Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elijah Knecht. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Elijah, thanks for joining us today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

Thankfully as an aspiring photographer, vacations are the time where I really get to play with my craft, indulge in the extraordinary things in the world, and see things literally and figuratively through a different lens. It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day of life but prioritizing getting out into the world to recognize the magic that could be considered mundane for one person could be extraordinary for me. I think in a counterintuitive way getting to participate in these romantic and rich moments in life bring recognition back to the present moment that there really is magic, grace, beauty, and love everywhere- we just need to look for it. As cliché as it may seem, I would love to build a life I don’t need to take a vacation from, so it’s important to me to focus on the activities that bring that renewal, new perspective, and incorporate them into my every day life. Every day life will still be there, but how I show up to that life is truly the only thing I can control.

Elijah, 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?

When I was just a little girl I remember having this sense of wonderment and drive to explore, I loved crossing streams, picking up salamanders, pretending the lines under the tree bark were a form of secret language and that the light from the sun truly had magical powers. I loved the idea of being connected to the earth, watching how the wind moved through the trees, how butterflies soared, or how flowers bloomed and how the cycle of life breathed a permeated all around me. When I picked up a camera for the first time, I don’t think that I realized what I was truly trying to do was bottle this feeling up and take it home with me. I remember winning a blue ribbon at a local fair when I was just 8-years old for a photo of daffodils and I didn’t know it yet, but this was just the start of my journey in trying to capture these magic moments. This love continued through the years and propelled forward as I continued and still continue to hone my craft. My work currently focuses on coming back to this childhood feeling, capturing unique moments, observing wildlife, taking in fantastic landscapes, and occasionally focusing on the magic that people have within them too.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

So far my photography has not become self sustaining yet, but I keep creating for the love of creation and sharing that joy with other people as much as I can. I hope that one day it becomes self sustaining because I would love to do what I love every day.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

There has been a creative journey for sure, but photography is almost equal parts creative and technical in my humble opinion. Honing both sides of this craft and really taking the time to learn the technical components behind what creates an image just enhances the final image forward so drastically. I am also constantly learning, adapting my style, my shooting, and learning about new technology and tools to articulate my creative vision and convey feeling through my images.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.elijahgracephoto.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elijahgracephoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elijahknechtphotography/