We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Aaron C Packard. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Aaron C below.
Hi Aaron C, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
I believe I would be much more successful in commercial photography if I really did know what it takes to succeed. However, pardon my sarcasm, but having money, a magic lamp like in fairy tales, or being born into a wealthy family could have made it easier. The photography industry is very competitive, and success requires daily hard work. While practice, mastery of craft, and creativity are essential, having a positive attitude, energy, and knowing how to promote oneself is crucial. Collaboration with others is essential, and being in the right place at the right time is often necessary. Being prepared for the opportunities that present themselves is key.
Aaron C, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a corporate industrial lifestyle photographer who somehow seems to belong, whether it’s in an executive suite, on a manufacturing floor, or at a motorcycle rally. I empower my subjects to be present and be themselves in the moment to create authentic images. If that requires me to hang off the back of a motorcycle facing the wrong direction, I will do it. I prefer loading up a bunch of gear and road-tripping to a gig instead of stressing about connecting flights, baggage fees, and overhead storage space, but I do it when necessary. I am the youngest child of two hippie fine art professors. I arrived in the spring of 1971, a month later than I was supposed to. Since then, I have made it a point to be on time. At the age of sixteen, after attending the Marie Walsh Sharp Art Foundation, I ran out of art classes at my local high school. The only option was to take drawing at the university… from my father. After graduating high school, I attempted to rebel from my artist family by enlisting in the US Navy. My family was actually pretty proud of me, and I ended up back in art school eventually.
After the Navy and a season of crewing on a windjammer out of Mystic, Connecticut, I found myself studying photography at the University of South Dakota. That lasted for a couple of years before I left to check out San Francisco. I thought I was going to be the next Corbijn or Saudek. I started off as a cook at the Original Hamburger Mary’s and shot fashion tests in my free time. One day, a booking agent called me to ask if I did assisting. “Sure… I do assisting,” I answered, even though I really didn’t know what that entailed. It turned out assisting was great, and I learned so much more about photography than I ever did in art school. I continued to assist, produce, and shoot in San Francisco until the early 21st century. Since leaving California, I have been a working commercial and editorial photographer based in southeast South Dakota. I took a bit of a break in 2014 to venture into the world of academia and earned my MFA in Photography at the University of South Dakota. I have triumphantly returned to my craft full-time, specializing in corporate industrial lifestyle and portraiture. Lately, I enjoy playing around with product-based still-life imagery, mostly involving the saturated colors of candy and American junk food.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
One of the most fulfilling aspects of my work as a photographer is enabling my subjects to be present and authentic in the moment, resulting in genuine lifestyle and portrait images. Another wonderfully challenging and rewarding part of what I do is problem-solving, especially when it comes to creating custom equipment, sets, and tools for clients. These are the kinds of projects that require coming up with new solutions and visual techniques to convey the desired message effectively. While the quality of the imagery is crucial, it’s the creative process of finding ways to capture a specific element that truly excites me. During the South Dakota Shakespeare Festival, I created portraits featuring characters from Shakespeare’s Othello. While shooting outdoors, we encountered a strong wind that threatened to ruin our lighting setup. Luckily, we were prepared with some rope and Paracord, which we used to secure the lights to nearby trees. Surprisingly, the wind actually added a beautiful element to the portraits, showcasing the performers and their costumes in a stunning way. It’s always a good idea to have some extra equipment and be prepared for unexpected situations when shooting outdoors.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
A number of years ago, I was working at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for the Sturgis Buffalo Chip campground. I was covering the Legend’s Ride for the first time, but I felt like I wasn’t capturing the whole story. I asked fellow photographer Jack McIntyre what else I should shoot, and he suggested that I could hang off the back of his motorcycle to document the event. During that particular year’s ride, the leader’s bike broke down right at the beginning, but the ride continued anyway. It wasn’t until we were well into the ride that the lead group realized they had no idea where they were going. So there I was with Jack, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, motorcycle lifestyle photographer Michael Lichter, top custom motorcycle builders, and industry professionals on the side of the road, introducing ourselves and trying to figure out where we were. Eventually, we decided to take a direct route back to the Buffalo Chip. Some of us had to stop for gas, but we all made it back to the reception, and everyone had great stories to tell. This experience taught me to organize a different idea of perception of the thing that I was covering to do something new. And on another positive note, I found out that I don’t get motion sick when riding backward off the back of a motorcycle.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://aaronpackard.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaroncpackard/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/acpackard/
Image Credits
Aaron C Packard