as i mentioned in a previous post, i sometimes do advertising
photography…..i am in the middle of such a shoot right now in new
york and then on to brazil….this work quite simply pays my
bills….but, i must say, they are also usually quite
enjoyable…because no client is going to commission me for a studio
shot or for a "follow the sketch" photograph…they are usually looking
for me to reproduce pretty much what i do anyway….

as usual, i try to push even these clients who are paying me, to go
a little further than maybe what they had in mind….and i am always working "off the shoot" as in the photographs below….on most ad
shoots i usually photograph a little something special for myself…..my
little favorites are never actually used in the ad, but the day i stop
shooting for myself is the day i hang my cameras up forever…..

Harvey_009_2

 

Harvey_031

8 thoughts on “ad shoots”

  1. anouk…thanks….this was the first time i had ever used digi, so when i saw this on the back of the camera i thought, well i CAN work with this new medium….david

  2. Hey, David I write on this post becouse i thing that I recognize the second shot, is from Brasil. :) I see yesterday the documentary on you on nationalgeographic channel in Italy. Let me say that your photos (and also your life) is amazing. The documentary make me think that you are a absolutely free person and open minded. See you,

    Mihai

    p.s. sorry for my english

  3. mihai..

    do not worry about your english…..i should have learned italian by now!!! i have spend so much time in italy, that it is a crime i have not learned your language…my spanish is pretty good, which somehow makes it hard for me to learn italian….they are just similar enough for me to get confused….

    thank you for your comment…

    ciao, david

  4. “shooting for yourself”. I recently got Magnum Stories and this was the theme in so many o the articles. Shooting here and there for yourself on the client’s money:)

  5. dah– I have a big ad shoot tomorrow and having just read this I feel better already! I have been nervous all week– thanks for reminding me just to have fun and be myself. Your blog is fab! avs

  6. david alan harvey

    allison…yes, do not be nervous…the rule of thumb in ad shooting is this: if you do a bad job, they will never hire you again…AND if you do a really good job, they will never hire you again!!! so enjoy…the people i have worked with on ad shoots have usually been terrific….you do not get the job again, just because they move around , move on, do new campaigns etc…..so enjoy it for what it is …david

  7. Hi david,

    Many journalists and editorial photographers also shoot advertising on the side to pay the bills. Is it really very tough to survive just on editorial work?

    Edgar

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