Meet James Evangelista | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with James Evangelista and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was already working as a commercial photographer for a few other studios and I’m not going to get all technical and bore you with the rule of thirds, lighting diagrams, or give you a list of equipment, but at every shoot I would prioritize the importance of preproduction and proper planning before starting a photo shoot. Good photographers have to be excellent businessmen and they don’t just show up on set and figure it out as they go – because doing so would limit their creativity and force the client to settle for images that are good enough instead of images that are exceptional! Once I was able to make this happen with a certain degree of certainty and the studios clients started to request me for their shoot I decided it was time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Throughout my life I always had a camera in my hand and taking pictures was my favorite way to communicate. All through the military and all through collage, the one constant in my life was photography. It wasn’t until my career as a commercial photographer was starting to become a little too routine that I knew I wanted to produce fine art photography.
While transitioning from commercial to fine art I found that there’s some magic that happens when you find the right form to tell your story in just the right way and I found that whether I am collaborating with art directors and clients in the commercial world its really not that much different with gallery owners and direct to client relationships. In the past most of my commercial photography was done in the studio, today, whether its’ an early morning sunrise at Bryce Canyon or the late afternoon glow in a small fishing village in Maine, I create images that celebrate the spirit and beauty of the American Landscape. The silence of the desert, the play of light and shadow, and the forces of wind and water resounds with images that are stirring, touching, and profound – These are the places that stir the emotions and feelings that wilderness and wild places inspire. Within the image, a feeling of vanishing moments when light, tide, and time hold one’s being in their grip and solicits a quiet and introspective moment that reflects the solitude of the work that I’ve done over the years. ‍And ‍one ‍feeling ‍above ‍all, ‍a ‍feeling ‍of ‍mystery.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m from South Philly and I never forgot where I came from. Philadelphia has evidence of a richness and grace that separates it from other cities and rewards even the casual viewer with a blending of history and architecture. And, of course, Philadelphia is a major sports town. I frequent Ralphs Italian Restaurant, its been in business 125 years and is the oldest family-owned and operated Italian restaurant in the country. I also like South Restaurant & Jazz Club in the Spring Garden neighborhood on Avenue of the Arts. If my friend is into history I would take him to Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage site and where the Declaration of Independence was signed. Philadelphia is one of just a handful of U.S. cities that’s lucky enough to have its professional basketball, football, hockey and baseball teams all play within city limits. In fact, those four Philadelphia teams all play in the same complex, known as The South Philadelphia Sports Complex and if my friend was into sports I could think of no better place to go.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My current influences include most all of my colleagues, friends, and fellow photographers who, collectively, provide ongoing support, encouragement, and inspiration along with Irving Penn, Ernst Haas and, of course, Ansel Adams.

Website: https://www.jamesevangelista.com