We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Garrett Blackwell . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Garrett below.
Alright, Garrett thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
It is so easy to compare yourself to others… where is the good in that? We are all unique and each experience is different for each of us; it’s all relative. However, success can be measured in all sorts of ways! For me it is meeting people where they are and creating something beautiful with them and for them. In the age of social media where everyone has a camera at their fingertips, photos and videos are in our lives every day, but we seem to take that for granted. When I create something visually for my clients, it is a snapshot (quite literally) of their life or event etc. It is like a time capsule that they can have forever to look back on a moment in their lives again and again. It is an amazing experience to be part of capturing this for my clients! This is success.
Garrett , 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?
I am a KC Transplant! I am originally from New Mexico and have traveled extensively prior to putting roots down here in Kansas City. I am a Marine, and was a nurse. I have seen life from many different angles and have found beauty in most of them. I have had a passion for photography ever since high school and when I went to college at the Art Institute of Seattle, that is when I really fell in love! A year or so ago, I was taking photos of a friend and it clicked; this is what I was supposed to be doing with my life! I have since been the Director of Photography for a Travel show, shot commercials, photographed products for websites and social media, ariel videos, real estate videos, and portraits of every kind, from corporate headshots to family photos. Bringing a client’s vision to life, to share their visions with my own for their brand, social media, family, life, etc is the best part of what I do! Collaborating with all people from different backgrounds with different experiences to create something amazing is so exciting. I love it when I have a client who is super pumped about what we are shooting and creating; being able to hone in on a collective vision with my clients and to bring that vision to life in the image/video is what I get the most joy from and for which I am most proud.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Going back to not comparing ourselves to others, since we are all different and see the world differently, I would rather draw inspiration from than compare myself to. I really love the fact that I am not competing with anyone else, only myself. I strive to be better every day; to make today and myself better than yesterday. I take pride in my heart and passion for what I do and for my clients, to stay genuine and authentic to myself and my clients, and that I am 100% devoted to my craft. This is a journey that we are all on and I welcome every opportunity to learn and grow along the way.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I was a registered nurse for eight years in Oncology and Hematology. Working with cancer patients was an eye opener to life. Their compacity for being able to see the positive in their situations, to always see the good was inspiring. I was very much their cheerleader and because of being able to see their ability to see the good was actually what pushed me to go out on a limb and pursue my passion. Life is fleeting and precious and it was because of these amazing souls that came in and out of my life I was able to see that I could create beauty. To make something out of nothing. It’s all about perspective and it was as my time as a nurse that I was able to see the opportunity to shift perspectives through photography.
Contact Info:
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