Dávid Hosszú

From Technical Lines to Light

As a child, photography meant no more to me than to any other kid. In my family, it was strictly about preserving memories, completely lacking any artistic intent. Drawing was the closest I came to creation, simply for the joy of it.

When choosing a career, this creative side, combined with the childhood experience of building our family home, guided me toward a technical school for construction. There, freehand drawing was quickly replaced by technical drawing. My high school years were defined by lines, cross-hatching, and floor plans; I only drew freehand sketches on the margins of my textbooks for fun.

The Nikon D3000 and Swiss Landscapes

Photography reappeared in my life around 2010 when my brother bought a DSLR camera. At first, I didn’t understand the need for such a heavy, complex camera during the compact digital camera boom, but when he upgraded, he passed his old camera body down to me.

Pure curiosity drove me: I photographed everything in my path. I was quickly captivated by the world of depth of field, exposure, and interchangeable lenses. I used that Nikon D3000 until 2016. Meanwhile, I finished school, started working in Hungary, and soon moved to Switzerland. Here, I focused on shooting stunning landscapes and experimenting, but portraiture and event photography only came into focus much later.

1,500 Kilometers Every Two Weeks for Knowledge

Around 2020, I reached a crossroads: either take photography seriously or give it up. I chose the former. Although I had been shooting for ten years, I felt I needed to start from the basics.

Since professional certification isn’t required in Switzerland, state-backed foundational courses didn't really exist; there was a huge gap between short commercial courses and university art degrees. Therefore, I chose a state-certified OKJ vocational training in Hungary, which was still a mandatory foundation for the profession at the time. It took a serious commitment: I traveled 1,500 kilometers every two weeks to attend intensive weekend practical classes on just a few hours of sleep. It was worth it. I realized I was no novice, which gave me a massive confidence boost, and I grew tremendously as a professional. The experience still shapes my vision today.

Connecting from Behind the Lens

This was also when portrait and event photography became part of my life. As an introvert, connecting with people didn't always come easily, and I often felt self-conscious in groups. Yet, I always craved shared experiences, and it was likely this inner challenge that drew me to photographing people.

After some initial stumbling, I now confidently direct the process from behind the lens. The camera gives me a reason to ask, listen, and open up. This shift has brought new connections and friendships into my life. I’ve learned to make my voice heard and take control of the environment to capture the exact vision I imagined - whether it’s a carefully crafted portrait or a candid, fleeting moment.

Planning is a crucial part of my work, as I like to arrive at every photoshoot with a clear vision. However, the real magic begins when the flesh and blood person stands before me. I have learned that careful preparation, such as creating mood boards and planning light setups, does not limit me. Instead, it provides a secure foundation for spontaneity. During the shoot, this allows me to freely and uninhibitedly shape the details, finely tuning the concept to the model’s personality.

Reference photos, for instance, are a great starting point for poses, but they need to be tailored every single time so that the movements fit the subject naturally. I have a proven trick for this: I always describe the direction I imagined in words first, and I only show the visual reference as a last resort. When it comes to spontaneous movements, I look for those tiny gestures, and even those little imperfections, that might make a pose less than textbook perfect, but in return make it unique, genuine, and instantly recognizable.

The majority of my portraits are created as black and white images, whether using digital or analog technology. This is the world where I feel most at home, and it is the form of expression I feel closest to when it comes to portraying people. Although colors can sometimes have an important role and informational value in a face or an outfit, they are rarely essential in a portrait. My creative philosophy is simple: if something can be omitted, I remove it. For me, the play of light and shadow illuminating the human face, and their pure relationship, is far more significant, while colors often only distract from this deeper visual experience.

Beyond photography, I am interested in many other things that might also spark your curiosity. As I mentioned earlier, I built this website myself. Web development and programming have become increasingly exciting for me over the past few years, as in this world practically nothing is impossible and only our own imagination sets the limits to what we can create.

For instance, I created the Spot Sketch web application, which is a practical documentation tool for analog photographers, especially when using the large format technique and a spot meter. You can place the results of the measurements on a reference photo, and then by moving the values within Ansel Adams' zone system, the application also suggests exposure settings. In addition to the measurement data, information regarding the camera, lens, or film type and notes can also be recorded in a final document. At first glance it might seem like a minor detail, but in analog photography where exif and metadata are not automatically saved, it is a huge help that all important information is saved into a single, easily cataloged and printable file. Furthermore, you can easily replace the reference photo later with your scanned, finished image.

On the Journal↗ page, the desire to publish that lives inside me finds its way out. This is where I collect my thoughts, interesting facts related to photography, art, and technology, or where I introduce other inspiring artists to you.

Environmental protection is also a defining part of my life. We previously launched a podcast dealing with this, but we had to realize that the two of us were not enough for such a large task. Because of this, this initiative is currently on hold, but my long term goal is to organize a media community that provides reliable and verified information about the connections between our lifestyle and the state of the planet. I would like this platform to help dispel the many misconceptions that surround environmental actions.

My project, called Planet Resonance, is loosely connected to environmental awareness and the protection of our planet. This will be a channel dedicated to environmental sounds and videos, providing high-quality audio recordings for meditation, work, or sleep, sourced from nature and the acoustically rich world around us. I hope to launch this project publicly during the final months of 2026 or in the first half of 2027.

Interested in any of these projects? Want to see the process or take part in one of them? Feel free to send me a message, subscribe, or follow along to see what I’m working on next.