We were lucky to catch up with Gavin Fulton recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gavin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success is a bit of a tough thing to evaluate. Who determines the success? What IS success? Is making a ton of money doing the thing you love considered success? Are a bunch of small wins a success? I tend to find that the word gets thrown around a lot to put a “stamp of finality” on certain achievements, but I also feel there are a lot more ingredients to the recipe to consider before the proverbial dish is completed.

I feel it is up to the individual whose “success” is being measured to determine whether or not they have become successful, not by others. Personally, I firmly believe that I have not achieved success. Sure, I have been through multiple, dead-end corporate jobs (some of which I loved at the time) which have helped me rekindle a love for the arts that I thought I had forgotten; but even with all the photos and videos I have created, I am always hungry for more, wanting to do more. Being my own worst critic probably does not help either.

That said, I truly believe that doing what you love to do while being able to pay the bills by doing it, is the foundation for success. I think, as an artist, there is always more to explore, do, and create. Maybe someday I will feel successful, but only time will tell.

Gavin, 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?

I have had a love for photography since I was a child. My parents would buy me disposable film cameras from Safeway, which I would use to take photos of LEGO dioramas I had created or our outdoor adventures to Mt. Rainier National Park. That interest continued into high school, where I took 2 semesters of Photography. I learned the technical jargon, what different camera settings helped me achieve, as well as film development. My teacher really liked a lot of my work and it felt good to be recognized in a subjective field.

Then many years passed.

I am still not sure why I stopped taking photos; maybe it was the cost, maybe my early 20’s distracted me from what I had thought I loved. Basically everything was still film, and digital was just barely getting started. Maybe I just felt inconvenienced now that I had to finance everything on my own. I just stopped.

I found a renewed love for photography in 2014. Mirrorless cameras were very new and I saw a great deal on Newegg for a Sony a5000 and a 55-210mm zoom lens, so I pulled the trigger. It went on several trips with me and it allowed me to rekindle that spark. Landscapes and what I am able to recognize now as street photography, with portraits starting in 2018.

Several camera upgrades, tens of thousands of photos, many lenses, and a move to Montana prompted a shift to professional work. I am now an associate wedding photographer/videographer with Kelly Kirksey Photography in NW Montana, as well as owner and photographer/videographer for myself under Gavin Fulton Media, where I do all kinds of work; from creative portrait shoots, to drone work, to full event coverage.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I think that creating something that I’m proud of is number one, whether the end product is just for me, or for a client. With my photography, I love that I am able to express how I see the world. Even if it’s just a photo of a building, it’s not just a photo of a building. How did the light look when it was hitting the building? Is the film stock I’m shooting able to convey the feeling I have? Will someone else notice that little detail I see? That type of thing. Even if none of that comes through to someone else, I will remember it, and that brings me right back to that moment. On the client end, being given creative freedom is what it’s all about. Having someone have full trust in you to provide a great end product means everything. As long as I can deliver something I’d be happy to receive if roles were reversed, I will feel motivated to do this work for the rest of my life.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Creating something that hasn’t been done in the same way before is rewarding. Nowadays, I’d say it’s much harder to create something brand new or have a fully original idea, but taking inspiration from media that you love (whether it be television, movies, photography, etc) and then putting your spin on it can be incredibly rewarding. Knowing that you put that extra work into a project and having something to show for it is a great feeling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gavinfulton.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gavin.fulton/

Image Credits
All submitted photos were taken by me, Gavin Fulton