Today we’d like to introduce you to Dustin Ellison.
Hi Dustin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Brief story of how I got started – I went to school in San Diego and majored in graphic design. I spent a few years working in the design industry in North County working for graphic design firms and companies, both big and small. At one point I decided to go visit some friends who had relocated to South India. I took a couple of surfboards with me and we toured around South India by taxi and train. During that time I brought along a camera and got really inspired to start shooting travel photography. The rich culture and new environment sparked something in me to pursue photography.
A year later after the initial trip I myself decided to relocate to South India. Since then, I’ve spent 5 years living in South India, 3 of which I was managing a surf retreat on the west coast of Karnataka. The last 3 years I spent living in another ashram in North India following the practice of bhakti yoga and daily service (seva). And I’ve spent another total of 5 years living in different parts of Mexico, helping start other ashrams and cultural centers by providing photography and graphic design along the way.
So needless to say, I like to travel. I think growing up in North County San Diego (Encinitas and Valley Center) gave me an appreciation for nature and beauty. I love trying to capture that through photography. Graphic design has really given me a creative foundation for photography, which in turn has also helped me launch different businesses over the years utilizing that skill set.
I now continue to travel and do freelance photography and graphic design. My clients are based around the world, but I end up coming back again and again to North County San Diego because of family and friends. It’s always seemed like a familiar home base for me, no matter how much time I spend away from it, I always appreciate returning and spending time there.
This year especially had a lot of travel. I started the year in North India, then went to Germany and Italy, followed by North Carolina, Teton Valley Idaho, Washington state, Maui, San Diego, and Mexico. Along the way I’ve been fortunate enough to reconnect with close friends, family, and some amazing clients that really value my work. I feel really lucky to have this freedom and flexibility at this point in life and my career.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road along the way, but it’s been adventurous and full of learning. Whenever you decide to work for yourself and pursue the path of freelance, it always comes with it’s own set of challenges. However I wouldn’t have done it any other way. Some don’t like to leave the security of working for a company, which totally makes sense. I gladly left it though for the opportunity of freedom as I’ve never been one to be tied down. That security to me is really one of life’s greatest illusions. Working for a company, that you may or may not like, but what security do they actually give you? A promise for the future, that may or may not come. It definitely works for some people and doesn’t work for others. I am of the latter.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in both photography and graphic design. Within photography genres I’m known mostly for travel, landscapes, and adventure. Within graphic design, I specialize mostly in logos, branding, and print design. I also help clients with establishing a stronger online presence. Mostly utilizing platforms like Squarespace, Shopify, and Google Maps.
I’ve also had my photography prints for sale at the Corner Frame Shop and Leucadia Art Gallery. Mostly coastal aerial shots of North County San Diego. These prints have included surf breaks such as Swami’s, Ponto, StoneSteps, Cardiff Reef, and Oceanside Pier to name a few.
Some of the work I’m most proud of are images I’ve shot in India. It’s not so much that I was proud of any image itself, but the reaction it produced within people. Many shared with me how moving the images were for them when they saw them for the first time. It’s not always easy to capture the beauty while in a mess of chaos, but it’s amazing when it happens. I love being able to share those images and the potential to change someone’s perception of a place or the people there.
I think what sets me apart, other than a unique way of how I see the world, is really my ability to work very personally and one-on-one with my clients. Whether they’re photography or graphic design clients, I always make an effort to listen closely to what their needs are and strive my best to creatively deliver in a personal and friendly way.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Huge shifts are happening within this industry. Ai is worldwide. You can’t change that, but what I really like seeing is how different creative individuals are utilizing it. Meaning I don’t like the idea of Ai replacing creative individuals. But I do very much like when creative individuals use Ai as a powerful tool to create something by utilizing it along with their creative eye.
Ai can do some crazy imaginative things, and create some picture perfect images, but it can never fully replace the inspired vision of a person with a creative eye. That cannot be completely replicated. As the market continues to get flooded with Ai generated images and designs, working alongside someone personally to create something unique and beautiful will become more and more valuable. And that is a comforting feeling.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dustinellison.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dustinellisonphoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dustin.t.ellison/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinellisonphoto/
- Other: https://dustinellison.darkroom.com/
Image Credits
Personal photos of Dustin Ellison by the talented, Laysea Hughes-Renfro.
