We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Austin Mullen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Austin, appreciate you joining us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.
If I were to start over, I would focus on the things I truly enjoy to shoot. And not chase making it a business and monetizing shooting. Working with certain businesses and people have definitely made resent what I do from time to time.
I would only shoot what I loved and follow that as much as I possibly can. I’m starting to do that now again, but if I were to change anything I would go back and tell my old self don’t do what you are doing. Follow whats real.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I got into photography about 9 years ago. I knew I always wanted to shoot photos, so one day I just went after it. I bought a really cheap nikon kit and learned everything possible for a few years. Then over time, I started traveling and living out of a backpack, and just shot everything possible. Learning everything I could I feel as if my eye sets me apart from others, I want to see things as simple and fluid. And I love emotion. I try to put emotion into photos as much as possible. Whether it be with light, or human emotion. I love to capture it.
I shoot mainly adventure, landscape and portrait photos.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My biggest is goal is to work for business or brand that allows me to use my creativity and my eye to work inside their business. Gives me full reign, essentially a creative director role.
That way I can leave the freelance world and work directly with an established brand I love.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I was naive to working with most clients. There is a lot of small businesses out there that will take advantage of you, and ask for far far more than what they are willing to pay. ALWAYS use a contract. In the start I was very unaware of that, I had to learn that the hard way unfortunately. But sadly, not everyone is a good person, some will not pay you after you put in the work, or walk away during the middle of a project just because they can. These lessons most young photographers have to learn this was unfortunately. So the moral of the story is don’t chase money, and when you do USE A CONTRACT.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.austinmullenphotography.com
- Instagram: austinmullenphoto