Student Interview - Capturing Ocean Photography Prints With Lukas Griffin
1. What made you choose this career?
My journey as a photographer began in 2009. At this time, I was co-running a surf school at Llangennith Beach, in the south of Wales.
One day, we were out in the water, teaching a small group of students to surf. I can remember thinking how much fun we were all having, laughing together and enjoying every moment of the session.
I turned to my partner and asked him if he would mind if I went out and bought a waterproof camera, for the business, so I could bring it along with me to future sessions. I wanted to capture the candid moments of laughter and passion for learning the art of surfing on camera.
He agreed so, that night, I went out and purchased a compact waterproof camera. Then, the next day came and I couldn't wait to start shooting the care-free moments that filled our sessions.
Soon after, I found myself falling in love with photography. Before that point, I had never given ocean photography wall art much thought, but in those moments of shooting so freely out in the water, I felt the passion to learn more, growing.
From that moment on, I knew that I was going to be a photographer. Photography was undoubtedly going to become a huge part of my life, and it has.
Since that moment, many years have passed, but the feelings that I had in those moments have never left my side. In moments of doubt, and mixed opinion of my deciding to become a professional photographer, I just knew that photography was something that I needed to pursue.
2. What are some of your inspirations?
Over the years, I have discovered much about myself and the art which I would like to produce.
I am inspired by people interacting with their natural surroundings, enjoying the free moments in time, and doing the things that they love to do most. More specifically, I take inspiration from the diversity of the earth, the mountains, the ocean, the wildlife, and the changing light.
Ultimately, the essence of freedom is what my ocean photography wall art represents. The earth is a beautiful place and I love being able to capture its vast landscape while sharing the moments that could take your breath away.
Much of my inspiration comes from various forms of art. From the writings of; Rumi, Kahlil Gibran, and Epictetus to artists such as Peter Lik, Jun Cha, Banksy, Max Wanger, Rodney Smith, Paul Nash, Frank Stella, and Sol LeWitt.
Alongside written works, much of my creative flow is engineered by musicians, such as; Jules Ahoi, Arcade fire, Kygo, The Police, Max Manie, The Tallest Man on Earth, M83, and Van Morrison.
Inspiration can be taken from different types of artists, but music specifically is an art form that helps me to feel connected and in-tune with the environment. I tend to listen to music when I shoot, as well as during the post-processing stage, as I edit my images.
Originality can come from re-interpretation. It is a beautiful thing, to be able to take a form of inspiration and to create something new from an enlightened perspective. One thing that I have learned over the years, is that art is transferable.
Ultimately, each of us conveys similar or identical characteristics throughout different art forms. Whether we are; writing, painting, photographing, or just being with another human. It's ultimately the same art and expression, just being translated uniquely.
I tend to look for inspiration everywhere and in everything and when the moment hits, where things feel right to you, that is the direction which you should follow.
3. Did you know at my age that you wanted to be an ocean photographer?
When I was young, I wasn't sure what I wanted to become. I have always loved astronomy and nature, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with these interests.
I attended careers meeting with a guidance counselor when I was about 16 years old. During the meeting, I explained that I wanted to be a diver. I was told that this wasn't a stand-alone job and that I would need to pursue a sustainable career alongside this interest.
The moral of the story is that you should never let anyone tell you that you cannot do something. You can do anything you put your mind to, just look around, and you will see that people do it in all areas of life. With passion, hard work, commitment determination, you can achieve anything.
I would suggest talking to the people who have followed their passions and have made it work. That is where you will aid your life experience and understand your true direction.
If truth be told, I wish that I could have had someone to show me what awaited me in the world of photography. I was in my mid-twenties before I found this part of myself and that was when I truly began my journey to discovering what I was capable of.
I knew from a young age that 9-5 kind of work just wasn't for me. To me, it didn't make sense just working towards no motivational goal. To work without passion was not an option that I wanted to pursue. I needed to spend my time doing things that I loved. The thought of having to work in an area that I didn't enjoy, troubled me deeply earlier on in life.
At the time I turned to my elders for advice. I was told that the reality I was facing was just part of life and at some point, everyone will have to face this reality. As a young adult, I could not accept this answer to be the be-all and end-all to my dreams. I realized that dreams and passions can be followed with hard work and commitment.
For many people who live with an open mind and endless determination, goals and dreams can become a reality, but it is important to remember that everything in life has to be earned. Nothing is given for free. It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance.
I knew that if I wanted to become a professional photographer, it would be a challenge. I would face bumps in the road, moments of doubt, and mixed options from others, but none of that would weigh in the balance, so long as I continued to believe in myself, stay true to myself and do what I love.
At your age, I didn't quite understand that I really could do anything, be anything that I wanted to be. I assumed that we were all limited by the talent we were given or the understanding we had at that moment in time.
The quote “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” by Stephen King resonates with me, as I believe this to be true.
As a young man with your sights set, my life advice would be to always ask questions. Asking questions is the key to knowledge, but allow yourself to be open to interpretation with the answers you receive.
For example, if someone suggests that you cannot do something, or that you should try it another way, listen to their advice, but also listen to your inner-self and your judgment. You have to learn to know what to keep and what to let go of.
It’s a balancing act, and process, to figure what information to take and which to leave behind, that's why you have to be thoughtful about the people you approach and ask for advice. Just ask yourself, do I aspire to be like this person?
It's important to remember that everyone has a unique perspective and their own opinion on any given subject. It can be very hard to cut through the noise sometimes, but nobody can tell you what is inside yourself better than you can. Who you want to be and what you want to achieve is entirely up to you.
4. When did you start your career in ocean photography?
My career as an ocean photographer took its true form in 2009/2010, during my travels across the globe. At this time, I focused solely on my ocean photography wall art, even though I hadn't yet landed a paid gig at this early stage.
I decided that I wanted to try and earn money in exchange for providing my skills as a photographer. Ocean photography is a huge passion of mine, as my first true encounter began in the water.
None the less, I wanted to expand my skillset into a service that I could offer, to earn for my work. So, I decided to upload an advert on Craigslist, advertising myself as a portrait and wedding photographer.
My first paying gig was for a maternity shoot, of which I earned around $50.00 for my time and work. Shortly afterward in just a matter of weeks, I managed to book my first wedding gig for $300.
Over time, I gained experience and confidence in myself when using a camera in this new way. The paying gigs began to snowball, so I charged around $600 for the next gig, and shortly afterward, I was earning $1000 per-gig.
The earnings continuously increased and so did my reputation as a wedding photographer based in LA. I traveled all over the states, shooting weddings in locations such as; the Bahamas, Mexico, New York, and Hawaii.
My work even had the pleasure of being featured and credited in the likes of wedding publishers such as Vogue and Martha Stewart. I was doing well, but my true passion for shooting the waves and the water never left me.
Photographing artwork was my calling and I realized that this form of photography is a part of me. It wasn't just something that I could switch off. My ocean photography wall art had admittedly taken a back seat for a while, as weddings became my priority as a money earner, but my passion for capturing ocean photography prints was more apparent than ever.
The dream of pursuing my artwork wasn't something that I could continue to put to one side. So, in between jumping on a flight one week to capture some shots for my artwork, to heading towards another location to shoot a wedding the next week, I felt my focus shift towards the artistic side of my photography in 2015.
At first, I didn't feel as though I was ready to go full speed ahead with the ocean photography wall art, but a friend of mine gave me some advice. He told me that I should just go for it. So, I decided to upload some of my artworks online and the first image sold within several days and this breakthrough spurred me on to keep going and lean towards my artwork more than I had been, as this was my passion.
5. What do you love about your career?
The freedom to express, travel, explore and create is what I adore most about my career. I have not only created a career that enables me to create and make decisions that are free of choice, but I have fashioned a life that is full of adventure.
As a father, I am now most in awe of my career for its ability to show my young family what setting goals and dreaming dreams can achieve. As my family grows, I will strive to share the importance of self-belief and the happiness that becomes you when the heart is followed.
6. What are the biggest challenges about your career?
In all honesty, I believe the challenges of pursuing photography comes from the level of behind the scenes work required to set up a sustainable and successful business with regular custom.
Nowadays, there is so much competition in the world of art, not to mention the necessity to get found online. Daily work on a; website, marketing materials, image-processing, and various other elements will be required. Therefore, getting out there and shooting is a percentage of what I do in my day-to-day tasks, but many other attributes need to be completed in the running of your own business.
Currently, my artwork business is just one string in a bow of areas that I am pursuing. I also have a wedding photography business, a web-design business, and a photography management platform which is co-owned by myself and partners.
The reason for this is due to my experience in the industry. Over time I have learned when you being a standalone project, it can often lead to several other projects and opportunities.
In the process, you meet new people, you generate new ideas and new opportunities continue to arise. I believe that if you maintain constant dedication and passion and commitment towards what you do, more will always follow.
7. What skills are the most crucial to succeeding in ocean photography?
From my experience, I believe that succeeding in capturing eye-catching ocean photography prints is not solely about your skills with the camera. With time, this craft can become like second nature to learn if you have the passion and perseverance to invest in it.
Of course, it's no short-term ride, as this is a profession that will take time and care to master, but for as long as I have been shooting, I still experience moments where I feel as though I've made a break-through and my skills are improving once more.
The skillset which I believe to be crucial to finding success with a camera is the ability to master consistent photographic results with the information you have learned, alongside maintaining confidence in yourself.
It is also really important to work hard and never stop doing so. Just persevere and when challenges arise, just picture your goal, and visualize it. Practicing visualization will allow you to fully focus on what you want to achieve and the likelihood of those goals becoming achievements will increase ten-fold. Napoleon Hill once said, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
If you put in the time and let your passion carry you through the journey, your skills and photography presence will grow naturally over time, you just have to keep going, remain dedicated to what you do, and don’t forget to enjoy the process, I believe the process in 99% and the result 1%.
8. How can someone advance in this field?
If your sights are set on capturing ocean photography prints of your own, I would strongly encourage you to seek out a mentor and begin learning your chosen craft right away. Having the right people around you can accelerate your learning.
My advice to you would be to start learning and working on your craft. Just being out practicing with your camera, or even just photographing things around the house at first will help you to build the skills you'll need, as these skills will be transferable when you get the exact situation you want to be in with your camera.
With time, you'll begin to understand the changing of the light and characteristics which affect the outcome of an image. Much of my skills were developed just by getting out there and shooting. I made a lot of mistakes, but you learn from these mistakes and this is what aids you whenever encountering a new experience and situation.
I can remember the first images I took with a professional camera. I shot some images at Sunset Cliffs Beach, California. I was so excited to get down there and start taking pictures, but when I looked at the images I had captured, the screen was just pure white. I had no idea what had happened, or how to fix this at that very moment.
After returning from my shoot with nothing more than a collection of white shots, I discovered that I had been overexposing the image. I could not understand the controls all that well, and at this time, I knew that if I wanted to be successful, I would need to brush up on my knowledge before heading out onto another shoot.
I read a book called 'Understanding Exposure' which helped me to understand how to shoot manually, as well as how to achieve the correct exposures through the camera's eye. Learning how to edit my captures in the post-processing stage after a shoot helps me to achieve the desired end-goal for an image's appearance, Adobe Lightroom is the best editing platform for this, there are lots to learn in there, but it is also fun. There are also app/plugins like alien skins exposure and presets that can help too. Over time, and with some practice, you will find your style you like.
Utilizing the Adobe Lightroom software to post-process images after a shoot is something that I would highly recommend getting to grips with as your skills begin to advance. Doing all of these things, practicing, and getting out there, will enable you to become skillful and to be a quick thinker on a shoot because you will have the experience from all the photographs you have taken before, the same with Adobe Lightroom editing, you will be able to analyze the adjustments which need to be made to the final capture of an image.
9. What is something about your career that most people may not know of?
Something which many people may not know of is my love of writing. I have plans to release a book later this year. This is I have discovered that art and creativity are transferable across many areas so when put into practice, it is a wonder what one can achieve if you just put your mind to it.
There is one quote in particular that I adore by Goethe. He said:
"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to drawback. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."
The first time that I heard this quote was around a decade ago and it has continued to inspire me from the very first moment that I heard it. I've even found the meaning behind Goethe's words to be true. When I truly commit myself to an area of my life, new opportunities and blessings just keep on coming.
Sometimes people can get paralyzed mentally, by the thought of a large goal. They let it consume and overwhelm them, to the point where this goal becomes a possibility of being impossible. The trick is to start and commit to moving forward, achieving small milestones each day. This way, the challenge will not seem so up-hill, so basically small micro-goals, like getting your first camera, going out for the evening, and trying your first shoot, no matter what the results, it’s starting which is key, the commitment to the goal.
It's important to remember that anyone who ever became someone in history began their journey as nothing more than a person with hopes and dreams, anything that was created as a dream or just a thought at first, this is how everything starts. They too will have felt the up-hill moments at times, but they would also know how to practice tunnel vision and I am sure that they would agree with me when I say that it is the small things, that turn out to become great things in life.
Aside from my many artistic interests, professional photography can require several contributing elements that are required to make a business successful. Many people will not know of all these requirements unless they too are photographers themselves.
Such requirements include; the daily work on a; website, creating marketing materials, fulfilling image-processing tasks, and various other elements will be required. Getting out there and shooting my images is a percentage of what I do, but many other things need to be considered when running your own business.
Summary
You can continue to focus on building and growing in many areas of your life through the art of photography. Obtaining; organization skills, communication skills, perseverance, knowledge in maths, English, and French will come together to make you a well-rounded person. It is the combination of all these attributes that will allow you to become successful in achieving your goals.
Feel free to think of me as one of your mentors and guides. I am here to help you with your photography journey. You can ask me any questions that you may have at any time and I will do my best to steer you in the right direction, whilst giving you the advice that I wish others would have given me at your age. One other quote I love is ‘Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime’ with any advice or mentorship, you want the skills to do something, the understanding, these are the true gems, with this you can do things yourself, just as the quote says.
If you'd like to set up a zoom call with your teacher(s) or parent(s), I would be more than happy to answer any of your questions directly. My parting piece of advice for you right now, today, would be to start your photography journey now, even if that’s just watching a quick YouTube video on how to shoot manual, or how to use a canon 5d4, this makes the start of understanding the game. If the passion is within you, there is no need to wait.
Lukas
