We were lucky to catch up with Aaron Fortin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Aaron, thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
I think success looks different for everybody that works in a creative field. Success can mean that you are performing well in your job or your supervisor thinks you’re performing well or you’re meeting your deadlines and finishing your projects on time. Again, it can be a lot of things but I believe success is determined by identifying how you’ve grown and improved your skills.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My first feature on canvas came 6 years ago as I was attending Northern Arizona University getting my degree in Photography. After graduating in 2018, I then moved to a few different states doing a few different photography related jobs like a photographer and social media coordinator for a rafting company in Seattle And then I moved to Santa Fe New Mexico to coordinate one of the most prestigious photo workshops in the country. COVID hit and I was forced to find new work in Santa Fe where ended up working in a job for 3 years that did not involve photography or multimedi felt. I was feeling a bit lost so I applied for a job at Utah State University as a multimedia specialist doing photography and videography for the Office of Research. I’ve been working there for the past 2 years.
One thing ill say about this job at Utah State is that I had no professional videography experience going in. I was incredibly nervous, but I believed that I could do it. I took Intermediate and advanced filming at NAU and I trusted that I could re-tool those skills i learned and apply them here. Ultimately, its taken two whole years to get to a point where I feel confident in my videography skills.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I’m not much of a social person by nature. I enjoy photography and the outdoors. I find my self often alone in nature with my camera documenting what I find interesting in. But I had to learn to lean on people that I’ve met along the way to ask for advice. Asking people who have more experience and skills than you do should not feel scary or embarrassing. These people will often feel empowered by the fact that you reached out to them for a piece of their knowledge.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding part of being a creative is that you’ll never feel bored by the work. If you do feel bored editing photos and videos 3-5 days a week, think about what other jobs you might be doing for the same pay and how much less creative expression you would have. We all get the ‘Sunday scaries’ the dreaded feeling of having to go to work on Monday. But do your best to remind yourself- I have a unique and creative that most people would wish they had.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Aaronfortin
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-fortin-72a407150?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@aaronfortin?si=EYQC8_dhRX9gX-l6
Image Credits
Aaron Fortin