Francesco Da Vinci is a journalist, nonviolent activist, and documentary film producer who lives and works in Los Angeles. Pulitzer-nominated photographer, Da Vinci has photographed dozens of famous faces in sports, fashion, and entertainment. We had the enormous pleasure to speak with him about his illustrious career.
Thank you for agreeing to catch up with Occhi. Congratulations on your career to date. For readers who are unfamiliar with your background, how were you introduced to photography?
I picked up my parents’ 35mm Kodak travel camera at age nine and was immediately hooked on photography. My Uncle Frank, who owned a Leica, said, “For the basics in photography, just remember the word ‘dot’ – distance, opening, and time.” Another influence was the photo book The Family of Man, which is still in print! I was inspired by the humanistic quality of the images and felt that someday I wanted to take pictures that reflected the universality of the human condition.
Were you ever inclined to pursue other careers?
From a family of five doctors, it was assumed that I would be doctor #6! I did one year of pre-med then floundered, turning to cosmology, psychology, sociology, and eventually, teaching. All the while, I was still doing photography, never thinking I could make a profession out of it. When I turned 30, I was teaching high school. Everyone I knew said it would be foolish to give up the security of teaching for the precarious field of photography. But at that point, I was stubbornly determined to chase my dream and willing to throw practicality out the window. I didn’t want to be older and look back with regret. I got in the habit of reading motivational books that inspired me to be relentlessly positive and persistent. My self-prescribed mantra became “Dream, Believe the Dream, and Make It Happen!”
What was the emotional drive in you to become a photographer?
When I photographed Spike Lee for Time, I asked Spike what he felt was the key to his success. He said, “My struggle.” I feel that way as well. Both my parents were alcoholics. From childhood on I was on my own. The silver lining of that situation was that I became much stronger and driven than I would have been otherwise. Photography became my escape from a dysfunctional family and a means of self-expression. It turned my life around.
Do you apply a particular methodology to your work, and has your approach to work changed over the years?
My methodology for portrait photography comes down to this – I always have a plan, and I always plan to be surprised. In other words, I don’t force a plan on my shoots. I stay open to going with the flow. I’m comfortable embracing the unexpected. For example, on my shoot with a ballerina from the American Ballet Theatre, I had a plan to capture her amazing leaps and pirouettes. But right before the session was to begin, the dancer leaned forward to tie her pointe shoe. The image before me took my breath away. The studio light backlit her golden tutu so beautifully that I grabbed my camera and whipped off a shot. That accidental image became an immensely popular cover for Dance Magazine, a best-selling poster, and the inspiration for my ballet calendar that was published by Barnes & Noble. That experience served as a reminder throughout my photography career – Carpe Diem – “Seize the Moment.”
Your portraits manifest and capture the different characters of your subjects. Please tell us more about the equipment used and the benefits they bring to your photography.
My favorite camera is the Nikon Z7 with a slight zoom attached. The images have excellent detail, which I especially like when I’m emphasizing ‘the windows of the soul’ – the eyes. My portrait and fashion/beauty style is to hit the middle – not too realistic, yet not too retouched, rendering my subject robotic. I like to bring out and celebrate a person’s uniqueness. In the studio, I use a single strobe and a large umbrella. Outdoors, I love bright shade. Natural light is my favorite.
Of the many celebrities you’ve worked with, and projects worked on, what are the most memorable, and why?
My all-time favorite shoot was with astronaut Neil Armstrong not just because he was the first human to walk on the Moon, but because we became close friends for over 20 years. Another particularly memorable shoot was the one with Muhammad Ali. Muhammad had a great sense of humor. After our shoot, The Champ offered me a chocolate from a box as a thank you. Then, when I went to take one, he smacked the back of my hand with lightning speed. I jumped a mile! Actress Bette Davis, on the other hand, was playfully stern. She would say things like, ‘I have to be a bitch because everyone expects it!’ At the end of our shoot, I asked her if she had a motto in life. Without hesitating, she said, ‘No guts, no glory.’
You’re a Pulitzer-nominated photographer with work in several major publications. Respectively, of your many accomplishments, what are you most proud of, and why?
I’m proud when I can use my photojournalism career to promote the causes I believe in like UNICEF. I’m also proud that I wrote I Refuse to Kill, a memoir about my conscientious objection to war. The book promotes nonviolence at the individual and international levels and includes my photos of civil rights and peace marches
We know the industry is tough and very competitive. What is your advice to budding photographers?
Immediately, switch your field to computer science! (Kidding!)
Seriously, though, I like what Joseph Campbell said – ‘follow your bliss.’
I know this sounds strange, but if you have a passion for photography, forget the competition. Forget being realistic. Forget what other people think you should do. Throw out the seeds of doubt, and tell yourself, ‘It’s never a question of if I’m going to make it in photography; it’s only a question of when.’ I’d also suggest a business plan. No plan is a plan for failure. That’s a mistake I made at the beginning of my career. Once you have your business plan, put it to work. In short, Dream, Believe Your Dream, and Make It Happen.
What projects are you currently working on?
I’m working on my memoir as a celebrity portrait photographer in Hollywood and New York City. Also, I’m developing a documentary film based on my story as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War. The producer is Joanne Rubino. Although we’re only in pre-production, actor Richard Dreyfuss was kind enough to give us an on-camera interview.
Where can we find out more about you?
Thanks for asking. My photography website includes a bio:
Featured Images
Francesco Da Vinci
Brooke Shields – Photo: Francesco Da Vinci
Muhammad Ali – Photo: Francesco Da Vinci
Stevie Nicks – Photo: Francesco Da Vinci
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