We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ben Hicks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ben below.
Ben, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
As a photographer I have the opportunity to share with the world images that can tell a story. My stories are not just about nature within them but a greater purpose of how we can preserve and protect nature. The young people of today will help drive our future to hopefully bring down our footprint and reduce our wastes that are so damaging to the environment. I am usually aiming for an indirect message. Showing a harmless tiny baby sea turtle that is vital to our seas ecosystem and giving people the choice of helping protect them and the environment or watching them go away. We can all make a difference by doing something and educating those around us.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I am a photographer based in Boca Raton, Florida and I have Been shooting for about 17 years. My work gets split into two businesses, one being fine art which I am known for around the world for my sea turtle images and the other a busy commercial studio where we shoot commercial ad campaigns for a variety of clients. We have offices, a gallery and studio warehouse in Boca Raton, Florida where we produce all the art and also create studio and on location photoshoots. I got into underwater work by my want to always bring the camera with me below the surface. Surfing photography was my start in the water world of selling images. Then Nature came soon after. I have been fortunate enough to have been sent all over the world to cover surfing.
Have you ever had to pivot?
In the last couple years we have all had to make adjustments to our lives and careers. My wife and I have two small children and when schools shutdown in early 2020 it was important to me to make family first. I closed my business to focus on watching my kids for about 4.5 months. It was not an easy decision but one my wife and I thought was best for our family, as she had to continue to work full-time. The experience refreshed me and made me think outside the box on how my life, career and inspirations were heading in all directions. My purpose coming out of the experience of the Covid lockdown was one with new ideas, a higher focus on purpose and most importantly an adjustment on family life.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
When I started my business one thing I didn’t want to do was borrow from anyone. I starting saving money as a kid and through the years just kept saving. Eventually I could quit my job, go full-time as a photographer and then transition to eventually opening my own studio and gallery, all on my own.
Contact Info:
- Website: benjhicks.com
- Instagram: benjhicks
- Facebook: Ben Hicks Fine Art
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-hicks-5035926?trk=people-guest_people_search-card
- Twitter: bocaratonphoto
- Youtube: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwilntyF8tb1AhW1IUQIHf-MB98QFnoECAgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fchannel%2FUCBPxDdM9V2lZZxg4p9Nq6aQ&usg=AOvVaw3N8I_edV6EwJ6_5L5JeZ_s
Image Credits
All images copyright Ben Hicks. Bio image of me shooting by Kyle Soto