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I tumbled into photography while I was struggling to stay in New York after arriving from India with less than a dollar in my pocket and a visa that only lasted a month. In 1968, my plans were to become a fold singer; New York City was full of hippies and music was everywhere. This lady was listening to me sing in the village and asked me if I would come and audition at the United Nations’ choral group. I got the part and she got me a job as a messenger and took care of my visa problem. I won the grand spires in a photo-contest that led me to a job in the United Nation’s Photo Unit as a darkroom technician.

I had worked for 20 years as a photojournalist and I had a nervous breakdown after my coverage in Rwanda in 1994. At that point, I wanted to turn my camera towards nature and wildlife. Since I come from India and tigers are endangered, I decided to turn my photography towards documenting the tigers. I am also very fond of cats.

This tiger documentary was a coincidence. Mary Fereira who is a United Nations Television (UNTV) documentary producer approached me and asked if I would be willing to share my tiger images and let them follow me while I was in the jungle in India and film with me. So last year they did the filming in India. During the 30 years I worked with the United Nations, I was a photojournalist covering crisis around the world of less fortunate people who suffered during wars and natural disasters. So to be featured as a wildlife photographer was a challenge and thrill.

I want people to be aware of the delicate situation of these tigers existence in our ever changing world and needs. I want people to realize that we all have an obligation to protect our wildlife and the land we live in. There is an ancient saying that this Earth is given to us on loan and we must take the responsibility to nurture and safekeep it for our children and their children.

Even though I have retired from my regular job as a photojournalist, I still work everyday in my studio in Yonkers. I make presentations at universities, schools, conduct workshops, and teach photography. As I am writing this, I am getting ready to leave for China on an invitation to make a presentation to 1,400 students in Beijing next week.

To see more of John Isaac’s work, visit his website: www.johnisaac.com

We are excited to introduce David, a support and project manager, to you today! He has been with the team for eight years and loves the fact that liveBooks enables artists to display their beautiful work while making a living doing what they love to do. In his free-time, you can find David playing with his daughter, DJing or producing music. (Listen to some of his great music here!)

Quick Facts: 
Hometown: Boulder, Colorado
Favorite liveBooks 8 Feature: Control! Every detail of your site can be adjusted and customized within the new editor. This allows our clients to really brand their sites and stand out.
Favorite TV Show: Stranger Things
Pet: Babadook (a betta fish!)

Adding forms to your liveBooks8 website is an easy and effective way to get in contact with your clients. Whether your clients need to get in touch with you regarding quotes or want to send you a direct message regarding your work, the liveBooks8 platform makes it simple for you to add a form to any page on your website. In order to add a custom form to your website, we suggest you use Wufoo, an HTML form-builder that we offer a connection to. Follow the steps in this instructional video that outline how to sign up for a Wufoo account, create a custom form, and embed it to your liveBooks8 site.

To start creating your custom form, follow this link: www.wufoo.com.

Is there a new liveBooks feature that you are excited to learn more about? Email us at social@livebooks.com.

Gustavo Paixão began his career in photography eight years ago while he was in college. The last five of those years were focused in the fashion industry. While growing up, he loved fashion and dreamed of becoming a fashion photographer. Fast-forward to today and he has now achieved his goal of becoming one of Brazil’s top fashion photographers. He truly enjoys seeing the idea of a great photoshoot running through his team. The combination of the clothes, makeup, photographic references, and the concept all coming together is a fabulous idea for him!

To see more of Gustavo Paixão’s work visit his liveBooks 8 website: www.gustavohpaixao.com

Q: How would you describe the aesthetic of your website in three words?

GP: There are three key words that describe the style of my website: simple, easy, and fast. I was looking for something easily accessible for those who wanted to see my portfolio with a friendly and soft interface. After spending my time looking for web designers, I visited the liveBooks8 website, saw the templates and it was love at first sight. It had exactly what I wanted.

Q: How often do you typically update your website?

GP: As I’m busy with the photography workshops, I’m taking a break from the portfolio actualization. But normally, I update my portfolio monthly.

Q: How do you choose the photos that you display on your homepage?

GP: I’m a perfectionist when it come to my work. I choose the pictures that will go on my portfolio according to the quality of the makeup, clothes, retouch and the time they were taken. It’s not good to choose old pictures because a more experienced professional can note the difference in quality from one work to another. Believe me – your work quality may change a lot in 6 months!

Q: What is your favorite new feature of liveBooks 8?

GP: I love the full customization so much!

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to someone designing their website?

GP: Pay attention to all the customization options. Although the templates look simple, all of them offer a lot of features to make your website look more professional!

Have a website you’d like us to feature? Email us at social@livebooks.com.