We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Trae Wherland a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Trae, appreciate you joining us today. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

I had recently moved out of my hometown to Duluth, MN after one year of community College. At first, I struggled to find employment that would work well a full time school schedule. After asking my cousin about any job ideas in the area, he told me that one of his friends recommended a local group home company. At this time, I had minimal knowledge about what it was like to work in a group home, but I applied anyways. Thankfully, I was interviewed on the spot and offered a position that day!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

In regards to my full time career, I landed my first job at a local group home company at age 19, I continued worked in the field while furthering my skills, training, and education. After 11 years, I am still working in the mental/behavioral health field with the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Although it is mainly a hobby for me at this point, photography has been a passion of mine since I was around 14 years old. My aunt was the first person that inspired me to get into photography in the first place.In high school, I took three years of photography. I am thankful that I had an excellent photography instructor. My first year of photography was unique because it was the last year the high school was offering the ability to develop and process film photos in a dark room.

Over the past several years, I have been furthering my photography into portrait and group photography. I’m not a “professional”, but I’m hoping to continue furthering my skills in this area. My strong point has always been nature/landscape photography. I think back to my beginning days in photography and being told I have the “eye” for photography. After I few years, I started to understand more and more of what that means.

One of the things I am most proud of was having one of my film photos selected as a finalist in a contest that was put on by University of Wisconsin-Superior while I was in high school. My photo spent some time in one of their galleries and a ceremony was held where the other contestants and myself got to meet the mayor of Superior, Wisconsin. In addition, I enjoy hearing and seeing the way others react to my photography, whether it be in person or on social media.

I feel that Minnesota is an incredibly beautiful state, in addition to Duluth, where the majority of my work comes from. This gives myself and other Minnesota photographers our own sense of uniqueness. It’s hard to beat not only the natural beauty of Minnesota’s landscapes, but also the serene views Lake Superior offers.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I most certainly would!

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Having a “knack”, or natural talent for photography goes a long ways, in my opinion. There are so many things that can be taught, but those things come easier when you can build upon a natural talent and interest.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Trae_Daniel
• Facebook: Trae Wherland Photography

Image Credits
Trae Wherland