BIO

Doug Heslep

“With camera in hand, I strive to capture the true essence and energy of each individual, product, and location that I photograph. And even after thirty-five plus years, I still approach each assignment, and canvas, with my passion and drive still in check. I can honestly say, I truly love what I do, and I am definitely pursuing my life the way it’s intended to be.”

With previous experience in Florida, Texas, California, and Nevada, Photographer Doug Heslep as of July, 2022, has returned and is again offering his services in Winter Park (Orlando), Florida. The areas of expertise within his creative photography are Fashion, Editorial, Modeling, Acting, Beauty, Musicians, Product, Advertising, Culinary, Architectural, and Professional Portraiture. And not to ignore sharing his interest in Photographic Fine Art, whereas he has over 40 exhibits to date on his resume. Overall, Doug has over 35 years studio and on location experience, which is complimented by his prior undergraduate degree and advanced graduate studies in photography from Sam Houston State University, located in Huntsville, Texas. And to qualify the last part of the last sentence, Doug is a thesis shy of his Photography Master’s Degree. With his circumstances at the time taking priority, he stopped after obtaining 30 of the 36 college credit hours necessary to complete his graduate studies. Rather than another 6-12 months doing thesis research and acquiring additional debt, he decided it made more sense to grab the reigns and begin his career. A choice that would be better overall since he also had the responsibility of taking care of his son, whom he been already raising as a single parent. Besides, he felt the most the shingle could benefit him was in the educational field, and that wasn’t his goal. Which is obvious with the content of this, and his other websites. He also promised himself he would make the genre of his thesis study, which was in the realm of black and white infrared, the basis of his first art show. Which he did a couple of years after relocating from Dallas in late 1988 with his son to the sunny and beautiful coast of Southwest Florida.

Doug enjoys being a people person, and thrives on the interaction with his clients, and muses. No matter the experience level, he strives to bring out the personality, character, and optimum details, of whomever, or whatever is in front of his lens. In his experienced opinion, he feels this is what makes an image believable and marketable. His goal is to provide imagery specific and unique to the individual, subject matter, or brand he is working with. No cookie-cutter sessions allowed! Accused of being a perfectionist, he doesn’t believe in the term, “that’s good enough”, for as a general rule his goals are to deliver beyond expectation. Normally brought in to work on a project because of his ability to conceptualize and finalize, Doug is a team player and welcomes collaborating with others who represent your best efforts. He engages the highest levels of respect and professionalism as his top priority.

On more of a personal, closing note…
Doug, per the previous mention above, became a single parent early on in his career, and it even pre-dated the start of his graduate school studies in 1986. His son, Alex, now forty-one and a dad himself (I soooo love my granddaughter!), was hitched to his side since the age of fourteen months, and dredged right on along thru it all with him until Doug shipped him off to college. Along the way, Doug even managed to coach Alex’s little league baseball team for five seasons, which definitely made for very long days and nights, but in his heart it was all worth every effort. Then there was the every Thursday night, since Alex was eight years old, and for the following twelve years, that they played Ultimate Frisbee together as a team sport. Doug is proud to have been a dedicated and loving parent, and considers this to be the largest influence on who he is today, molding him both personally, and of course indirectly within his career.

Obviously being a well rounded team player, Doug is definitely someone you want on your sideline.