Seth Davis (Seattle Photographer)

Seth Davis is a photographer in Seattle, Washington. 

Originally from Oakland, California, Davis moved to the state of Washington as a young boy, spending time in various cities before ultimately settling in Seattle. 

“Growing up, life in those urban neighborhoods wasn’t perfect, but I have a lot of fond memories, and I still call those places home,” Davis says.

As a teenager, Davis was hyper-extroverted, a class clown who brought laughter to his classmates and headaches to his history teachers. 

“You see me now, and I’m talking to everyone,” says Davis, who on this particular evening has moved around Tai Pham’s Seattle event with a confident grace indicative of a man who knows himself.  

“But back in high school, I was like this, only ten times more.”

Yes, Davis shakes hands and transitions into and out of conversations effortlessly, but he is also a very mindful individual, just as adept at ceding the spotlight to those who find themselves in the lens of his camera. 

At the same time, Davis didn’t always possess an affinity for cameras and photography. 

During college, Davis was running a social media marketing company, helping brands achieve online relevance through creative marketing strategies.

In fact, it wasn’t until he was introduced to a colleague who did photography did the concept of shooting even cross his mind.  

“Back then, I was trying to find a good one [a wife], so my friend reaches out to me and he invited me to one of his shoots,” Davis explains, recalling a moment when his friend who goes by Shaheed Rahman asked him to accompany him to an event where he was photographing sultry bikini models.  

“I didn’t want things to be weird, so I asked him to tell people that I was his assistant.”

When Davis arrived at the event, he was shocked.

“The models were stunning. They were the most beautiful women I had ever seen,” he remembers. 

Although mesmerized by the surplus of beauty parading around the event, something far more pivotal to Davis’s future transpired that evening. 

“I encouraged my friend to shoot behind-the-scenes content for his social media in order to appeal to prospective clients,” Davis says. 

“The idea was that doing that type of content would give people an in-depth look into what he does, which would entice them to hire him.”

But after that night, growing a social media marketing company no longer appealed to Davis. 

That’s because that evening convinced him that actually shooting the content was far more fulfilling and rewarding. 

From there, Davis went out and bought a legitimate camera, and he never stopped shooting, constantly refining his craft in hopes of becoming a bona fide camerman. 

“That eventually led to more opportunities, like getting to work with NFL players on the Seattle Seahawks alongside my friend that got me into the business,” Davis shares. 

His career showing promise, the same friend who brought him to a quasi-bikini photoshoot then gave him one more piece of advice, urging Davis to devote more attention to photography instead of operating solely in the crowded landscape of videography.  

“In essence, he wanted me to master my camera,” Davis says.

Ironically, here in 2024, Davis almost exclusively shoots photography, his portfolio having evolved to now include some of Seattle’s most promising up-and-coming talent, including the aforementioned Tai Pham, who helps Asian men go from nice guys to kings. 

For context, before Davis ever turns on his camera, he sits down with his clients in order to fully understand what their objective is with their photo compilation, and how much money they’re looking to invest in a project.  

“So many people want to brand themselves for their business, so a popular package is an hourlong shoot where they receive twenty edited photos, plus an option for a one-minute video explaining their unique value proposition,” Davis explains. 

For reference, one does not need to have experience being photographed in order for Davis to create a personalized gallery that effectively showcases his client to their target audience.

“I can coach my clients on how to pose for the camera,” Davis mentions. 

“I do this in a way that is very authentic. I’m not asking them to be someone they’re not. It’s more about getting them into a headspace where they’re comfortable, and from there, their personality naturally comes out into each pose, which makes for the best photos.” 

At present, Davis is not engaged in a race to the bottom when it comes to how he prices his photography services. 

The former Oakland resident has been in the game long enough that he knows what kind of value he brings to the marketplace, which is why he charges $350 per hour, a figure that dissuades less sophisticated buyers from working with him, but simultaneously attracts seasoned professionals who comprehend just how paramount branding is to their long-term goals. 

“I get a lot of repeat business not only because people like the final products I deliver, but also because I build a genuine connection with my clients,” Davis says. 

“My clients know that they don’t have to think or worry about how the photos are going to turn out because I already know what they’re looking for. So much of that can be attributed to the fact that I understand who they are at their core, and that’s because I go out of my way to understand them long before I ever take their photo.”

Adds Davis:

“In taking this approach, I’ve learned that not everyone is going to be my client. Really, I encourage my clients to go and shoot with other photographers, to see what works for them as well as just to see how that experience goes.” 

“I’m never going to be that guy who gets upset when someone works with a different photographer, and the cool thing about that is because I lead with honesty and transparency, I win a lot of clients who prefer to just deal with a photographer who is straightforward, as opposed to someone who is more concerned with what they want versus what their clients need.”

In the coming years, Davis is aiming to have his business revolve exclusively around branded photo shoots, a strategy he believes, based on his undeniably impressive resume, will most benefit him and his clients. 

It’s a bold plan, walking away from some projects so that the main thing remains the main thing, but Davis, who in the years following witnessing scantily-clad starlets has since become happily married, is confident his vision will come to fruition.  

“I recently got married, so I want to make sure that my wife is provided for, and make sure that we have a good foundation for any kids that we bring into the world,” he says. 

“In that sense, photography is not just a hobby for me. It’s a business that I take extremely seriously, and because of that commitment and dedication to the craft and to my customers, I’m able to eat off that and live a great life.” QS

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