Meet John Doukas | Photographer and explorer

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

Hi John, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
Sometimes I stop to ask myself, “would I be doing this even if I didn’t get paid?” This question can apply to many areas of life. Photography for me started as a hobby and as personal creativity. It became my profession later on and there are both exciting and mundane times.

When I feel like giving up, it’s when I realize I have no joy or sense of fulfillment. To keep going, I follow curiosity as well as try to push through the times when it’s hard to feel motivated. Those feelings can change with the weather. Sometimes I let go of expectations, and just go for a walk with my camera, and just explore my neighborhood. Working on personal/side projects help me to push forward and can reawaken what is important to me. Finding that passion will lead to keep trying, hone my craft, and be patient for results.

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.
Working as a photographer, it started with working as a product photographer for a company named SureFire. Up until then it had been a hobby, photographing friends and places. Being a product photographer, it threw me in the deep end. My boss Derek, (I had several bosses) was very critical of my work, which would be very frustrating. However, the criticism pushed me to keep getting better and hone my craft. I got to work in a studio, learn lighting, editing, and to grow in personal confidence that I had what it takes to be a professional photographer. It was also great learning from a team who worked in SureFire’s creative department. It wasn’t just about me, but helping my team be better by becoming better myself.

I worked at SureFire from 2001 to 2015. After, I began working as a freelance photographer, which quickly became a new and humbling challenge. Learning to market myself beyond my friends, I pulled from my years of experience working as a product photographer, to put that effort of quality into my personal business. I didn’t just want to snap photos to afford a living, but to create quality that exceeds most people’s expectations. Having to market myself is however an ongoing challenge, as I’m one who doesn’t like to toot my own horn. I like to let my work do the talking, but I also have to use my mouth and energy to put myself out there. I’ve hit many walls, but by the grace of God, have also had many doors open to me.

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?
Where I live, it can be chaotic and crowded. For starters, I would take someone for sunrise at the Huntington Beach Pier. It’s a great place for people-watching and the morning weather is refreshing. Then it would be a quick walk to a coffee spot called 602. Another must would be a drive to LA’s Union Station, to park the car. There we take the subway to either Downtown LA, then walk around for street photography, with lunch at the Grand Central Market. Some of the best burritos are found there.

For the evening, summers require an outdoor classical concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Bringing an assortment of snacks to share is a must. Another summer must-do is a Dodgers game on a Saturday. Typically the games start at 6pm, The best section is the Top Deck, offering great views of the San Gabriel mountains over the outfield of the stadium. The sky can turn pink during sunset, along with the mountains turning purple.

On a Sunday morning, a great experience is had at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. The church gathers many cultures together for Mass and it’s a great reminder to enjoy others.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This would be a huge list of people like friends and mentors Charlie Contreras (my pastor), Chris Lauer, Tom Jimenez, Chelsea Davis…all people who have encouraged me. With photography, it started with Charles Peterson and his book, “Screaming Life.” I picked it up as a kid, long before I was a photographer. He photographed many of my favorite bands for their albums, long before they were famous. Going through the book, I was struck by the closeness he had to the bands, as well as the story he told through the collection. It made me feel like I was there. Years later, when I became a photographer, Charles is still an inspiration to try and treat every subject as a rockstar. Ultimately, it’s been God who showed me that life is about serving others and I try to do that with my photography.

Website: www.johndoukasphotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johndoukas/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdoukas/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnDoukasPhotography