Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Mchugh
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have been a digital storyteller for 25 years. My work as a Videographer and Video editor for documentary film and national and local broadcast news outlets have given me the experience to master the tools to effectively tell a story in digital media. However, my love for the simplicity for telling a story through a single image has steered me towards photography. I work in Broadcast news to pay the bills but embrace still photography as a creative outlet.
The only tools required to create is my Fujifilm XT3 and a Fujifilm 35mm prime lens. Light, shadows and composition are the same skills I use in photography as I use in videography. However, shooting images on the street require an attention to my surroundings and the ability to foresee a story unfolding. Both mediums inform the other but the ability to tell a story without a crew and minimal gear is freeing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Street photography is completely unpredictable. I never know what to expect when I hit the streets with my camera. Some days, you see nothing that captures your attention or encounter no interesting people to interact with. Some days, I don’t want to leave the house, especially on a rainy day. Even when I do convince myself to get out of the house and shoot, people may not be as motivated, especially when it is raining, which it does a lot in Portland.
Other days, everything clicks. The weather cooperates, the light is good, interesting people are out in the world, and you get a few great shots and meet some interesting people. Those days are what keep me going and motivate me to keep pushing and growing as a photographer.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I would love to support myself as a full-time photographer, but street photography has never been a reliable source of income. I am grateful to have a full-time job which pays the bills, so I do not need to rely on photography as my income. When I do shoot, I take images that I want to take, without considering if I can sell them. I did just complete a photobook titled: “Love More, Fear Less” Images of Portland, Oregon. It is a collection of photos shot exclusively in Portland, Oregon over the last two years. In concept of the photobook was to capture the weird and wonderful people and places that keep Portland weird. You can check it out here: https://www.blurb.com/b/12197367-love-more-fear-less
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
It is impossible to predict the future of work in a creative industry. Many creatives are concerned with being replaced by A.I. generated artwork. While I am certain A.I. may replace creative work for artists who create work for stock media, which I do, I do not let that affect what I create. Instead, I ignore trends and focus on growing my skills and my style to make my work unique enough to be unreplaceable by trends in technology.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brianmchughproductions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojovideo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.mchugh.142
Image Credits
Self Portrait: Brett Engle
All other photos: @2024 Brian McHugh Productions