Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Coronado.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Growing up, I was always building legos, drawing, or making something with playdough. I loved watching any behind the scenes shows where they went into the processes of how they made a movie like Star Wars or anything science fiction that had creatures from another world in them. I loved seeing the entire creative process & would often try to imitate one of those processes through drawings or trying to create masks out of clay. I was a very energetic kid, but if you wanted me to calm down, set me up to create something & I would be entertained for hours.
I didn’t get into photography too much until high school because our family camera, my dad’s Canon T-80, was off-limits. Because of this, though, I think it sparked my interest in it even more. In high school, you could always find me with a yellow disposable camera in my backpack ready to capture some photographs of friends, & in my senior year, I joined the yearbook team. I began to discover that I maybe had a knack for this photography thing when other photographers on the yearbook staff kept asking me to help them finish their pages because they didn’t seem to be able to capture shots they wanted to publish in our book. This gave me more opportunity to practice & it showed me what a powerful tool I had in my hands. A device that was capable of freezing moments in time, people’s emotions, & an ability to tell people a story.
In high school, I also developed a passion for music, which eventually led to playing on a summer tour with some of my best friends in Australia the year after we graduated. It was there where I got to both be in a music video & also help shoot a couple of music videos. My buddy Pete, who was in the band as well, gave me some opportunities to assist him on a couple of shoots & I was completely in love with the process. Our friend Kim was also into photography in a way I had never seen anyone shoot. She always had a camera with her & seemed to really have a sense of freedom in the way photographed subjects. This really caught my interest & the photos she captured of all of us that summer are ones I will always treasure.
Upon returning to the California, I got involved with my Buddies Jayson & Joe, who were running a clothing company that had a focus on music & action sports. They ran contests, sold clothes at music festivals, & sponsored athletes & bands. There was constantly a need for photography to use for advertisements for the company, so they ended up buying me a camera. It was my first digital camera & it was the gateway to everything. I went on tours with bands, shot surf & skate contests & got my “big break” when Red Bull’s San Diego marketing team started to hire me for their events. My friend Keith who I went to church with, gave me a chance to photograph for them, which led to amazing opportunities shooting professional athletes & events all over Southern California & meeting so many contacts in the action sports & music world.
My biggest venture into video happened when the Canon 5d II came out & I suddenly had a photography camera that could be used for video. Years down the road & I’m still shooting photographs & video & even still working with my buddy Pete making music videos.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Being an artist definitely hasn’t been smooth sailing all the time. It’s so often difficult to turn a passion into a job, & Southern California really isn’t cheap to live in. Learning what “your value” is as an artist is hard to put a price tag on, but you literally have to do it in order to make a living. Also, being someone who really enjoys so many aspects of art & so many subjects makes focusing & honing in one particular set of skills a challenge. To this day, I struggle with trying not to be the “Jack of All Trades, & Master of None.” I must say I was incredibly blessed to have a network of amazing people behind me that saw my passion early & gave me opportunities to shine.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Dan Coronado Photo, has been officially around since 2008 & over that time, I have photographed & filmed everything from action sports to weddings to educational content & even worked for a few YouTubers. My specialty comes down to being a well-rounded cameraman. I’ve worked with a large variety of cameras so I can jump onto virtually any team & get to work. I pride myself on the ability to see a scene from a different point of view & love to used the knowledge I’ve learned about in art since I was a child to uniquely tell a story composed with purpose. I do a lot of local work with realtors, schools, churches & other non-profit companies, but definitely still love getting on stage with a band filming live music & making documentaries.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Just like art, success is so incredibly subjective. I’ve never been the numbers or sales guy, but I am DEFINITELY the passion guy. My successes come from seeing my art being put to good use, & making people smile or feel something. Fortunately, a lot of work that I do is part of a bigger team & its not all about me. I’m definitely far less interested in the spotlight & focused on doing work that has a purpose. If I can create art that helps provide for my family & at the end of the day helps people in the process, that’s as big of a success as you can have, in my opinion.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dancoronadophoto.com
- Email: info@dancoronadophoto.com
Image Credit:
Kennedy Miller for the profile photo
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