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

Hi Don, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Dedication, focus, and intention. I am obsessed with photography. Every day I do something photography related: Shoot, edit, make sets, or learn. There are always a million things going on in life, but if you want to get good at something, you have to let that take priority.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I love shooting people and I find them inspiring. When I first started out, I did street photography because I loved candid expressions and the way people moved naturally. When I transitioned to shooting people in pre-arranged photoshoots I’ve tried to balance a candid feel with posing that expresses the theme of the shoot. Conveying that to models can be tough because they are used to posing “perfectly”. Over time I’ve gotten closer to my ideal.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a homebody, but if I was showing people around I would take them to Ruby’s Food truck in Glendale for the BEST Birria Tacos for dinner their first night. For site seeing I would take them to the painted desert, Jerome, Sedona, and Watson Lake. If they like outdoorsy stuff I would take them camping and rock climbing at Jack’s Canyon. My typical hangouts are cigar lounges though. For an out of towner, I would probably take them to Magnum’s or Churchill’s Phoenix.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
All the models that I have worked with over the years have been instrumental to me. You cannot substitute the experience you gain while working with another person. I know some photographers use mannequins, and that can work for very specific things, but you have to be able to interact with people and convey your thoughts in a way other people can understand. The only way to get good at that, is practice.

Website: www.dgyoung.com

Instagram: dgyoungfasion

Image Credits
Diana Rozsavolgyi Madeline Snyder Marysa Garcia Ali Steele Julia Cecil Michella Adoley

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