I get a lot of questions from artists at DBH about how to promote their art and get get noticed. And it seems that people tend to get stuck on the idea of “art promotion” needing to be a complex thing. The truth is, sometimes it’s as simple as grabbing a camera and some good friends. Steve Dominguez, aka SaltySteveD, caught our eye a couple weeks ago when his color filled photographs started showing up on Instagram. We sat down with (aka emailed) Steve to ask him about his photoshoot.

DBH: So what prompted your shoot?

S: I recently took up photography as yet another hobby. Not only was the shoot good practice but I thought it would make me look more professional. But mostly it was just to have fun; I hadn't seen some of these guys in months so it was a real joy just to hang out.

DBH: Seemed like the people in your photos were friends, can we get a roll call?

S: The girl in the Hippos shirt is my wonderful girlfriend Ash. Josh, Tucker and Chelsea are all good friends of mine while Skylar I met the day of the shoot. However he's also a photographer and had several good tips tricks up his sleeve. I HAD to include Josh and Tucker; the two of them together are unpredictable in the best ways.

DBH: Whose idea was that Savior ET pose?

S: I think it was Tucker who randomly started doing it without any prompting. I was immediately on board. Aside from being an obvious spoof of "The Creation of Adam" it was also a sign of how goofy of a time we all had.

DBH: Tell us a bit about the location you shot in.

S: My "day job" is currently in Downtown Dallas which is literally on the other side of the tracks as Deep Ellum. I'm in the area often and it always feels like an escape from the daily grind. It's also been the host of some local art shows I've been a part of. I'm hoping to influence the area as much as it has influenced me.

DBH: What has the reaction been to the photos so far?

S: I think very positive! I'm still an unknown but I feel they've brought in a few more followers than I wouldn't have had otherwise.

DBH: Are you planning to use the photos to promote your work anywhere in addition to on Instagram?

S: I've already done so. Almost all of my pages via Facebook, Twitter and even Twitch utilize shots in some way. I think they help me stand out more as a solo artist.

And there you have it, a day out with friends and a (relatively) simple way to help promote your work. You can purchase your own DBH products at a discounted rate (basically what it costs us to make them) by making sure you’re logged into your artist account when you checkout.

If you’re (hopefully) inspired to get out and take some pictures of your own, we want to see them! Tag us on pretty much any social platform with @designbyhumans.

You can check out SaltySteveD’s DBH store here, or follow him on Instagram here.