An Arkansas native, John David grew up in the small town of Hackett where his grandmother was the city librarian. He would spend hours sitting in the floor of the small one room library, looking at the photographs in back issues of National Geographic, LIFE, and Sports Illustrated. It was there that John David fell in love with photography.

John David attended the University of Central Arkansas where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication with an emphasis on Public Relations. After graduating in 2004, John David worked in media and client relations for a Little Rock based political consulting firm and then as an Account Manager for a Minneapolis based educational software company. In 2012, John David decided to leave the corporate world and combine his communication skills with his passion for photography. It was then that he transitioned into a full time editorial and commercial photography career. He soon began to draw the attention of creative decision makers locally, regionally, and nationally.

Known for a controlled sense of light and ability to quickly gain the trust of a wide range of subjects, John David interjects a unique sense of humanity into his portraiture. Routinely praised for being a dynamic creative partner, John David puts his clients at ease with his professionalism and ever present sense of humor.

In 2017, photography industry leader Profoto named John David a "Legend of Light."

John David also served as the primary marketing photographer for the NBC Peacock Original documentary, “Black Boys,” released in 2020, and works closely with the social justice focused production company, Never Whisper Justice.

John David is a special communication consultant to Blue Door Ministries, a non-profit providing hope and education to children in Kenya.

Partial Client List