Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Portal.
Daniel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
A few years ago, after realizing that my life as a research scientist was a total waste of time, I decided to start over as a photographer. I’ve always loved photography and the creative part of it, especially portraiture. To me, making my subjects feel comfortable enough for them to lower their guard and show me, for a split second, their true personalities, is all I aspire to. So, most of my preparation has been in how to relate to people, how to read a face, as quickly as possible. Even in more conceptual shoots, relating to the person being photographed, and everyone else on set for that matter, is a must, Then of course it’s the concept, the light, composition, etc, all things you have to learn as well. It is a work in progress and it will always be. Right now, I use those concepts on everyone I make portraits of.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh no no, not smooth! The biggest obstacle has been feeling overwhelmed by all the different aspects of running my own business, that are unrelated to photography. I am sure it is the most common obstacle people face when they make the jump and start a new business, but I was not expecting it to be that hard to wear these many hats at once.
People have recommended me and that means a lot, but marketing is hard and takes a lot of time! Also, I realized that there are lots of people doing every job and photography is not the exception, so you need to develop your style and be different. Another big one is the fact that, as a business owner, I do not take time off. Only recently I stopped answering phone calls during dinner time and enjoy a meal with my wife and daughter.
Please tell us about Daniel Portal Studio.
I run a portrait studio. I shoot models, actors, and athletes mostly. In each case, unless they want something in particular, I shoot with a style that is moody, with strong connection with the viewer. I work very hard at finding the right groove that makes each portrait click. It’s an amazing feeling when you find the right light, color palette, angle, etc for each person. I do not do a standard approach. Each portrait is planned carefully and individually. When I shoot athletes, I research them and the sport to find what are the best angles, moments, and compositions. The ultimate goal is to generate an image that looks authentic but also unique.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I am not sure. In hindsight, I might have spent more time learning marketing and networking….The craft and the vision take time to develop, and again, nobody is ever done learning, but I knew that before going in. On the other hand, the amount of time and effort that all the rest of the things take to develop, took me by surprise to some degree, and I would have invested more time in that upfront.
Contact Info:
- Address: 67 Farquhar St Unit 2
Roslindale, MA 02131 - Website: www.danielportalstudio.com
- Phone: 6175439306
- Email: contact@danielportalstudio.com
- Instagram: danielportalstudio
- Facebook: Daniel Portal Photography
- Other: www.danielportalphotography.com
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