Why We Print: Photographer Mark Doyle

Author: Libby - Printique by Adorama

Welcome to the next edition of ‘Why We Print,‘ our ongoing interview series where we get to know photographers of all kinds to learn more about what motivates and inspires their photography, and of course, create amazing prints and photobooks.

In this interview, we speak with photographer Mark Doyle about his vision and inspiration.

How did you start your photography career?

I never went to school for photography. I’m self-taught. I was a big movie guy when I was younger and I always wanted to be a cinematographer and screenwriter. So my interest in photography started there. I was in motion picture photography at first. I took some classes on cinematography at NYU and watched just about every movie I could get my hands on. I worked on a few indie movies and shot a couple of small shorts and features. As I made the transition to still photography, I wanted to learn a type of photography I felt would be the most challenging at first. I was a big music fan. Mostly Heavy Metal but all types of music really. I started to look around and found a publication out of Canada. I emailed the publisher and asked if I could shoot some shows here in NY. He didn’t have anyone shooting for him here so he hired me and off I went.

Why do you print?

I print a lot of my work. Some I do for clients, some I do for myself. I have also printed many photo portfolios over the years to showcase my work. I also love to print stuff to hang in my apartment. Looking at my work around my apartment just makes me feel good. I’ve also printed some photos of my daughter’s favorite bands and printed some Mets shots for my son. He’s a big Mets baseball fan and I have shot some games over the past few years. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing your work hanging in your kids’ rooms.

mark doyle portfolio book by printique — Photo Credit: Mark Doyle Photography / Photo Book: Printique

Where do you find photography inspiration?

I am always on the hunt for a great image. I can get inspiration at any moment. It can be when I’m shooting a concert, and event, walking down the street with my camera. I’m inspired from the moment I pick up the camera and start to shoot.

What projects are you currently working on?

I do a lot of black and white to color and restoration work. I’m currently working on some black and white photos of some old baseball players. I also feel you need to be doing a lot of things other than just photography. I’m interested in coloring old black and white photos and see how they print. In many instances, these photos haven’t been printed in over 100 years. It’s very cool to bring them back to life! I’m also working on a few portrait series in my studio.

I also have an Ebay Store where I sell my photography. I fulfill the print orders with Printique.

What advice would you give to a photographer just starting out?

Just go out and shoot. Build a solid website and constantly update it. It’s important to take yourself through the process of looking, shooting, editing and printing the image. I feel you need to do all of those things constantly in order to really understand the process and to really get good at the craft.