My interest in how people live and wanting to document it in photos seemed quite similar to the ideas that got Mr Dearth started.
"It all started, I think, from the travel I did as a kid - that is to say my obsession with people, their cultures, and what makes them tick. " -Dearth
The questions I decided to ask were questions that I am currently struggling to pin point. Thank you Ryan Dearth for you kindness and advice!
#1. How did you narrow down the "genre" of photography that you decided to become your profession?
1. I kind of just fell into doing lifestyle photography – I started as a photojournalist and strived to tell real stories but graduated from school at the very beginning of the financial crisis when all of the major newspapers were folding. I eventually turned toward more setup scenes and had a knack for capturing real moments in setup environments. It was a good way for me to keep a sense of reality in my photos while having a bigger production happening.
#2. What was the best advice that you've received along the way in regards to your photography career?
2. Some of the best advice I ever got was from a mentor of mine early on. He told me to shoot EVERYTHING. Even if I was out skiing, or hiking with my friends, or eating dinner with family, shoot it. Shoot all the details. If you have a free hand you should have a camera in it. Sort out the crap later because it will help develop your eye and style as well as teach you what’s important. I still do the same thing today, but my success rate is much better in what photos I keep. Another good piece of advice came from famed internet photographer and friend Thomas Hawk (look him up, he’s awesome) – even when you’re in a creative rut, just shoot through it. Not only will you get through the rut faster, but you’ll come out much stronger.
#3. Was there ever a specific situation that was intimidating to you in the beginning?
3. It’s always tough. The more you learn about photography the more you realize you don’t know. Every year I gain so much experience and build entirely new bodies of work and every year I tackle projects that I never knew I could. It’s all scary, I’m not sure that ever goes away. But once again you come out stronger because of it. There will absolutely be failures – I fail daily, and I seem to succeed less often, but that’s all part of the game.
Maybe thats some of the best advice I can impart – get used to failure and rejection, and don’t take it personally because you will get 100 “No’s” for every “YES.” But when you do get that nod, it feels that much better. That, and don’t be afraid to reach out to people. Successful photographers don’t do it alone, they surround themselves by people who support them, and people who do specific things very well. Work smart, not hard.
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