Artists ~ David Dadekian
Artist’s name: David Dadekian
Shop name: David Dadekian Photography & Eat Drink RI
Website: http://www.dadekianphoto.com/
Blog: http://www.eatdrinkri.com/
Twitter: @dadekian
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dadekian
1. Tell us about your work
My work is two-fold, one part is “traditional” photography: weddings, portraits, commercial imaging interiors, products, etc.) and some art sales. The other part is culinary which includes photography along
with writing (and now some personal chef work and cooking education).
2. How did you come to be a professional artist?
I always tended toward the arts. I made short films in high school and did some writing, then I went to NYU film school where I really focused on writing and the visual end of things (and film music too). Around 1990 I was doing a lot of still photography and some of my mother’s clients (she was an art consultant for RI businesses and homes) would ask her for local photography. She would show some of my photos and they sold well to lots of law offices, accountants, banks, etc. It was never enough to live on, but it was a nice supplemental income for many years. Then in 2003 I went at it full time when I invested in a very good (at the time!) digital camera and weddings became a joy instead of a chore with film. As for the writing end of
things, I’ve always written and been published. Some years were very good. Some were very lean. I’m back to very good at the moment!
3. Where do you draw your inspiration?
I’d like to say it’s easy if I’m excited by the subject, but let’s be honest, not every subject is inspiring. I am fortunate enough to say the vast majority of them are. Even when I’m photographing a bathroom my clients tend to be contractors who make these amazing bathrooms that are bigger than my house so it’s kind of fun and inspiring.
Weddings are always fun because they are a big, beautiful party (thankfully I’ve never had any terrible brides). The food work is easy to be inspired by. My wife Brenda gives me a lot of inspiration as well. Mostly the inverse inspiration of realism when I’m trying to do some crazy work, which is VERY helpful.
4. What’s your favorite item to photograph?
That’s a super tough question. I think the best answer is people at work cooking. I like the food and all, but there’s rarely anything radically new whereas the actual cooking always turns up new things. I also still love doing landscape art work. I have tons of photos from around the world that rarely get seen. I need to change that.
5. What’s your best seller?
I always laugh at this question because truthfully, to me, it’s the most boring stuff. Usually lighthouses or standard Providence or Newport views sell really well. I had a client once, a buyer at a big law firm in one of the high rises in downtown Providence, who asked me if I had anything outside of RI. I was very excited because no RI business ever asks for that. I brought in a ton of photos from the American southwest (Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, etc.), the partners came in and all of them wanted my Providence cityscape photos. It’s good to sell, but it’s a little disappointing people don’t stretch a bit.
6. How long have you been in Rhode Island?
I was born here in 1971, moved to NYC in 1989 and then moved back here in 2003. I spent a bit more time here as I bounced around jobs in L.A., Massachusetts and NY in ’94 so it’s kind of hard to put a number on it. But I think I’m a lifer now (though I would live in Ireland if I could!).
7. What do you {heart} about Rhode Island?
Clearly the food and the whole culinary community. It’s a spectacularly helpful and innovative culinary environment here. Some of that has to with the size of the state and that we can get anything anywhere in around an hour or less, but the people are just wonderful. I also have always appreciated RI’s diversity. I remember when I moved to NY as a freshman at NYU and I met people at school from around the country, I was always surprised when they had never met anyone Armenian or Jewish or in some cases any race from Asia. Having grown up in RI I just always assumed the melting pot was all around everyone in this country and it wasn't.
8. Please include anything else you’d like to add:
I think it’s so great that you, Erika, a non-native, has embraced RI as much as you have. It’s a quirky place! Thank you!
Shop name: David Dadekian Photography & Eat Drink RI
Website: http://www.dadekianphoto.com/
Blog: http://www.eatdrinkri.com/
Twitter: @dadekian
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dadekian
1. Tell us about your work
My work is two-fold, one part is “traditional” photography: weddings, portraits, commercial imaging interiors, products, etc.) and some art sales. The other part is culinary which includes photography along
with writing (and now some personal chef work and cooking education).
 |
| "Turk's Head and Glass" |
2. How did you come to be a professional artist?
I always tended toward the arts. I made short films in high school and did some writing, then I went to NYU film school where I really focused on writing and the visual end of things (and film music too). Around 1990 I was doing a lot of still photography and some of my mother’s clients (she was an art consultant for RI businesses and homes) would ask her for local photography. She would show some of my photos and they sold well to lots of law offices, accountants, banks, etc. It was never enough to live on, but it was a nice supplemental income for many years. Then in 2003 I went at it full time when I invested in a very good (at the time!) digital camera and weddings became a joy instead of a chore with film. As for the writing end of
things, I’ve always written and been published. Some years were very good. Some were very lean. I’m back to very good at the moment!
3. Where do you draw your inspiration?
I’d like to say it’s easy if I’m excited by the subject, but let’s be honest, not every subject is inspiring. I am fortunate enough to say the vast majority of them are. Even when I’m photographing a bathroom my clients tend to be contractors who make these amazing bathrooms that are bigger than my house so it’s kind of fun and inspiring.
Weddings are always fun because they are a big, beautiful party (thankfully I’ve never had any terrible brides). The food work is easy to be inspired by. My wife Brenda gives me a lot of inspiration as well. Mostly the inverse inspiration of realism when I’m trying to do some crazy work, which is VERY helpful.
4. What’s your favorite item to photograph?
That’s a super tough question. I think the best answer is people at work cooking. I like the food and all, but there’s rarely anything radically new whereas the actual cooking always turns up new things. I also still love doing landscape art work. I have tons of photos from around the world that rarely get seen. I need to change that.
 |
| "Monument Valley Tree" |
I always laugh at this question because truthfully, to me, it’s the most boring stuff. Usually lighthouses or standard Providence or Newport views sell really well. I had a client once, a buyer at a big law firm in one of the high rises in downtown Providence, who asked me if I had anything outside of RI. I was very excited because no RI business ever asks for that. I brought in a ton of photos from the American southwest (Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, etc.), the partners came in and all of them wanted my Providence cityscape photos. It’s good to sell, but it’s a little disappointing people don’t stretch a bit.
 |
| "Ireland" |
I was born here in 1971, moved to NYC in 1989 and then moved back here in 2003. I spent a bit more time here as I bounced around jobs in L.A., Massachusetts and NY in ’94 so it’s kind of hard to put a number on it. But I think I’m a lifer now (though I would live in Ireland if I could!).
7. What do you {heart} about Rhode Island?
Clearly the food and the whole culinary community. It’s a spectacularly helpful and innovative culinary environment here. Some of that has to with the size of the state and that we can get anything anywhere in around an hour or less, but the people are just wonderful. I also have always appreciated RI’s diversity. I remember when I moved to NY as a freshman at NYU and I met people at school from around the country, I was always surprised when they had never met anyone Armenian or Jewish or in some cases any race from Asia. Having grown up in RI I just always assumed the melting pot was all around everyone in this country and it wasn't.
8. Please include anything else you’d like to add:
I think it’s so great that you, Erika, a non-native, has embraced RI as much as you have. It’s a quirky place! Thank you!
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