Photographer Dan Schuman Shooting Straight from the Hip in Florida

The first thing you might notice when you watch our interview with Dan Schuman is…he’s got GREAT hair. I mean…REALLY great hair. But keep watching, and you’ll find that underneath that boyish messy mop, is a wise, humble, super cool, and laid back but solid photographer. Maybe it’s that Florida weather and slow Southern pace that makes him so enviably chill. Or maybe it’s just that he knows he’s doing exactly what he wants with his life. For someone who picked up photography after tackling an MBA and law school, Schuman’s work shows no sign of those rather rigid career choices. He’s traded law books for the lens, and has found a niche in skateboard and music photography, as well as mining for street art that captures the varying sentiments of the times. His unique eye shows that he’s a true lover and appreciator of what he shoots.

Anyone who’s ever tried to enter a photography scene as an unknown with no connections, knows it can be painstaking and soul crushing. But Dan has shown that consistency, perseverance, and hard work actually can pay off. After finishing his MBA and law school in New York, Dan returned to his native Florida, where his desire to get into music photography began. Finding that he couldn’t just waltz into a venue and start snapping, he started doing, in his words, a “shit ton” of research. He sought out publications, PR companies, and record labels who would give him a shot. He finally caught a break when a small local pub called “Tampa Bay Is Awesome” asked him to shoot for them. Cut to six years later, and he’s now the Director of Photography for the Gasparilla Music Foundation.*

Perhaps because Schuman found it so difficult to find people kind enough to help him on his photography journey, he’s now become a mentor to other aspiring photographers, just like me! Recently, Mossy Ross and I had the opportunity to sit down and record an interview with Dan, which is posted on our brand new shiny Patreon Channel, Breedfix. We invite you to join our community on Patreon, as we’ve uploaded 45 Ask Breed Podcasts, and are currently diving in to bring you more artists, more interviews, Zoom meet-ups with industry creatives, and so much more!

The Gasparilla Music Foundation is a non-profit organization, which supports music and education in the Tampa Bay Area. You can learn more about the ways this festival gives back to the Tampa Bay community at: Gasparillamusic.com Executive Director: David Cox