We were lucky to catch up with Kylie Fly recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kylie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

As a feelings-driven person, one who values deep and meaningful connection with others and to the landscapes we play in, I find that the greatest rewards I glean from my professional work is when these worlds collide. I hope that if I were to leave a legacy, it would be one of joy, enthusiasm, inclusion, and feeling seen, heard and understood. I don’t think there is anything more valuable than knowing your self worth–to feel and be loved, appreciated and seen for exactly who you are. If my photography plays a small role in someone’s life where they can look at an image and say, “that is SO ME…thank you!.” then I feel I have created something worthwhile. I pour my heart and soul and loving energy into the time I spend with people on photoshoots. It’s not just a job. It’s love.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am professional adventure photographer and storyteller, and have worked from the backcountry of remote places to commercial sets in Hollywood. I picked up my camera over 15 years ago and found my life’s work behind the lens. I believe in the human experience and in creating a space that fosters real and meaningful connections with others and the landscape. I tell diverse and inclusive stories of lifestyle and adventure surrounding bad ass people who pursue life with passion and grit. My knack for adventure story telling and creative directing is all about raw, honest moments run and gun style in wild and controlled environments alike. I’m not afraid to get dirty to get the shot and can pivot creative on a dime. I thrive with chalk beneath my finger nails, wind on my face, and snow down my pants. I am most at home in the mountains or on the rock, and will get the job done with a smile on everyone’s face. My photography has been seen in publications, on storefronts, semi trucks, and even a few nation wide cereal boxes.

My career began when I lived in China as a ripe 20 year old and began documenting my adventures in travel, work and play with a photo journalistic style. I moved into documentary filmmaking for non profits and humanitarian organizations, and the shift evolved into Hollywood commercial work and eventually where I spend the majority of my time today in the action sports and adventure travel space. I started small, with a camera and an idea, and shot all the time with anyone and anything as I built my brand and my company. I traveled the world, living in many different countries and spending extensive amounts of time in foreign places to understand what stories I wanted to tell as an artist.

I spend most of my time doing photography, commercial and catalog work shooting marketing campaigns and product launches for various companies and brands. When a client approaches me, they either have a vision and need a deliverable or they are requesting ideas and guidance, and together we make magic happen.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

As a broke 20-year old college student, I had $400 to spend and bought my first SLR camera. There wasn’t much to go around as far as resources go, and I shot a lot of my work almost exclusively with one 50mm lens for the first 3 years of my work. I remember the day I bought a second lens, it was a huge deal. There is no reason to limit the work you can create because of resources and access to funding. I started with little to my name, and slowly built a lucrative career for myself over many years of hard work, being underpaid, and serious drive. Eventually, as you manage your finances well you can build out your equipment and begin the journey or leveling up your creative game.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I think in the early days of being a creative and artist, it’s easy to compare to others. In my opinion, it might be the easiest trap to slip into and become stuck. I remember early on looking to other photographers and filmmakers for inspiration. I noted what I loved about the work they were doing, the things they were creating, and how they presented in the world. I also noted how it made me feel. If I began to break myself down and feel I would never be good enough, I looked inward to find out how I can change that. There’s not much we can control in life, but we can control how we see ourselves and what we do about it. I had to let go of envy at every temptation, and when I felt jealousy creep in I turned to celebrating others instead. This is a tough industry and we need all the support we can get.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kyliefly.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylie.fly/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flyproductioninc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyliefly/

Image Credits
Kylie Fly