Donovan Cole has learned the significance of pushing the envelope to create eye-catching works of art. As a result, his work ethic, passion, and field experience inspired him to propel himself into an exhilarating career in fashion, portrait, advertising, and music photography. We had the pleasure of catching up with him to discuss his visually arresting work.
Thank you for agreeing to catch up with Occhi Magazine. Firstly, for readers who are unfamiliar with you and your work, what drew you into fashion and photography?
I had always had an obsession with cameras ever since I was a kid, but I didn’t think that it would eventually bring me to where I am today. I believe that fashion photography chose me. It kind of just happened. It basically smacked me in the face and was like, “this is your passion and you need to go for it.” Back in my early twenties, I was in college studying screenwriting, performing stand-up comedy, and I was also doing some modeling at the time. I had initially invested in a starter camera to record my comedy sets and put them on Youtube, but the more I was in front of the camera as a model, the more curious I was about what went on behind the camera. And there was only one way for me to find out—to do it myself. I vividly remember the day I took my first fashion shot. My good friend and model, Kyren, and I were at a runway casting one morning and I asked her if she would let me practice on her afterward. She agreed and we decided to have a little photo shoot in the street. I remember sitting in the middle of the road tinkering with my camera and she just starts firing off poses—so I start snapping photos from right where I was sitting.
In that moment, looking through my camera and only seeing what I was capturing felt like I was on a different planet. The sky and clouds were my background and that low angle I was at, made her seem powerful and dynamic. I was hooked. Looking at the final photo later that day spoke to me. It made me feel emotions I had never felt before from looking at a photograph. I couldn’t believe I took this. It inspired me. That was when I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.
Where did you study your craft and how well did it prepare you for working in the industry?
I studied film photography throughout high school and that was where I learned a lot of the basics of photography. When I decided that I truly wanted to pursue photography, I immediately went to the internet and began learning from various photographers I found on Youtube. I also got in touch with other photographers I already knew of in my area and asked to assist them with their photoshoots. I took all of this knowledge I was gaining and would apply it to my own practice. And that’s how I became good—practice. Trial and error, watching, studying, problem-solving, asking questions. You name it, I did it. All of these things combined really help light the photographer I am today.
Your work radiates different styles and influences, with effective use of light, tones, and color. Are there any particular artists, particularly photographers, who have been influential on your style and career to date?
Oh, absolutely. I began practicing photography professionally in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. I quickly began looking up to the Louisville-based works of Tate Chmielewski and Cam Whaley. Both of them have had an impact on the photographer I am today. The way Tate lights his subjects really inspired me to learn more about lighting techniques and assisting Cam on set made me realize the importance of having a team of people working together to create a beautiful image. When it comes down to post-production, world-renowned retoucher Pratik Naik helped me develop a solid retouching workflow, and the way photographer Yulia Gorbachenko color grades her photos encouraged me to experiment more with color grading. All of this paved the way for me to develop my own style.
Your work pivots towards fashion and portrait. Please share your methodology and process in crafting the final photo?
Every photograph begins with an idea. And all of my ideas start in the same place—my imagination. I can usually see the final image in my head before I even capture it. Lighting is easily one of the most important things in photography, so I usually start with how I want the light to look. I have a pretty moody style to my work, so it’s likely going to be more dramatic lighting. I’ll choose a model that I think will best fit the idea, then I’ll want to bring in a hairstylist, makeup artist, and wardrobe stylist, and that will have an influence on how the photos will look. Direction is very important to me as well. I believe that my experience in front of the camera has taught me the significance of the ability to direct your subject in such a way that it brings the vision to life. All of these factors work together simultaneously in curating that final photograph. But the magic doesn’t just stop there. It continues in post-production where I would polish the image and do some color grading to give it the biggest impact.
You have worked on an array of projects but Is there a particular job you’re most proud of?
Probably a cliche thing to say but I’m honestly proud of all of my projects, paid or personal. I just love creating, experimenting, and constantly practicing my craft. The possibilities are endless and there’s always room for growth no matter how long you’ve been doing something.
Is there a noteworthy experience that has either shaped or changed your perspective on the industry? If so, what was the lesson learned?
I of course started out shooting fashion, but I did experiment with other niches of photography such as senior portraits, weddings, products, etc. None of those worked for me or excited me. I just wasn’t good at it. But working in those other niches taught me to stick with what I know and love, to say “no” to certain things, to do what makes me happy, and be consistent with that.
What other projects are in the pipeline?
Right now my main focus is on keeping my portfolio up to date with fresh imagery that appeals to the people I want to do photography for. I’m continuing to market myself in hopes of landing a Rolling Stone or a Vogue cover story in the near future.
Where can readers find out more about you?
- Instagram – instagram.com/donovancolephoto
- Website – donovancolephoto.com
- YouTube – youtube.com/donovancolephoto
- TikTok – donovancolephoto_
Images, courtesy of Donovan Cole
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