Ursula Mayes

As the sun rises, an alarm clock rings in Seattle as a cab is caught in New York. Soon, a conference call in Chicago kicks off as the second cup of coffee is poured in Philadelphia. In San Francisco, a meeting concludes as another begins in Washington — and somewhere, there’s a flash of light as a camera clicks.

As people constantly on the go, we experience the world at a high speed, fueled by rush-hour, multiple jobs, and to-do lists that could rival any ancient scroll in length.

With Starbucks coffee on our side, we whiz by moments and never fully soak in the experience or give it proper observation and analysis. Moving in fast-forward, so much of life easily becomes an undefined blur. Fortunately, modern times have brought on a phenomenon that has enabled a little bit of focus and allowed for moments, smiles, tragedies and triumphs to be captured for later reflection and enjoyment.

Enter Photography.

If a diamond is forever, then a photo never forgets, and although taken for granted by most, a world without photography would be like a world without e-mail. Since the invention of the camera, artists have reveled in the medium, experimenting, creating and honing the craft. Now, when an artist has complete command over the medium of choice, the brilliance of their work breaks through any and all standard techniques and precedence traditions.

Enter WildCard Photography.

Nikki Gray

“My work is always so unpredictable, and I pride myself on this fact.” With a distinctive style, the photographer, known by his clients as David, is the founder and enigmatic talent behind it all. The company was officially launched in December 2005, and today he works with many models as his portfolio continues to grow. The founding of WildCard was an unexpected development, since David’s only intention in the beginning was to follow a passion in which he excelled.

“I’m often asked why I chose the name ‘WildCard,’ when most photographers use the standard first-last name formula. Well, the answer is both simple and yet complex at the same time – I just wanted to be different.”

Since its founding, WildCard has established an exclusive image, as the photos have an unbelievably cinematic touch. A strong photojournalism background influences David’s approach. “Glamourtorial” is how he describes much of his beautifully real images that deliver mood, emotion and a sense of point in time. “It’s glamour combined with editorial,” he said.

His approach requires no additional light, just his talent and eye for visual composition. “In photojournalism, you have to work with what you’ve got and you have to deliver.” Thus, use of available natural lighting, various settings and a technique that remains mysterious all combine to create the movie-still-like depth of a WildCard image. “This way just makes sense to me,” he said. “I have never understood how you can be creative by always taking a formulaic approach.”

Victoria Alexeeva

Improvisational and spontaneous in his work, David never uses a contrived pose when photographing clients, and explains: “A wild-card can be anything and is something you never see coming – just like my shooting style, which is probably completely different from what you’ve seen from any other photographer before me.”

WildCard certainly sets the industry bar high and aims to eventually have photos featured in Vogue, W, Vanity Fair and National Geographic, known for their stunning photography. A notable publishing highlight includes an appearance in New Mobility Magazine for the Walking is a Privilege charity. WildCard was responsible for post-accident photos that portrayed a young paraplegic woman leading a fulfilling life.

After a January 2008 opening at the Infusion Gallery in Los Angeles, WildCard is also gearing up for future gallery events. Currently based in Miami, WildCard has hit New York, Los Angeles, and a number of other cities where memorable shoots have occurred. “An amazing day was photographing model Ursula Mayes in Laguna Beach,” he said. In November of 2006, a Las Vegas shoot yielded a set of photos even he did not expect. Then the opportunity came to capture the wedding day for two close friends where he really got back to his photojournalism roots.

Each shoot adds to his story-telling portfolio and become moments in WildCard history, characteristic only to themselves. “I never do the same thing twice,” he said, while believing that, in photography, it is vital to get to know your subject. “It’s important to establish a rapport with somebody, and everyone is different.” Leaving airbrushing in the dust, very little is ever actually done, and instead, David works with models to break away from traditional glamour and show their natural range.

Brittany Norris

Today, with the common accessibility to technology, any great pretender with a camera could announce their images as art, making it essential to recognize true professionals who reach new heights through their work — work that you can examine for yourself by visiting www.wildcardphotography.com. WildCard images also reside at Model Mayhem, One Model Place, and MySpace.

According to David, “a wildcard is never afraid to take chances, since, by definition, it has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Because of this, my work is bound by nothing, and herein lies its power.”

Speaking of power, one thing is certain. WildCard is in command and, like the latest Academy Award-winning film, a fresh source of inspiration in photography.