Meet Ray Dobson | Film Photographer & Consultant

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

Hi Ray, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I hail from Los Angeles, California. While being from LA certainly had a lasting impact on the person, and creative, that I am today, I was equally as influenced by my family and community that raised me. With both parents teaching art and design in higher education, I was always encouraged to find mediums that worked well for how I saw the world. This appreciation paired with a hard working mindset from immigrant parents cultivated a strong theme of uniqueness and individuality that I still work to uphold today.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve always loved taking photos since a young age. It’s always felt like my medium but there was a point where it felt stale. As the story often goes, I found my parent’s film camera from their days in art and design school and it’s been nonstop since then.

Engaging in film photography wasn’t just new and exciting to me, it tackled the core of why I love taking photos in the first place. With so much more intention and care required, film photography was also a deeply tangible medium. I could hold the original photo in my hands and feel a deeper connection to the work I made. There was no “edit in post” or “magically removing crowds”, the proof was in the celluloid.

Film has massively accelerated my growth in photography. I’ve since ventured into even larger formats with large format film photography being the next challenge. It’s an even slower process but results in quality that rivals cutting edge cameras.

The work that I create aims to validate film for everyone. Film is not just reserved for disposable cameras and polaroids, it was the source of almost every single photo before digital cameras. It’s tangible, beautiful, and unique in many ways.

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?
There way too many things in LA but there a few must-do’s.

Quick plug, but Race Service on the first Friday of the month is a great place to be. With our curated Rise and Shine (cars & coffee) event each month, it really encapsulates the LA Creative Automotive scene with a great community around it.

I firmly believe that LA has some of the most diverse food options you can find anywhere. Koreatown, West LA, the San Gabriel Valley, and the greater LA area contains everything you could think of. From curries to pastas to noodle dishes, there are too many places to name. One item that is a must-have is a street taco from virtually any street side stand. Street tacos symbolize home for me and it’s always the first thing I get when I come home from travels.

Other than that, the neighborhood of Silverlake is a favorite to walk through. It’s hard to find areas where each home in uniquely different and with so much character. Either that, or a nice, long drive up highway 1. Both are fan favorites.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, I want to shoutout my family. My parents, brothers, and pets have all worked hard to support one another and being able to come home to a lively home helps wonders in keeping me sane and satisfied.

I’d also like to shoutout Race Service. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to flourish creatively so quickly. They’ve provided me a second family and creative environment that speaks to everything I enjoy about art and design

Website: raydobson.com

Instagram: rdobsn

Youtube: ray dobson (rdobsn)