Interview With a Photographer | The Outbound Life
Where’s home?
The windy city - Chicago - home of the the best pizza ever, the Cubs, and the brutal kinds of winters that make you constantly question why you live in the Midwest.
What is the favourite place you’ve travelled to?
Probably British Columbia. You feel like you’re visiting Narnia, and everyone has good manners.
How did you get started as a photographer?
It was perhaps a bit reverse for Kody and I. We started by getting into filmmaking with dslr cameras, after a while, we realized that the same principles could be applied to photography and we’ve been hooked ever since.
What camera equipment / software / tech do you use? Any must haves?
Our camera equipment totally varies from project to project. For larger budget documentary work, we might use a RED camera, or a variety of Canon cameras ranging from their C line cinema cameras down to perhaps our current favorite, the 1dx Mark ii. For lower budget run and gun projects, we stick mostly with a canon 5d mark iii and a sony a7s ii. We edit video in Premiere pro, and photos in lightroom. My must have for photography is a good sturdy tripod, for video I always keep a glide cam by my side.
What photographers have influenced you, how you think and shoot?
Mainly photographers who I see pushing the bounds of modern day exploration. Guys like Jimmy Chin, Renan Ozturk, and Chris Burkard. Chris taught me the concept of suffering for your craft. As I’ve gotten to know him better in recent years, I’ve learned that being the best artist really comes down to being the best human being possible - things like knowing your values and having them shine through everything you create, or simply being someone who is pleasant to work with.
Any top tips for Instagram?
Understand your niche and stick to it. Don’t post a scenic picture one day, a selfie with your grandma the next, and a shot of your starbucks vanilla bean frappacino the next. Keep it simple. People want to follow someone who is an expert or inspires them in one narrow field.
What are you trying to communicate through your photographs?
Everything Kody and I create is done with the goal to bring hope to others. I hope that our imagery in combination with captions encourage others to reach a little further in life.
What motivates you to continue doing what you’re doing?
I believe we all can have an incredible impact in this world. There’s a quote that’s really stuck with me lately. “If you bring forth what’s within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you don’t bring forth what’s within you, what you don’t bring forth will destroy you”. It’s easy to hold back the creative genius inside of you, the path of least resistance typically wins. By leaning into my fears, and in turn giving birth to the things I imagine, I hope it can in some way inspire others to do the same.
Are you a bathroom singer?
Oh gosh, Lord knows I am. Shower singer, car singer, you name it.. Sometimes I just need a little Les Miserables encore to brighten my day (and potentially ruin the days of those trying to concentrate around me).
Do you have any advice for young aspiring photographers?
Go out and make as many mistakes as you can. Follow your curiosities and learn from them. Everyone who is regarded in their industry today was once an amateur. Enjoy the ride!
What are your goals for the future, regarding your work?
To continue spreading our message to impact as many people as possible. There’s a video series we’re going to announce soon. All I can say is I’ve never been more excited about anything in my life. Stay tuned, it’s going to be crazy :)
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