We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mindy Veissid. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mindy below.
Alright, Mindy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
There comes a time in life where we feel a change is necessary. I’ve experienced this several times, but one moment that particularly stands out is when I decided to quit working in the corporate world.
After college I began working in a bank in Information Technology. I wasn’t thrilled with my job but assumed that was just how things go. I didn’t know what I wanted out of life or what my purpose was, but deep down I knew I wanted to make a positive impact on others, to do something meaningful, to make a difference in the world, however small. My job wasn’t fulfilling that desire, but I was making good money, was transferred abroad to Europe, life was good. But I felt empty. After years of contemplation, I realized I needed to explore what truly made me happy in my youth, and that was reconnecting back to my creative side.
In the fall of 2009, I took a huge risk. I left the corporate world and became a full-time photographer. Everyone thought I was crazy wanting to become an artist during the financial crisis but I knew this was what I was meant to do. I try to live my life having no regrets. I don’t want to be 90 years old and reflect back with “I should have” or “Why didn’t I?” I knew that in the worst case, if no one resonated with my work, if my photos didn’t sell, or if I couldn’t survive in New York City, I could always return to corporate.
I began showing my work in exhibitions and my photos started selling. I noticed that the images people resonated with the most were the ones taken from my heart, not from my head. I would “feel” what I needed or wanted to photograph, rather than overthinking the technical aspects. I was so excited about this creative approach to photography that I decided to start teaching it. In 2010 I founded a boutique photography school called ‘Art of Intuitive Photography’. I have taught our Intuitive Photography classes (and an assortment of other photo classes) to thousands of students around the globe.
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.
I’m a fine art photographer and educator based in NYC, specializing in intuitive photography. This means I pay close attention to my body and emotions as I witness a scene, allowing me to connect with the moment on a deeper level rather than analyzing it intellectually. This approach helps me be a better visual storyteller, capturing something deeper than just a snapshot.
Intuitive photography is about being in the present moment, being aware of my surroundings and connecting with it. It stills my mind which enhances my senses which makes me experience, not do photography. For me, photography is not about creating a technically perfect image but opening up, being vulnerable and authentic. It’s about capturing the fleeting moment, that moment that only you are witness to as everyone else is busy doing something else. It makes me feel connected and alive. It’s a form of meditation.
We are all intuitive beings, and I believe my purpose is to share the knowledge of intuition using photography as the tool.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
When I announced that I was going to become a fine art photographer some friends and colleagues couldn’t understand why I would give up a lucrative job to become an artist. I got lots of negative feedback with questions ranging from ‘how will you pay rent’ to ‘how can you make it when there are already so many talented photographers our there’. I let all their words bounce off me. I removed myself from the social scenes they were hanging out in. I was so excited and ready for this change, I wasn’t going to allow any negative comments to alter what I knew to be my truth. I believed in myself, I believed in the joy I was feeling every time I thought about it.
Trust your intuition and say YES! if every cell in your body is telling you to do so. I took that leap of faith, I found my wings and I soared.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to fully be my authentic self. I can express my personality, desires, and dreams. It allows me to explore and honor my inner world. What a gift!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mindyveissid.com www.artofintuitivephotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mveissid https://www.instagram.com/artofintuitivephotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mveissid https://www.facebook.com/artofintuitivephotography/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-veissid-15b68b/
Image Credits
Anne Lawver