We recently connected with Seth Resnick and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Seth thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I graduated from the Syracuse Newhouse School of Communications with a degree in photojournalism, but the school’s reputation doesn’t guarantee success in the real world. To succeed as a freelancer, one must rely on persistence, talent, and business acumen. Believing in your ability to succeed is essential, as is convincing others of your capabilities.

Freelancing is a challenging path that requires a unique set of skills beyond just photography prowess. Alongside creating compelling images, one must excel in logistics, marketing, business management, and interpersonal communication simultaneously.

Marketing plays a crucial role in freelancing, requiring ongoing dedication to sustain a successful business. Random efforts won’t suffice; it’s vital to research and target specific clients with a well-thought-out strategy. I devote significant time to cultivating and retaining clients through effective marketing practices.

Acquiring and retaining clients can be as time-consuming as photography and assignments, but it is an essential aspect that cannot be overlooked. Opportunities will only arise if you actively pursue them. In my experience, establishing personal connections is crucial, especially when you excel at presenting yourself in a one-on-one setting. This approach has enabled me to develop a business presence that spans regional, national, and international levels.

While many of us may start with limited confidence, it is essential to project self-assurance regardless. Undoubtedly, I have made numerous mistakes along the way, but I have always strived to learn from them, dedicating significant time to enhancing both my business acumen and photography skills.

Identify your desired destination and take the initial step towards that objective. Then proceed with the subsequent steps, one after another.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My photographs are a journey into the personal energy of each subject. As a journalist I started out photographing people and it was difficult for me to understand why landscape became so important in my work, especially when so many times there are indeed no people. Ironically my vision statement used to say that my photographs are about breaking personal space, but I learned it wasn’t so much about breaking personal space as it was capturing energy. When I was able to realize that, it was very easy for me to see a rock or a sand dune in the same way that I saw people and that journeying into that energy is really what I find so attractive.

The camera is a bridge to the energy I feel from the subject. I don’t want to displace that energy, but rather try to capture that very energy I feel in the moment. Hopefully the photograph can elicit that same sensation in others. A camera freezes time, but I like to think that moment isn’t frozen at all but very much alive, almost akin to suspended animation.

I don’t select objects or themes. Rather, I let my subjects lead me. I love writing down parts of dreams or free-association thoughts in the night and then going out to try to capture those thoughts and feelings. One reoccurring theme that enters into my work time and time again is optical illusion. I was a big fan of M.C. Escher as a kid and continually find that influence in my work. I love when your mind can take something as concrete as a photograph and transform it so many ways. I am also very attracted to layers and compacted space that create a certain sensuality in nature. I realize I am exploring the fantasy of nature

Even in places that are less obviously beautiful, I try to find a deeper beauty that is filled with metaphor. In the Namibian desert I found a simple salt deposit at the bottom of a sand dune. To me, though, it was much more than a sand dune. I call the photograph the Cerebral Desert because the patterns of the salt are a metaphor for a living brain. This is one of the driest and most hostile deserts on Earth, where daytime temperatures seemingly prohibit life, and yet one can envision a brain with a heart pumping blood through its very core.

I feel that my photographs become a metaphor for life. For example I shot some old horseshoes on a windowsill in a small pueblo outside of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I’m sure folks walked by them everyday and hardly noticed them. When I saw them, though, I felt a sense of energy that was representative of the vibrancy of the barrio. Here was a community that to the naked eye seems extremely poor and depressed, but there is a strong sense of community and family richness. The bright yellow wall contrasting the horseshoes helped to portray the vitality that I felt in this environment.

I hope that viewers can use my photographs to open up their own imaginations. People often ask me if my photographs are real. I love that the images seem to be from another world and thus can’t be believed. But I capture what is really there to be captured. I try to capture what my mind’s eye sees and feels.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Writing has been woven into my life’s purpose, from crafting an autobiography at age 7 to launching a captivating newsletter on Saltwater Reef Tanks in Junior High. While at the Syracuse Newspapers and later in my magazine work, infusing detailed narratives with my images has been my companion.

On a workshop in Japan, I took the writing to another level. My business partner, John Paul Caponigro suggested that we challenge ourselves by writing a Haiku daily. Although I hold him in high regard, I initially felt apprehensive about the idea. I questioned whether diverting my focus to writing Haiku would detract from my dedication to photography. Despite my reservations, I decided to give it a try. At first, writing Haiku felt awkward, as it seemed to consume valuable time that I would have otherwise devoted to capturing images. However, as I delved deeper into the practice, I found it enjoyable and it sparked a new level of creativity within me. This led me to experiment further, as I began to document my nighttime thoughts and dreams by keeping my iPhone close at hand and then setting out to photograph the concepts that emerged the following day.

Then, the unexpected upheaval of 2020 reshaped everything. As the world grappled with the pandemic, I returned from Antarctica to a planet in stasis. Grounded by travel restrictions and devoid of workshops, I sought solace in my origins, sharing poignant images accompanied by narratives born from midnight musings.

Dubbed the “Daily Musings,” these reflections have become a cornerstone of my routine, an unbroken streak of introspective storytelling that has endured almost every day leading up to today. Now, I stand on the brink of a new chapter, gathering these profound writings to unveil a series that encapsulates the essence of this extraordinary journey. The first volume details life from October 25, 2019, through July 8, 2022.

My journey through writing and photography has been one of continual growth and adaptation. What began as a simple exercise in writing Haiku has blossomed into a multidimensional approach that intertwines writing, photography, and the exploration of fleeting thoughts and dreams. The writing covers thoughts about life, photography, business, and more. Each musing is accompanied by an image.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The camera, a remarkable tool, connects me to the vibrant energy emanating from my subjects. It is not my intention to displace or disrupt this energy; instead, I strive to encapsulate and preserve the very essence of it in each photograph I take. I hope these images evoke the same profound sensation in others who view them.

In its ability to freeze time, the camera possesses extraordinary power. However, I prefer to perceive this frozen moment as anything but stagnant; it is brimming with life and vitality – almost akin to suspended animation. The captured image is a testament to the pulsating energy at that precise moment.

When I raise my camera, I am transported into a world where time stands still. In this realm of suspended animation, every detail becomes magnified, and every emotion intensifies. During these moments, I can connect with my subjects more deeply.

As I release the shutter, there is an instantaneous exhilarating sense of anticipation coursing through me – for within that fraction of a second lies the potential for capturing something genuinely extraordinary. The shutter signifies not just an act of freezing time but also an act of preserving life’s fleeting moments.

Photography allows us all to transcend boundaries – be they physical or emotional. It fosters empathy and understanding by enabling us to see the world through another’s eyes.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sethresnick.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seth_resnick/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seth.resnick.9/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethresnickd65/
• Twitter: https://x.com/sethresnick1

Image Credits

seth resnick