get deals, sales, and information about any of our upcoming events and activities. So head over to theportraitsystem.com sign up and sign up. Today you're listening to the Portrait System podcast.
- [01:05]
David Franco
Just hearing these conversations around money more often and just being a little bit more confident in my work. Like, I'm definitely getting to a place where like, I'm just taking on clients that want to, you know, pay me these prices. Like, I just don't, I don't want to continue, you know, on a path of like cutting deals.
- [01:24]
Nikki Klosser
Welcome to the Portrait System Podcast. I'm your host, Nikki Klosser and this show is here to help you succeed in the world of photography and business. To help you learn to become financially free, doing what you love and so much more. With over 1 million downloads, countless photographers have taken what they've learned from both our episodes and from theportraitsystem.com and they have grown their businesses, quit their day jobs and are designing a life of their dreams. We keep it real and share stories about the ups and downs that come with running a photography business. You'll hear real life stories of how other photographers run their business and you'll learn actionable steps that you can take to reach your own goals. Thank you so much for being here and let's get started this week on the Portrait System podcast. My guest is David Franco. David is a fine art photographer and his work is absolutely gorgeous. Now, even though David is a master at his craft, he's still working towards doing it full time. David shares with us a little about his other job with his county shooting events, and also how he has gotten so close to his goals to quit that job. David also tells us how he incorporates drag portraits into his business, what his creative process is like, and we also did some troubleshooting with his pricing. David is such a cool guy, and I'm so happy to introduce him to you. Okay, here is David Franco. Hi, David. Thank you so much for being on the portrait system. How are you?
- [02:46]
David Franco
I'm doing great. Thank you so much, Nikki, for having me. I'm really excited to talk about photography and all the fun things.
- [02:53]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah. I feel like this is a really long time coming to have you.
- [02:56]
David Franco
Yeah, I know. I've been observing. I've been a part of the supersede community for so many years now, and it's just so cool to see how everybody has grown. And I'm little, like, intimidated, to be honest. A little bit. Just because I. You know, I feel like I'm a part of the. You know, the group officially, I guess. Yeah.
- [03:13]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah. Well, heck, yeah. Well, we met in person. I feel like that was, like, the very first Portrait Masters. I have some good, fun memories with you.
- [03:21]
David Franco
Yeah, I think so.
- [03:22]
Nikki Klosser
Back then.
- [03:22]
David Franco
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I've been to all the Portrait Masters. I haven't missed a one yet. And I'm going to be continuing that streak because I'm going to the next one in September.
- [03:31]
Nikki Klosser
Awesome. Yay. The conference. For anyone listening, if you're like, what are you talking about? It's our conference, and our next one is coming up in September, which is amazing. Yeah. I'm stoked. You were saying earlier you're really excited because there's a lot of marketing stuff that'll be taught and that you're taking my class, which I'm really excited about.
- [03:50]
David Franco
Yeah. I feel like one of the biggest struggles I have is in the money blocks and things. So I looked at the itinerary, and I was like, okay, I'm gonna do Nikki's. I'm gonna do Felicia's. I'm gonna do, like, all the things, so. And, yeah, I'm really excited about it.
- [04:02]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah. Felicia for the money blocks, I feel like she's got that nailed down. And me for the marketing, I feel like I have that nailed down. Yeah, There's a lot of cool stuff. It's going to be a party. Well. And learning, of course. All right, David, we have so much to cover, so why don't we start with you just letting people know what you do? Because, you know, I've been wanting to have more people on who aren't, like, exactly where they want to be. I mean, I feel like everyone always wants to grow in some way, shape or form, but I know that even though you're, like, totally killing it, and your photos and your work is just mind blowing, like, you got. Let's see, you won the black and white category. This last round of our Portrait Masters awards and combination. I mean, that's like. That's hard. That's hard to do. When you're a Masters, you have your Masters. Masters. Yeah, Portrait Masters Masters level, so. And your work is just absolutely incredible. But it's interesting because you were telling me you're not really exactly where you want to be with your business, but that you. You're doing some things really, really well and you're, like, on your way there. So I just want. I don't know, I wanna. I wanna hear about it all. So. Okay, let's start with tell everybody what it is that you currently shoot, you know, to make money, and then also any other things you shoot.
- [05:28]
David Franco
Yep. So my background's actually not in photography. My background was actually in graphic design. That's what I got my bachelor's degree in. And I worked at a lot of tech companies. I worked for a Greek yogurt brand. I worked for all these different kind of companies. And I was kind of a part of photo shoots often. And I was always just kind of interested in getting my, you know, my feet into photography. So I bought my first camera and I just started shooting like everybody does. I was just shooting, like, you know, bugs and flowers and, you know, crappy sunsets and whatever. Just like, you know, just to kind of, like, learn. And as I started, you know, shooting more and more, I realized how much I loved portraits. Mainly because growing up, I would kind of, like, go through all these albums that we had, you know, like my mom's wedding album and all these different things. And it just felt so important to me. So little by little, I started shooting more and more until I got this current job. So I actually work for LA county for the Board of Supervisors, which basically means the people who run the county, I work for them and I shoot all the events throughout the county. And the county is really big. So we're constantly driving back and forth shooting assignments between. If you're from Lancaster all the way to Long beach to Claremont, I mean, it's a huge, huge county. So it's quite a bit of ground to cover.
- [06:50]
Nikki Klosser
Well, when you say events, what type of events?
- [06:52]
David Franco
Oh, my God, there's so many. I mean, I've covered the women's march. I've covered groundbreaking ceremonies for, you know, housing, new hotels that, you know, they want to cover. I mean, there's like, there's just so much to cover. There's a lot of important topics that are happening in the county, mostly around homelessness, housing, you know, economics, like, things like that. So we cover a lot of things that just kind of show what the county is doing to kind of, like, tackle those issues. So it's not like just handshaking photos, you know what I mean? It's more of like a. A general sense of what the county is doing, but, you know, through kind of like an artistic eye. So we shoot kind of the basic stuff, like the handshaking stuff, but we also want to showcase the county in, like, a really big way. So we. You know, today I was in Venice beach, and we were just kind of. It's summer, it's hot. So we just want to show, you know, what's happening there. And so there's just so many things to cover. But it's kind of funny because when I do all these things, I'm also kind of thinking in the back of my head, like, how can I take portraits? You know, so even people that were skate. Skateboarding or surfing or, you know, and I'm taking pictures of all this. So it's. It's kind of like, integrated in my job a little bit to do also. What I do, I don't want to say on the side because it. I don't want to, like, diminish my work, but it's, you know, it's not my main job. Right. It's not my, like, nine to five isn't my portrait business. It's my county job. Yeah.
- [08:11]
Nikki Klosser
So, yeah. Now I wanted people to know that you do have. Even though it is photography related, it's a separate. It's separate from what you're, like, super passionate about. Right?
- [08:22]
David Franco
Yeah.
- [08:23]
Nikki Klosser
Okay. But now. But it is. I mean, it's income. Like how for people who are interested in doing something similar to. To this, you know, whether it's just event photography separately or through the county or whatever. How did you get hooked up with this? And then do they pay you, like, per job? Is it a salary? Like, how does that work?
- [08:41]
David Franco
It's a salary job. I actually got a friend of mine worked for the county. I had just gotten laid off from a previous job for a tech company, and a friend of mine sent me a. A web posting for this position. He's like, you know, you've Been shooting for a while, and at this point, I had already, like, done jobs and developed, you know, a style and things like that. So he was familiar with my work, and he's like, you know, I think you would be really good at this job. So I applied, and it was a very long process. I mean, it took a while to get this job, but I finally got it. And this job supplies me with the money that I need to kind of fund my. All my studio equipment. Everything that I have in my studio. I mean, I have everything. I mean, I have backdrops, lighting, you know, the lenses, the camera. All this stuff has kind of been the skeleton of that. And then as I started getting that gear, then I could start actually shooting in my studio and making money through my portraits as well. So it's kind of like a dual income kind of thing. But my primary job, just because it's. It's so many hours of the day that I feel like it's my primary source of income. For sure. Yeah.
- [09:44]
Nikki Klosser
Okay, got it, got it. All right, so it's. It's really interesting because when I look at your work, it's like, man, so much. Just so much has to go into most of your shoots through the entire just creative process. And I'm sure editing, retouching, you know, just all of it styling. It's very unique styling. So how do you spend your time with. With this part of your work? And are you getting. Oh, my gosh. That's right. This was your boudoir photo, too. The woman laying, like, in the kind of desert, mountains. It's like a fine art nude. Oh, that's the one that was the black and white one. Yes, that's right. Gosh, I really just love your work. Anyway, okay, so how do you rectify spending the time, all the time on this? And are you making. Do you have clients coming in for this type of work?
- [10:39]
David Franco
So I actually do all the retouching and everything myself. I've sent a few jobs to be retouched, but the work has been great. But I kind of like being a part of that process. I like to kind of have my handprint, you know, in my images and things like my lighting. I mean, Felix Koons was a big part of that. I took his lighting series, and that just really opened my eyes to terms like feathering and things like that are so basic to me now. But at the time, I had no idea what any of that was, and it just kind of developed over time. I feel like my style is definitely kind of like a moody I would definitely not describe my work as light and airy. It would be definitely a little bit moodier. I love shadows. I love just like dramatic lighting and things like that. So all of that just kind of happened over time. So yeah, as far as the styling and stuff. So when I do well, if we're talking about my drag work, we'll get into like, you know, how I got into all that and stuff. But just to answer the question, I do consultations with them. I, I talk about their brand because it's not really what I want from the photos. It's about what they're trying to communicate from their brand because every one of them is going to be a little bit different. There's sometimes will be similarities but there's definitely a conversation to be had with them about what, you know, their expectations are and things like that. So.
- [12:02]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, well, and I think, I think it's really cool because I don't want people to think that, you know, out the gate you have to be a full time photographer and you know, quit your job and that's it. Like that's, it's not always how it works. And to have a second job that is in the same field that is still, you know, you can network and people see you with a camera and you're enhancing your skills. I mean event photography, you have to be like, you know, thinking on your feet with lighting and getting candid. I feel like you are really sharpening those skills on top of it. So it just seems like a good kind of like segue. If someone wants to quit their job but wants to find something else to help with the stable income while they're growing their client base. I don't know, it just seems pretty cool.
- [12:53]
David Franco
Yeah, no, for sure. And I also think that, you know, this job is as much as it's not specifically on the type of portraits that I like to showcase on my website, for example, I think anything that's related to just shooting and just to kind of like getting, you know, getting out there and you know, clicking that shutter and just seeing the world and seeing the, you know, looking through a lens is, it's gonn really help. I mean I, because of my design background, I feel like I see the world in a layout which I don't know if that would make sense to a lot of people, but I literally see the world in layouts. I, when I frame my shots, I'm looking at it from like, oh, I can put, you know, a header there or I can put. And that kind of got me in trouble for the awards because I would often leave, like, negative space in places that, like, I shouldn't or things like that. But, you know, you start to kind of fine tune things over time as well. And, you know, it's just really interesting how. How our brains, like, think about these things. It's. It's kind of weird, but.
- [13:47]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, yeah, that is fascinating. And I want to hear all about your. Your creative process, but before we get to that, I just want to touch on the pricing for your fine art. How do you price it? How does that work? Do you feel comfortable where you're at with your pricing, all that good stuff?
- [14:03]
David Franco
So it's actually funny. I. I do a lot of landscape work as well, and I did landscapes before I did portraits. So as I was selling my landscape shots, I kind of just stuck to the same pricing because it's the same format. I'm selling mostly matte acrylics on a wall, so I'm using graphy for that now. I did it in the past, but now I'm using graphy, which I love. Their products, there's certain to none, for sure. So, for example, like, if I'm doing, you know, a 40 by 60, you know, that's $3200 for the. For the large size. I don't do. I don't do albums, though. I kind of want to. I've seen a few friends that have been doing them lately, and I'm kind of like, wow, that's a really interesting thing. But. But I've just been doing the traditional, you know, reveal boxes and things like that. But, you know, it just varies on the client and what their needs are. Because a lot of the people that come to me want stuff for their walls. It's not really an album or a reveal box, but, you know, it just. It just varies. Yeah. So.
- [15:04]
Nikki Klosser
Okay. Okay. So do you have set packages or is everything a la carte?
- [15:08]
David Franco
Everything's a la carte. I've been kind of toying with packages. I've been seeing some strategies on how to kind of price things so they fit in these kind of buckets where it kind of is a little bit more appealing. But that's kind of been one of my challenges is that I. I want to give people, you know, the big wall arts and the big, you know, the pieces and stuff like that. But I'm. I'm not quite sure kind of navigate, like, giving people, like, a separate product that, you know, isn't necessarily in the format that I want to give them. So I think, like, Pricing is definitely one of the challenges that I've been facing lately and, and moving on to doing this full time because I want to do it sustainably. I don't want to diminish my pricing because it seems like it's too much for somebody. But I don't think sometimes people understand, like, you know, not only just the, what would it cost to have this stuff printed, but to actually just the time and all the craft and all the stuff that I've learned over years, you know, so I've gotten a lot of pushback, and I shouldn't have said hours.
- [16:10]
Nikki Klosser
I should have said days. Okay, you have had a lot of pushback, or you have not?
- [16:13]
David Franco
I have. I have gotten a lot of pushback on my pricing. And sometimes, like, depending on who they are, I think I have kind of like, okay, like, I can cut you a deal and things like that, you know, but. But lately I think I've been a little bit more just hearing these conversations on money more often and just being a little bit more confident in my work. Like, I'm definitely getting to a place where, like, I'm just taking on clients that want to, you know, pay me these prices. Like, I just don't. I don't want to continue, you know, on a path of, like, cutting deals and, and to make it, you know, because I, I, I like my work a lot. You know, I feel like just, I, I see it now as a series and as a body of work, and I'm like, you know, I've. I've really grown, and I really want my pricing to reflect that. So, you know, and it should.
- [16:59]
Nikki Klosser
I wonder if there's just a balance there where if you were to kind of. Do you know how sue is always taught the small, medium, large packages? There's something psychologically about that where if you've got, like, an entry level, whatever, the lowest amount that you could make, that wouldn't make you feel bitter or resentful or whatever, that you just did all this work and that's all they bought, you know, and then a middle and a higher one. I wonder if when people looked at that, it would. Okay, I don't know a whole lot about the cycle, you know, the psychology of selling and that sort of thing. But there, I know there is something to it when there's a small, medium, large, when there's not too many options, because people get overwhelmed if it's not, you know, I don't know. I just wonder if that's something that you could toy around with, not saying in any way, shape or form that you need to bring, your price is down or, you know, devalue what you do or whatever. But yeah, I don't know, it's just something to think about. And it is interesting too how you've been really working through and I can tell just by the language you're using and the energy in which you say it that you have been working on that self value piece. And it's funny how you said recently you feel like you're getting more people now who are like okay with it now that you're working through it all.
- [18:18]
David Franco
It's so funny. I, I think that's the biggest challenge is it's looking internally. It's not really about other people because we, I think we can often project that onto people. But totally. I, I grew up kind of insecure. I, I was bullied a lot in school and just growing up, it was just kind of a weird environment. And I think that kind of goes into your adulthood and you kind of in the back of your head that you're not worthy of certain things, you know, and getting rid of that language and moving on from, you know, that kind of thing and just getting better and gaining that confidence is such a good way to move on from that.
- [18:57]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, it's interesting because, you know, when I hang out with you and just everything that I see you do, I would not look at you, David, and say like, he was a bullied kid with no confidence. So when I said like, oh, absolutely, I meant absolutely. What we experienced, you know, as children can come into our childhood. But I absolutely don't see you as that. Like, that's not how I see you presenting yourself. Yeah, I don't know if that's helpful to hear. It's just funny, the internal dialogue that we can have with ourselves when we think we're still, like, not worthy, when people who are looking at us from the outside are not thinking that at all.
- [19:43]
David Franco
That is really cool. And I read something online the other day about how every single person that sees you will see you differently. And that kind of stuck with me because I'm like, wow, despite all the, you know, things that happened early on or whatever, is like how I introduce myself to new people that don't know me. That's a new version of me that is like being passed, you know what I mean? Like, they don't know that old part of me. They only know the part that I'm presenting and that that new part is someone that has experienced things and has done things, you know, and is confident or insecure about certain things still, you know, and it's like that's the version of you that you're presenting now. So that's just really kind of fascinating to me that, you know, you have that opportunity to kind of start fresh when you're introducing yourself to new clients or, you know, it's just all about who you are now as a person. So.
- [20:37]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, definitely. Well, okay, so if you were to do this kind of small, medium, large package thing. Okay, let's talk about this. So if you. Well, let me ask. How many images? So if someone commissions you to do a shoot for them and it's creative, how many images are you actually presenting to them? Or is it just this one really powerful image, then you're selling the 30 by 40 wall portrait?
- [21:03]
David Franco
Well, I've changed my process. So what I used to do was that I would kind of do my select, like 20 to 30 images, kind of, you know, do all the editing and all that stuff, and then I would present it to them that way. But what I've been doing now is actually basically after the shoot, they're getting ready to, you know, they're changing back into their clothes or whatever and I'm doing my kind of quick round of edits and I'm actually showing them the take, like, basically right away because it's just fresh in their mind. And I want people to see the shoot before they leave because I don't want to give people too much time to think about, like, oh, you know, like, how much is this going to cost? Or, you know, they have this, like, kind of high that they're just, you know, kind of writing that, like, oh, we're doing this, you know, and I think it's been more successful. But I like doing it that way now because I also, I'm still excited too. Like, I want to give people that, like, oh, we just did that. You know, we did that.
- [21:58]
Nikki Klosser
So there is a high at the end. And that I think is one of the big benefits of doing kind of what they call an instant reveal.
- [22:06]
David Franco
Yeah, exactly.
- [22:07]
Nikki Klosser
So, yeah, there's definitely pros and cons there, but I'm assuming with how amazing your light is and everything, you're kind of nailing most of it straight out of camera. So I just want to, you know, encourage people if you are going to do that, really get it right as much as you can anyway, you know, from the start, if you're going to show people.
- [22:27]
David Franco
Also, I don't know if this helps anybody listening, but I switched recently to constant lighting. I don't know if this is a conversation, but I, I'm a very visual person. I, I see the world as it is. I don't, I think strobe, I mean, I, I know how to use strobes. I've used them for many years now. But the thing is, like, when I can see the light as it's there, I get way more inspired to try new things because I know, like, oh, if I add this, you know, spotlight or if I add this, you know, gobo or whatever, like I'm actually able to modify that in real time. And part of the benefit. Sorry, this is kind of getting into long winded answer. But part of the benefit also to constant lighting is that you can make videos, which is something that I've been doing now as well with my clients. So when I'm shooting, I actually can. I have the Canon R5. So I make these really cool videos that I can present to them. And it's all with the same lighting that I was using to do the stills with. So it all is very consistent. It's all, you know, it's, it's, it's all done in camera, you know, it's really nice. Yeah.
- [23:31]
Nikki Klosser
Hey, just a quick break to tell you that since you're here listening, you have access to a really great offer for our listeners only. We have a special promo code you can use to get 50 off the cost of membership. Just go to theportraitsystem.com or click the link in the description and use the promo code POP PODCAST50 to get 50% off of a membership. We rarely discount membership, so this is a big deal. As I hope you already know, the membership is how I and so many guests on this podcast reached our success. And it gives you access to countless amazing videos, an awesome community, and all the tools you need to build a massively successful business. So use the code podcast50Now to join the community and to start building the business of your dreams. I'll see you there. Couldn't agree with you more about the constant light. Not that I use constant light very often, but when I go on location and the lighting is not great or I'm going to be there for eight hours and the sun is just going to constantly change in and out. Like I'll. I use constant light and for the same reason, I have to be able to see it. Yeah, it's really strange. Yeah. Anyway, so I agree with you there for sure. Let's talk a little bit about your creative process. I know you said you do a lot of shoots, like, drag shoots, and I'm scrolling through, and it's just. It's so powerful. You know, I think sometimes I could be wrong about this, but I think sometimes people had the idea with drag that it's all just, like, sequins and glitter and, you know, and you bring such a, like, soulful, powerful side to it. It's really amazing.
- [25:07]
David Franco
Thank you. Yeah, I. So that story started. I have a friend who actually manages drag artists, and I went to a. There's a convention in Los Angeles called DragCon. It's like the RuPaul's Drag Con, like, convention. And ironically enough, Aaron Jae Young was there the first year I went, and I didn't know Aaron yet, and now we're, like, really good friends and stuff. But Aaron Jiang was there at a booth, and he was shooting the start of his book, which is actually coming out in December. I'm really excited.
- [25:38]
Nikki Klosser
Oh, I'm excited, too. I've been. I've been wanting to mention that, actually that Aaron has a book coming out. He. He was a previous guest that, you know, people loved his episode. So if you are a fan of Aaron, definitely go to. Go to his Instagram, look for the link. Check it out. It's pretty.
- [25:53]
David Franco
Yeah, it's wonderful. It's such a great body of work. And that's actually how I met Aaron. I was really nervous because I knew of him. I already had, like, followed him on Instagram and stuff, but I was so intimidated because it's like one of those moments where, and this is early on, but when you meet people that you just really greatly respect and you really admire, and it's like, you can't possibly be friends with them, because how could you? You know, like, they're.
- [26:15]
Nikki Klosser
They're someone, like, that's that old story coming up. Isn't that funny?
- [26:19]
David Franco
Exactly. And then it's like you end up meeting them and you're like, are you serious? Like, this is great. Like, it's fine. Yeah, everything's fine. Yeah. But, yeah, so I went to this convention and I met some artists there, and I ended up shooting one. It wasn't my greatest shoot, you know, but it was a learning experience. And I got to learn kind of the ins and outs of, like, different drag and, like, that. It's not just sequins and, you know, gowns and things like that. And there's a. There's a whole, like, punk rock aspect to it, to a lot of them. And there's a whole, like. There's just so Many different styles. So that's kind of the thing that I love about it because I. I keep kind of reiterating this, but, like, my background was in design, so I have a, Like, a long history with branding. And I love that every queen is essentially their own brand. And you have to get to have that conversation with them about, like, you know, what do they want? Like, do they want something, you know, that looks very dark or do they want something that's, you know, I mean, there's just so many things. And so we talk and we, you know, we'll brainstorm ideas and then they'll show me their looks and they're like, okay, let's. We can use this prop. I often give them props to use for my studio. I buy a lot. I have, like, fake nails and metal nails and crowns and all sorts of stuff. So we get to have fun in the studio. And it's really exciting work for me. It's. It hasn't been the highest paid stuff because the thing about drag in my experience, and I'm really hoping I can kind of break through from this, but is that they're changing their looks so often that they often don't want to spend, like, a lot of money because they're going to be changing, you know, their. Their other looks soon. So it's like they don't want to invest, you know, on a. On a big, like, you know, like a fine art portrait client or would be or things like that. But. But it is still paid or. There often is times where I will approach Queens directly that I just really want to shoot. That'll be, you know, like a trade kind of situation.
- [28:13]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, for sure.
- [28:14]
David Franco
But it's just been really rewarding for me. I mean, I grew up from, like, a very conservative Catholic family, you know, and it was often really hard for me to express my work in a way that it's like you kind of hide in this, like, little bubble that you're like, well, should I showcase this stuff? Should I not? You know, and little by little, like these, the armor kind of starts to come off, you know, and you start to become like your own person. And I think this work has just been really, really helpful for just me as a person and just to see the lives that I can help transform. I've had clients come to me from really crazy backgrounds. I don't want to go too far into their stories and stuff, but I will say that some of them are just really, really traumatizing and to see their transformation because of their drag and things it's just really, really inspiring for me to see. So I definitely want to continue this work. It's work that I'm very passionate about, and I think doing it has also kind of helped transform even my portrait clients, because now I can kind of see things from their lens, and I can kind of. Kind of put that on my other clients, and I can kind of, you know, have ideas and concepts around things that I've seen in the drag world. So it's definitely elevated my photography. I really recommend shooting with drag artists. They're just so, like, wonderful. And I've had, like, yeah, some really, really good experiences. So, yeah.
- [29:47]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, it is. It is pretty incredible how what we can do for people through portraits and like you said, you know, for your clients who've just been traumatized and to have some sort of healing come through this and for it to also be healing you as well is. Yeah, it's pretty important. It's pretty powerful. All right, let's talk a little bit about your creative process and styling and that sort of thing. And also, before I forget, I know people are prob. Kicking me that I didn't ask. Okay, Kicking me. That doesn't sound right. I know people are probably like, why didn't you ask him? What constant lights are you using?
- [30:21]
David Franco
So right now, I'm using the Nanlite system. So I have. I have several lights, actually. I have the 300B. The reason I like the B is because it's bi color. So basically, I can make it whatever color temperature I want. Well, not whatever, but it's in a range of, you know, temperature. So if I want to make the light warm, if I want to make it cooler, you literally just turn a knob, and I can change that color temperature. It's really great for setting moods and stuff. And I also have a panel. It's called the mix panel 150. It's this really cool. It's about like a foot and a half by a foot and a half, something like that. And basically, you can make that whatever color you want. So if I want to add, like, a blue rim light or I want the main primary color to be red, or if I want to change up the colors between the bi color light and the mix panel, I have full creative freedom with my lighting.
- [31:19]
Nikki Klosser
That's really cool.
- [31:20]
David Franco
It's wonderful. And like I said, I'm very visual. So when I dial it in and I'm working with not just drag artists, but whatever clients in front of me, and I'm just setting, I'm like, oh, they're wearing a blue dress. So I want to make the background either complimentary or just whatever you can. You have a lot of freedom with. With your colors and stuff. I don't like gels. I use them occasionally because I have to, but I hate having to, like, tape them on places and, like, cut that, like, awkward, you know, gel material to, like, the size you need it as and stuff like that. So I love these lights because they just do it. And you don't have to, like, cut or paste or, you know, use gaffer tape. And I just don't. It's not me, but. But yeah, it's been a really great system. And I also have these cool lights called the Pavotubes, I think they're called, or these lightsaber looking lights. Cool. And you can also make those in whatever color you like. They're not the brightest, but they're great for accent lighting and things like that. Yeah. So they're also really cool. And they also run on batteries, so you don't have to have them plugged in, which is great.
- [32:32]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, that's awesome. And then as far as just, like, the styling, not so much the lighting, but clothing and props and all of that. Is that something? I know you said some of your drag clients have the things, you know, the nails and things that come along when they do a show or whatever, but are you providing anything or clients expected to bring their own?
- [32:52]
David Franco
Both so. Well, with the drag clients, I mean, I don't have the things for their particular brand necessarily, but there have definitely been times when they come and they forget their nails and like, oh, my God, I forgot my nails. I'm like, don't worry, I got you. I have some cool, creative nails or whatever that we can use, so I definitely have things on hand for those things, but I don't have, like, you know, everything. Yeah, I do have a pretty decent wardrobe, though, that I built over time. It's mostly kind of in, like, a renaissance style, though, because I love to do these, like, painterly looking kind of renaissance portraits. So I have a lot of dresses and gowns and also stuff for guys. I mean, I have like, coats and fur colors and just, like, fun props and stuff like that that I get to use in my studio a lot. Yeah.
- [33:37]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah. Very cool. All right, well, this has been really, really great. I'm glad I finally got to talk to you about everything that you do.
- [33:46]
David Franco
Thank you. Yeah, it's been great. I mean, I don't really get a lot of chance to talk about my creative process to people. And this has been really helpful for a lot of reasons. I mean, even just the ideas that you gave me around packages and things like that, I think it's really helpful just to keep going, you know, and to, you know, you're always going to keep. Continue to learn and stuff, so.
- [34:07]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, that's great. And I love that attitude, like, just always learning, always growing. No matter what, you know, no matter how good you are, there's always, there's always something to learn. Yeah, it's really awesome.
- [34:18]
David Franco
That's why I'm signing up for a class. Nikki.
- [34:21]
Nikki Klosser
I'm excited. I've got so much good marketing stuff coming your way.
- [34:25]
David Franco
Yeah, I know. It's gonna be so much fun.
- [34:27]
Nikki Klosser
The last thing I was gonna say is make sure you keep us posted on what you decide. If you end up doing packages or, you know, as you work through it, I'm sure it'll be really helpful for people to hear what ends up working for you. So we'll have to do a follow up at some point, you know.
- [34:40]
David Franco
Yeah, for sure. I would love that. And I, and I, I think I'm like, right on that little border part now where I just feel really confident about my work. Where. Yeah, it's. Now it's just a matter of, you know, taking that to the next level and getting to, you know, where I want to be, you know, which I think is coming soon. I think I've learned so much in the last few years about just the industry. And, you know, this is all new to me. Right? Like, this isn't something that I've been doing for years and years and years. I mean, now it has because of all the education and stuff. But I mean, when I started, it's like I. I didn't know anything, you know, I didn't know anything about this industry. So even at the first Portrait Masters, I literally knew zero people. When I went, I made the leap, I bought a ticket. I was like, you know, this is what I want to do. And now I have basically friends for life.
- [35:23]
Nikki Klosser
Isn't it the best? It's so true. You're not the first person to say that. I've heard so many people say that the friendship thing is huge. Yeah.
- [35:30]
David Franco
I really recommend, if you haven't gone, just buy a ticket, just go. Because this isn't like a sales thing either. This is just me saying, like, just from my own experience, that it's just. It helps you grow and it just, it'll just get you out of your box. And I really, really recommend It, Yeah.
- [35:45]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, I feel the exact same way. So one of my friends, my friend, Chanel Major, she's just amazing. One of my favorite people I've met in this photography industry. And she's like, Nikki, you have to ask people who aren't full time yet, doing what they love and doing the genre that they love, what is their bottom line? What is it gonna take for them to quit that other job? And so I promised her I would ask that, you know, when I had someone who is. Who wasn't totally full time yet. So what would be your bottom line? Like, is there a financial goal? Is there a, you know, shoot per month goal? Like, what would that look like for you?
- [36:24]
David Franco
I think if I can get the bookings that are consistent enough to make me leave behind a job that has benefits and all the, you know, all the things. Right. Like, I definitely want to live a life that is comfortable to me, and I think that answer is going to be different for everybody. Right. But I think to me is like, I want to be able to travel and to just not be so stressed about finances. So there's definitely a monetary goal, but I definitely just want to. Yeah. To increase my bookings and just to be able to say, okay, I can definitely leave this behind because it's not where I want to be, you know, and it's not like I definitely. I've said this even when I first got this job, this is going to be like a stepping stone for me to learn more about just photography and to get my feet wet with, you know, in that industry. Because, you know, again, this is kind of the new thing for me. So now that I've been doing it for a while, it's like, okay, now I feel so much better about doing this, and this is where I want to be. So just taking that one more step and having that, you know, financial freedom and. And, yeah, I think that's pretty much it.
- [37:35]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, I have a feeling you'll get there quicker than you think.
- [37:39]
David Franco
Yeah, I mean, I'm really confident about it. I just, you know, I have my ups and downs just like everybody. And even though when I get to where I want to be, I'm sure I'll have my bad months, too. But I think it's just an ongoing process that, you know, we're all going to have to do, and if you really want it, you just have to work for it, you know.
- [37:55]
Nikki Klosser
That's true. It's very true. All right, well, I still have some questions that I always ask at the end of each episode. And the first one is what is something you can't live without when you're doing a photo shoot?
- [38:11]
David Franco
I would say probably a fan because I feel like my clients often get really hot and having a fan also adds some drama to the hair. I love having some form of a fan, obviously, lighting and whatever, but that's like more, you know. But like, for one thing, I love having a fan. I actually bought one from Home Depot. It's some like industrial, like, crazy thing because it's just, you know, I'm extra like that. But it. Yeah, it definitely adds a lot of drama and. And yeah, and it helps them keep them cool.
- [38:48]
Nikki Klosser
Is there a specific fan that you really love?
- [38:51]
David Franco
Well, I. The one I love, love, I actually don't have yet. I want to get one, but my space is not. It's not a huge space. So I don't really know if I want to put this in my space. But I love those industrial fans that just look so cool. They're like those big, like metal ones that. Yeah, I think Johnny Edwards just bought one, but he. Yeah, but anyway, I want one of those because not only do they look cool, but they're also just like, you know, really powerful and they, they work really great. But the one I have is more of a. It helps dry, like paint. It's like, it's like a. It's pretty big as well, but it's not like a huge metal one. And it just has a lot of power.
- [39:29]
Nikki Klosser
So awesome. Mine is. I have a wind jammer, it's called. And I sit it on the floor and then it rotates up and down kind of. I'm trying to, you know, it can stand straight up, straight up and down and I can angle it like a 45°. 45°.
- [39:46]
David Franco
Yeah, that's fine.
- [39:47]
Nikki Klosser
Yeah, that's like mine. I love that one. Yeah, the one that I have. There's a metal one at the studio that I use that's super powerful that I have to. I mean, it's hard to use. Like, I have to pack it way up. But the one that I have is plastic and I tend to like that one better. But. All right, next question is how do you spend your time when you're not working?
- [40:07]
David Franco
I mean, you know, I get. I've had this question asked to me a few times and just like friendly conversations and stuff. And it's really funny because I feel like I always have my camera with me. And I know it's kind of like a cop out answer, but I just love shooting, but not not for work, you know, not just. Not just my sessions, you know, but. But I just love exploring and walking around and stuff, and I love just shooting things. But if it's not that, just honestly spending time with family and friends. I'm a social introvert. I'm definitely not super extroverted. So I feel like my energy is limited to big parties and things like that. I can't do those things in big chunks. So I like quiet time with friends and having, you know, even if it's just playing a video game or something or just, you know, watching a movie or. Tonight I'm actually gonna go to a show at the Ahmanson Theater, so. So see a theater. But, yeah, just honestly chill, you know, just enjoying life. And I'm not like a super. I don't. I don't do, like, a lot of crazy things, you know, but. But I love traveling and I love seeing the world and. And yeah, like I said, I like being behind the lens. It's just how I do now. Yeah.
- [41:26]
Nikki Klosser
All right, number three is what is a product, photography wise, that you would recommend to photographers to have? I know you already mentioned your constant light in the fan.
- [41:38]
David Franco
I think I'll almost, like, rephrase that question and say, start with something that you feel you need, but don't. I think. I think a big mistake that I made really early on is that you read all these reviews on all these wonderful products, you feel like you have to own them all, and suddenly you have a studio full of things you never use.
- [42:01]
Nikki Klosser
Yes, that happened to me at the beginning, for sure.
- [42:04]
David Franco
It's. Yeah. And it's really bad. And I'm really good about this now because I don't do that anymore. And I. I would say my favorite things are the things. Things that I absolutely use. And like most of my sessions now, I. I would suggest, like, not buying all the things. I would say look at your style and what you need and then buy something that will help you with that. But I think that answer will often be lighting. Because lighting is, like, such a critical part of our work, it doesn't mean you have to use artificial light. I mean, even if it's a reflector or. Or whatever it is for natural or whatever it is, but, like. But definitely elevate your lighting game.
- [42:40]
Nikki Klosser
Yep, agreed. All right, number. What are we on? Number four is what would you tell people who are just starting out? And I know you just gave that great advice about starting out with gear, but is there anything else that you.
- [42:51]
David Franco
Would say that your work is valuable and that you should. And then I'm, like, talking to myself right now. No, because, like, you know, I think. I think for the arts in general, I think there's this weird thing where I think a lot of people just devalue it. I don't know what it is about art, but it's often one of the first chopping blocks when things get axed. Whether it's, you know, in jobs or whatever. It's like, you know, the art departments are often just devalued. And I think it's really important to remember, like, how important. Not even just from, like, a money standpoint, but obviously that's a big part of it, but just from, like, how important it is to people and how this is. Like, these are images that are going to outlive them. And, you know, I've gone to funerals and all sorts of stuff where it's, like, so hard to find, like, a really good photo of somebody. And it's. It's just such a valuable thing to have. It's like, that's. That's how people remember you. That's your legacy. That's your, you know, it's. It's your. Not to be cheesy, but your brand. You know, it's like. It's like, how are people gonna remember you? You know, And I would definitely remember that it has value and you're worth it.
- [44:05]
Nikki Klosser
Love that. Really love that. All right, where can people find you online?
- [44:11]
David Franco
You can find me on my website, davidfrancophoto.com and that's the same on Instagram. It's David Franco photo. Franco's F R A N C O. Yeah. And if anybody is listening that has any questions or, you know, you want to learn about drag or, you know, whatever it is, definitely hit me up. I'm an open book.
- [44:31]
Nikki Klosser
Great. Thank you so much, David. I appreciate you. And I will see you in September in Arizona at the conference.
- [44:37]
David Franco
Already packing my swimsuit and my. You know, I never. I never wear a costume for the. The silent disco, but I am definitely dressing up this year.
- [44:46]
Nikki Klosser
Oh, yay. Awesome. Very cool. All right, I will see you then. And until then, I'll see you online.
- [44:53]
David Franco
Sounds good. All right, so talk to you soon.
- [44:56]
Nikki Klosser
Thank you so much for listening to the Portrait System podcast. Your 5 star reviews really help us to continue what we do. So if you like listening, would you mind giving us a review wherever you listen? I also encourage you to head over to subryseducation.com where you can find all of the education you need to be a successful photographer. There are over 1000 on demand educational videos on things like posing, lighting, styling, retail, touching, shooting, marketing, sales, business and self value. There's also the 90 day startup challenge plus so many downloads showing hundreds of different poses. We have to do checklists for your business lighting PDFs. I mean truly everything to help make you a better photographer and to make you more money. Once Again, that's Sue briceducation.com.