David Eustace: In Search of Eustace

David Eustace just came out with a new personal project, "In Search of Eustace," this week in conjunction with the ANTHROPOLOGIST by Anthropologie.

David was born in Glascow, Scotland in 1961.  Prior to becoming a celebrity, portrait and fashion photographer, he served with the HM Royal Navy and then worked as a Prison Officer in Scotland's most notorious Prison HMP Barlinnie. 

David is a brilliant photographer who I have had the honor and pleasure of working with (once on the road) for two different magazine assignments.  He is one of the most heartfelt photographers I've met – honest and genuine – and it comes across in each of the images he creates.  The elegance of his portraits borders on classical painting as each person seems frozen in poetic moments when light, emotion, and pose all come together to reveal some deeper truth he discovered while connecting with his subject.  They are quiet but powerful pictures, and when looking at them, background noise seems to fall away. 

As with many photographers, David travels frequently – especially between New York and Glascow – for shoots.  Because of his travels, there have been gaps when he has missed spending time with his (now teenage) daughter Rachel.  This project – a documentation of his cross-country road trip with her – resulted out of his desire to spend time with her before she leaves home as a "grown-up."

Eustace describes the project:

Earlier this year I had a conversation with Anthropologies creative director Trevor Lunn and I'd mentioned I was planning on taking Rach on a road trip. My reasons for this were many. In part to give her a vacation after all the hard work she had put in during her higher exams, to allow her to see some of the wonders of the USA and also to give her the opportunity to create a portfolio prior to applying for art school. My work means I travel a lot and one of the downs of this is I have missed a great deal of time watching Rachael growing up. Therefore there was another reason for this trip and it was a rather selfish one. I realised this trip maybe one of the last chances I have to enjoy Rach's company for a constant "whole" 3 weeks as she is daily spreading her wings more and more. As her father I of course not only support her desire to create her own life out with ours but actively encourage her to have the confidence to go and leave the nest with the knowledge we will be here for her if need be.

Including portraits taken by both father and daughter as well as memorabilia from the trip and letters after their return, we are invited on their personal journey together...

 

 All photographs (c) David and Rachel Eustace.