Photography

How have you seen the industry evolve over time?

The Evolution of Content Creation in the Fitness Industry

Have you seen the industry evolve over time? Yes, I have. Prior to entering into the content creation space of CrossFit I feel like content was treated as a way to document and report events whereas now today we have a disruption in the industry where basically a lot of content creators are putting a more stylized approach and tailored look to the things that they deliver and it's more kind of like a unique take on how they want to illustrate the moment, the sport, and the athlete's stories.

Yes, I have seen the industry evolve over time and it has become more stylized and tailored with content creators having more control.

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Yes, I have seen the industry evolve over time. Previously, in the content creation space of CrossFit, content was primarily used to document and report events. However, there has been a disruptive shift in the industry. Many content creators now adopt a more stylized and customized approach to the content they produce. They aim to provide a unique perspective on capturing the moment, showcasing the sport, and telling the stories of athletes.

Hi David! Tell people about your background, expertise, and how you can help.

Toronto-based David shares expertise in multi-channel content creation

Hey guys, my name is David. I'm a multi-channel content creator hailing out of Toronto, Canada. I own and operate my own boutique creative agency called Trainee Day, with a focus on sports content creation, mostly in CrossFit, but I've delved into other sports too as well. I am a self-taught content creator, and I started shooting off simply just using my cell phone, but here we are now.

I'm David and I own a creative agency called Training Day which focuses on sports content creation. I am self-taught and started off using just my cellphone.

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Hey everyone, I'm David, a multi-channel content creator based in Toronto, Canada. I run my own boutique creative agency called Trainee Day, specializing in sports content creation. While my main focus is on CrossFit, I have also worked with other sports as well. I am entirely self-taught and began my journey by shooting content using just my cell phone. It's been quite the evolution and growth from there!

With the rise of AI art, what are best areas of photography to specialize in?

AI art revolutionizes photography: Best areas to specialize!

With the rise of AI art, what are the best areas of photography to specialize in? This is actually an interesting one and something I'm really paying attention to. With apps like Mid Journey, Dolly, it's getting so good. Before, I want to say a couple months ago, you could tell a difference between AI, but nowadays you can really see how good it's getting. This is probably going to be the worst it's ever going to be, which means it's going to get better. The photorealistic people it's creating, the depth and detail of the images, it's just nuts. I actually think we're not going to see models anymore. They can just make fake people and have them dressed in whatever they want just by describing in keywords. To answer the question, best areas of photography to specialize in, I would have to say something that requires it to be live. Some type of live type of event or something you need to photograph live.

The best areas of Photography to specialize in are ones that require capturing life, such as events and live action. AI is making photorealistic images more realistic, but the need for real-life photography will always remain.

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With the rise of AI art, the best areas of photography to specialize in are those that require capturing live events or moments. The advancements in AI technology, as seen in apps like Mid Journey and Dolly, are becoming incredibly impressive. The quality of photorealistic images and the level of detail they can achieve is remarkable. It's likely that this is just the beginning and AI-generated images will only continue to improve. In fact, we may reach a point where models are no longer needed, as AI can create realistic people dressed in any desired style based on simple descriptions. Therefore, specializing in areas of photography that involve capturing live events or subjects would provide unique value that AI-generated art cannot replicate.

Do you think it’s necessary to invest in a professional camera setup to make great videos?

Unlock the Secret to Making Great Videos: Skills vs. Gear

Do you think it's necessary to invest in a professional camera setup to make great videos? Well, it really depends on your definition of great if it's an internal metric Measuring how well your skill has progressed since you started then I would say no if it is a production value Then it really depends on the medium And platform you are intending to deliver the content Yeah, gear does matter but I feel like skills and the ability to apply those skills is more important

No, investing in a professional camera setup is not necessary to make great videos. Skills and ability to apply those skills are more important.

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Is it necessary to invest in a professional camera setup to create great videos? Well, it depends on how you define great. If your measure of greatness is based on personal progress and skill development, then no, it's not necessary. However, if you're considering production value and the platform where you'll be sharing your content, then gear does play a role. But I believe that skills and the ability to apply those skills are ultimately more important than the equipment itself.

Of all the photos taken of you throughout your career, do you have a favorite?

Capturing the defining moment: Tia Claire Toomey dominates the 2019 CrossFit Games

Of all the photos taken of you throughout your career, do you have a favorite? I definitely do. It's when Tia Claire Toomey dominated the 2019 CrossFit Games season. It was at the CrossFit Games, she was crushing the events as usual, and she crossed over the line, had a great celebratory moment, she was flexing. It was a great moment, I was fortunate enough to be positioned in a spot where there were no photographers at all, and I shot that photo, and I feel like that photo has so much emotion and just illustrates that moment perfectly. Definitely one of my favorite photos. Okay so here's the photo itself, it got posted on Tia Claire Toomey's Instagram account two or three times, and yeah, it's one of my favorite photos, and I think she likes it too.

My favorite photo of Tia Claire Toomey is the one taken during the 2019 CrossFit Games. She was celebrating her victory and I was in a great spot to take the photo without any photographers around. She has posted it on her Instagram account a few times and I think she likes it too.

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Do I have a favorite photo of all the ones taken throughout my career? Absolutely. It's the moment when Tia Claire Toomey dominated the 2019 CrossFit Games season. At the CrossFit Games, she was crushing the events and when she crossed over the finish line, she had this incredible celebratory moment, flexing with pure joy. I was lucky to be in a spot where there were no other photographers around, and I captured that shot. It's a photo filled with emotion and perfectly captures that moment. It's definitely one of my favorites. I even had the honor of it being posted on Tia Claire Toomey's Instagram account multiple times, so I think she likes it too!

What have been some of the biggest challenges as you’ve gone from an iPhone photographer to a professional content creator?

Transitioning from iPhone photographer to professional content creator: The challenges of upgrading to a camera

What have been some of the biggest challenges you've gone from an iPhone photographer to a professional content creator? Well, first of all as an iPhone creator, it's pretty much just a point-and-shoot affair At least it was back then. The only thing I was really concerned about was getting my framing down learning composition, rule of thirds, all those type of things but going to an actual camera where you can change lenses and change settings. I had to worry about things like shutter speed ISO worrying about exposure, clipping highlights Everything just got exponentially a little bit more difficult, but it was something that I was willing to learn Not to say that shooting an iPhone is very elementary because the iPhone today, especially if you use a different app You can actually fine-tune those settings I just mentioned and the new iPhones today are killer devices that are just as good as a camera You

The biggest challenges of using an iPhone for photography is adjusting to the different settings such as shutter speed, ISO, and exposure clipping highlights compared to a point-and-shoot camera. Newer iPhones are now able to adjust these settings with apps, making it easier for photographers.

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The biggest challenges I encountered while transitioning from an iPhone photographer to a professional content creator were primarily related to the increased complexity of using an actual camera. As an iPhone photographer, it was mostly a point-and-shoot experience. I focused on framing, composition, and understanding concepts like the rule of thirds. However, when I started using a dedicated camera with interchangeable lenses and manual settings, things became more challenging. I had to learn about adjusting shutter speed, ISO, and managing exposure to avoid clipping highlights. It was a significant shift that required me to expand my knowledge and skills. That being said, I don't want to undermine the capabilities of shooting with an iPhone. Today's iPhones, especially when combined with specific apps, allow for fine-tuning settings similar to those on a camera. In fact, the latest iPhones are impressive devices that can rival dedicated cameras in terms of quality and functionality.

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