Mobile Photography & Art – ‘Intimate Interview’ with David Hayes from Milford, Ohio, United States
Our thirty seventh interview in this new series of intimate interviews enables award winning mobile photographer, David Hayes from Milford, Ohio, United States to eloquently unfurl his thoughtful answers to our memorable questions, combinations with scatterings of beautiful images, leaving marks on our hearts. Enjoy.
To read the other published interviews in this series including artists, Adria Ellis, Rino Rossi, Mehmet Duyulmus, Alexis Rotella, Lou Ann Sanford Donahue, Irene Oleksiuk, Kerry Mitchell, Filiz Ak, Dale Botha, Lisa Mitchell, M. Cecilia Sao Thiago, Deborah McMillion, Rita Colantonio, Amy Ecenbarger, Jane Schultz, Anca Balaj, Joyce Harkin, Armineh Hovanesian, Kate Zari Roberts, Vicki Cooper, Peter Wilkin, Barbara Braman, Becky Menzies, Sukru Mehmet Omur, Sarah Bichachi, Michel Pretterklieber, Alon Goldsmith, Judy Lurie Whalberg, Andrea Bigiarni, Sean Hayes, Oola Cristina, Kathleen Magner-Rios, Linda Toki, Deb Fiel, Emilo Nadales, Lydia Cassatt and myself, go here.
All images ©David Hayes
What was your childhood or earliest ambition?
I wanted to become a superhero…Superman to be exact. It was his ability to fly that I liked the most…although his x-ray vision appealed to my 10 year old fantasies.
First Recognition?
I’m not so sure what you might call “recognition”. My third grade teacher was always on my case about one thing or another…was never sure why. On the other hand I had a high school Language Arts teacher who supported my writing abilities as the high school newspaper editor. My editorials almost got her fired but she stood by me…
First Job?
Newspaper delivery boy. Delivered my small town’s weekly newspaper. Taught me a lot about myself and lessons about life. Like don’t mess with someone’s newspaper. They can get real nasty about it!
Private or State School?
State school. Ohio University in Athens, OH. BSC in Communications. After that…private school. Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. MBA in Finance and MEd in Elementary Education. My life has taken many turns…
University or Work?
Work whilst in High School. University then Work. And then University then Work. Like I said, my life has taken many turns.
Who was or is still your mentor?
I’ve had many mentors. The head of corporate HRD when I was in banking, several of my immediate supervisors later in my banking career. My teammates when I was in teaching as well as my professors in MEd school. Now days I look to the works of the artists I admire. (And my 6 year old Brittany Spaniel is always teaching me new tricks!)
How physically fit are you?
For a gentleman of 66 years I’m in pretty good shape thank you very much! Years of Pilates and Yoga have made a difference! I don’t have the energy levels I had as a youth and have developed some “ticks”over the years…just life’s way of keeping things interesting.
Ambition or talent: What matters more to success?
Ambition. Talent is important but without ambition one will not achieve much. It’s ambition that helps you get over the walls that life puts in your way.
How politically committed are you?
Much more than I have been in the past. Current times demand it. The world is at a critical crossroad right now…everyone needs to be committed.
What would you like to own that you don’t currently possess?
A lake house. A better camera. A red Jeep Wrangler. My 18 year old body…and the confidence I had back then. Seriously…I possess everything I need. That’s enough.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
The 2008 Harley Heritage Softail motorcycle that’s sitting in my garage. Barely ridden. Collecting dust as a garage trophy. Can’t sell it…who knows…I might want to ride it tomorrow!
In what places are you happiest?
Next to water…an ocean or a lake. In a deep forest. Home.
What ambitions do you still have?
Ambitions? How about living the rest of my life to the fullest! I like that one.
What drives you on?
Life is too short to waste. There’s just way too much left to be discovered and experienced. Why quit now!!
What do you find most irritating in other people?
I don’t put up with fools. Period. I guess that’s why I’m irritated with many people…too many fools in the world now days.
If your 20 year old self could see you now, what would he think?
What the hell have you done with yourself?! Actually I would hope he’d see a wiser version of himself. But remembering my 20 year old self…probably not.
What object that you you’ve lost do you wish you still had?
I can’t really say that I have anything like that. Interesting question…I’ll have to give that one more thought…
What is the greatest challenge of our time?
Ourselves.
If you had to rate your satisfaction with your life so far, out of 10, what would you score?
With 10 being the highest…an 8. Most days at least.
Please read…
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Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photographer, photography journalist, editor and curator and the founder and editorial director of TheAppWhisperer.com, an independent international photography publication established in 2009.Her journalism, criticism and commentary have appeared in The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Financial Times, BBC, Vogue Italia, LensCulture, Popular Photography, Android Magazine, NikonPro, DPReview, Which Digital Camera and Which Camera. She has lectured internationally on photography and mobile art, served as a juror for international photography awards, and exhibited her own photographic work across the UK, Europe, South Korea and the United States.Alongside her editorial work, Joanne's photographic and postgraduate research explores death, grief, memory, representation and social inequality through contemporary photography, participatory practice and visual research methods, with the longer-term aim of developing this work through doctoral research.Through TheAppWhisperer, she continues to publish independent photography journalism spanning contemporary photographic practice, mobile imaging, photographic apps, computational photography and emerging imaging technologies.Joanne is available for editorial commissions, photography projects, judging, curatorial work, speaking engagements, consultancy and selected collaborations.
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