We were lucky to catch up with Chris Flacksenburg recently and have shared our conversation below.

Chris, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I’ve always been interested in photography but never took the time to learn its finer details—I used to just point and shoot without much thought. As I started planning for retirement, I decided to take it up as a hobby, with the possibility of earning a little extra money on the side. I enrolled in an online class taught by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore, and it really helped me a lot. Since then, I’ve felt myself gradually improving. While working full-time over the past couple of years left me with little free time to practice, a recent job change has given me more flexibility to focus on my photography.

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.

It’s never too late to start something new. I’m 56 and focus on wildlife, landscape, and historic architecture photography. I began at the perfect time, as our recent trips have provided incredible subjects for my work. I also enjoy incorporating drone photography to capture unique perspectives. It’s not always about going 200 feet in the air—sometimes a slightly elevated position can make all the difference in a shot.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

After many years of working for others I wanted something that I not only enjoy but can do on my own terms.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I began by photographing historic architecture in my area, but it wasn’t until I started traveling to unique destinations and incorporating landscape and wildlife photography into my portfolio that I began to gain recognition. Capturing the stunning scenery of New Zealand, Australia, Alaska, and Hawaii, I was also fortunate to have opportunities to photograph wildlife up close in these same locations.

Contact Info:

• Website: cfphotoart.com
• Instagram: cfphotoart
• Facebook: cfphotoart