Meet Doug Krantz | Photographer & Videographer

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

Hi Doug, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I was one of those creative kids who always needed and would search for an outlet to express myself creatively. I had a toy camera that took real photographs by the time I was three years old, and have boxes and boxes of film negatives from elementary school days all the way up through the present. A camera seemed like a natural extension of my arm, and this need to capture and preserve moments has fueled me for most of my life. There were times a long the way where I thought pursuing something outside of the arts was the safer, easier bet, but somehow I always ended up getting pulled back to my camera, to art, to this creative need to share what I saw in my mind and freeze it forever. Through my camera, I’ve been fortunate enough to explore other avenues and bring additional creative skills and elements to my work. It’s an incredible freeing, relieving and fulfilling feeling when you can finally look around you and know that where you are, and what you’re doing, is exactly right. Pursuing an artistic career isn’t always the easiest or the straightest line, but when you’re finally at a place to be present and doing what you’ve always loved, it’s one of the most amazing feelings in the world.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art started mostly in photography, though in the last few years since graduating it’s come to encompass photo, videography and graphic design. It’s always fun to me that through my photography, I was able to develop my skillsets in other areas that I enjoy. I think one of the things that sets me apart is the care I put into my capturing my subjects. I love what I do, and I think that comes through in my work. Color and composition are two of my strengths and I have an eye for capturing the normally unseen moments. I’ve found so much enjoyment in the beauty of an in-between moment.

I think I got to where I am today through perseverance and hard work. When I moved to California to finish my Bachelor’s Degree, I felt focused and knew that I HAD to be a part of the music industry – and being entirely untalented musically – I knew that my artwork would be the gateway into the world I wanted to be a part of. As corny as it sounds, patience is a virtue. And even in the lowest moments – like hearing from a college back home that I should consider changing majors and finding a different discipline – I would find some inner patience to just keep pushing through the bad and focusing on what I saw as my ultimate goal. I think this ties into the lessons I’ve learned as well – you have to be willing to take risks, you have to be willing to put in hard work, and you ultimately have to be patient and just keep hustling because nobody is going to do it for you.

I would want the world to know that I truly love what I do and that I never want to be stagnant in my art and I want to continue to grow and elevate my work.

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?
I am not good at visiting the traditional “tourist” sites around LA. I’ve lived here for six years and there’s still so many spots that I haven’t seen myself. However, if someone was coming to visit, I’d definitely take them to some of my favorite spots which include the Los Feliz area – I love it over there. House of Pies and the Los Feliz 3, what more could you need?! El Tejano in NoHo is another favorite spot of my mine, having lived in Texas before coming out here, it is a nice little taste of home. The Getty Museum is also a must-see in my opinion.

For drinks, I’m not huge on nightclubs, but Club Tee Gee in Glendale is a dope little spot for drinks and karaoke. Sassafras in Hollywood is another cool spot that I used to frequent in the pre-Covid days.

I also think few things compare to making a driving playlist and just cruising down the PCH.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d love to dedicate my shoutout to Katie & Jo. I’m a better creative and a better person because of the two of them and the work we continue to do.

Website: www.dougkrantzphotography.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-krantz/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/emardoug