The Portrait Project 100K – David Kafer, Photographer

In 805conversations by Mark Sylvester

My mentor, Tom, taught me how to see

I like to absorb when I walk around”

David Kafer, the force behind the Portrait Project 100K, met with Mark and Patrick to talk about the project and his passion for the people he photographs.

This wide-ranging conversation covered a lot of ground including:

  • How the Portrait Project began
  • His philosophy about photography, especially as it relates to people
  • The story of his first photo – not that long ago
  • His first photography trip, to Italy and how his mentor taught him to see
  • Working at SBCC as a photography tech, helping teach
  • Advice for photographers: Don’t photograph for Likes
  • His passion for fitness photography
  • The various locations that he’s set up his camera dnd the challenges
  • Tips for Photographers
  • – Shoot what’s important to you
  • – Photograph a lot – your first 10,000 photos are practice
  • – Think about the importance of pre-production, before you shoot
  • What he’s learning from people and their stories since the project started
  • Dream for him: A Portrait Truck so he can easily go on the road
  • Why it’s important to him to have found a way to get people to open up (to the camera)
  • The Project’s hashtags: #comeasyouare #shareyourstory
You can learn more about David’s mentor Tom Wolf here.