Name? Damian Davila (Instagram: @damiandavilaphoto)
Where are you from? Born and Raised and still living on the same house in Rosarito Baja California, Mexico.
What got you into becoming a photographer? I think when I was a teenager seeing my friends getting barreled I was like, "wow! I wish I had a camera so I can take a picture of you getting barreled it looked so epic!" Back then in the 90s, it was so hard to own a camera especially if you're just a kid with no job and money. So every time I had like $10bucks, I went to Walmart and bought those disposable water proof cameras and tried to shoot. Then I went to develop them and some came out "cool" and the rest came out really crappy, haha, but we were really excited because we had water shots!
How long have you been shooting/doing wave/wave riding photography? Started playing music, then I got back into the photography around 2008 and then I finished school, and I started again around 2010. Ever since, I've been trying to do it full time for a living, but its so hard!
What is your ideal set up when shooting? I like SPL housings for water photography because they resist "bombs" but man they are so expensive! I like to use the fish eye for barrel shots and also 50mm for more "flat" images with sharp objects and blurry backgrounds... and for land sometimes I use my 50mm for landscapes and my 70-200mm for action shots.
What cameras are at your disposal? I use canon 60d for water and land, and I also have a canon 7d (cant afford housing for this one)
Favorite breaks to shoot?(Can choose not to share the exact name of the break, but please just be general i.e. Baja, Mexico, Hawaii, South San Diego) My favorite spot to shoot is right here in front of my house in Rosarito, its the heaviest around the region and lots of action going on when its big. I also love Cabo Shorebreak i get to go every summer for CABO FREAK FEST with Manny Vargas to work with him. So I guess anything that is Big and Barrels its my favorite spot.
Shout outs? Yes Thank you to all the people that has been involved in my photography and my career and believing in me and my work. In no particular order some of these beautiful people are My Family, My wife Lisa, Manny Vargas, Mark McNaught, Eric Mehlberg, Big Tony, Justin Cote, Steve Sherman, Fernando Robles, Henry Rodriguez, Javier Valenzuela, Chris Corona, Tony Wodarck, Peter Taras, Steve Sawitz, Joe Foster, Norma Gruel, Marcela Montemayor, Benito del Aguila, Grant Ellis and if I forgot about a few you know you are in my thoughts! Haha and of course all the surf photographers in the world I owe it to you!
Sponsors? I don't have like real Sponsors but some brands have helped me out on this journey like Hurley, BBR Mag, Volcom, Super Brand, and Body Glove, I would love to have a real sponsor if anyone would like to help me out :)
Any words of advice when getting in wave/wave riding photography? Go Big!! I'll be there to capture the moment! If you don't go you would never know what would happen!