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

Shawn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I’ve always found inspiration in sharing the beauty of nature with others. Towering mountain peaks, sheer granite cliffs, the feeling of the forest, the power of a river, the meeting of land and ocean, the awe inspiring expanse of the night sky. And humanity’s interaction with all of it.

In the early years of social media, there was such a beautiful sense of community in the online inter webs. And this feeling that life was opening up in ways that would have never been possible before. Meeting people from around the world online, gaining new perspectives, and being exposed to so many different ideas, concepts and ways of looking at life. It truly felt like a Renaissance for independent creatives.

I found great joy in sharing images and videos from my adventures exploring nature. Exploring the world. Exploring myself. Sharing so publicly felt very organic and like an ever evolving authentic process of trying to make sense of the art of life. Of how to be in this world and live an artful existence. How to be creative and pro active and make a meaningful impact, yet also surrendered to the reality of divine timing. How to try and understand the new opportunities we were being presented with.

As time progressed it seemed that beautiful images and authentic sharing and sense of community became more and more of a commodity for the big tech companies advertising revenues. Algorithms became the norm and the attention economy was born as we all became more and more normalized to social media’s ever evolving business model of its users being the product, and our attention and our data are for sale.

Where did the sense of community go? The feeling of authentic sharing has largely been replaced with a frantic race for people’s attention as more and more barriers grew between creators and their organic audiences. Profits over people replaced true genuine community and before I knew it, I was burnt out.

I needed a reset. I needed to find my genuine voice again. And find my own way to navigate living in a world where the beauty and authentic sharing that once felt so organic online has become commodified and algorithmically influenced. I needed to remember how important it is to prioritize mental health in an ever increasingly hyper-connected reality. A reality that has increasingly become designed to keep us addicted, outraged, and divided.

So I decided to basically quit social media for a time. I didn’t know for how long, but I knew my mental health needed it. And you know what happened on that very first day after I deleted the apps from my phone? I picked up my guitar that had been sitting untouched dustily in the corner for far too long. And the presence I felt was like hanging out with a long lost friend. And the creativity came instantly, like a gift from the ether.

During this break from social media, for what ended up being about 7 months, a new song came to me and I dreamed up the idea of setting some intentions for my life. I had grown a lot and felt ready to reengage with the online world in a more balanced and healthy way. I wanted to infuse these intentions with creative energy and time and dedication. And wanted there to be an expression of gratitude and reverence for the very creative nature of life itself. I wanted to bring these intentions to life in a piece of artwork. A work of art that could inspire me onward and upward in my life.

And thus was born my film Dreamtime. It was a very meaningful project because not only did I infuse my creative energy into a sacred act of setting intentions, it combined all my arts from creative writing and capturing the visuals, to the composing and recording the music, and bringing it all together in the video edit. Fully engaging consciously in the creative process with a meaningful project can be one of the most rewarding and dare I say it, sacred acts we can take part in. And I continue to feel the ramifications on my life from this act of self care and creative expression.

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?

My art, like my life in general, has been heavily influenced and inspired by a deep love and appreciation for nature. At the ripe age of 18 I won a trip to Yosemite National Park which changed my life forever. Being intimately exposed to such immense natural beauty showed me what is possible in life.

I decided to move to Yosemite where I spent 10 years with it as my main home base before settling on the eastern slope of the High Sierra. My entire 20’s was spent hiking, climbing, exploring, and photographing the majesty of Yosemite and the Eastern Sierra.

In 2007 I started photographing weddings in Yosemite and to this day “Yosemite Wedding Photography” continues to be our main business. Although we have definitely shifted and these days mainly photograph adventure elopements alongside intimate weddings in Yosemite, the Eastern Sierra and beyond.

It’s been wonderful to witness the growing popularity of couples choosing to elope in nature and have intimate weddings with close family & friends in a gorgeous destination. I absolutely love helping people have an amazing experience in nature. And to do so on a day that’s so special and sacred for them is so satisfying and such an honor. We’re very hands on with helping find the perfect destination and helping plan all of the timing and details.

A love for helping people have an amazing experience in nature has also grown a brand new business for my partner Brittany Colt and I called “Outdoor Photo Experience”. Our mission is simple, to help provide you with an amazing experience outside in nature, doing something that you love, photography, in some of the most beautiful locations on earth.

We realize that not everyone wants the same things in an outdoor photo experience. So we offer a variety of different options from group photography experiences and workshops scheduled throughout the year to custom private workshops or online Photoshop & Lightroom mentoring. We love giving you the ability to create your own custom private experience, including both in-the-field private workshops and online mentoring.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I find my creative journey and life in general guided by a sense of wanting to be of service to humanity and to help raise awareness around the beauty and importance of nature and its profound healing effects. To serve people directly by capturing images of their love in some of the most beautiful locations on earth. And to help people connect deeper to nature through Outdoor Photo Experiences.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative to me is having the freedom to embrace life as art and to dedicate myself to the art of life. It is probably the tougher path to be an independent artist as opposed to getting a job. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shawnreeder.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnreeder
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawnreeder
• Other: https://yosemiteweddingphotography.com https://outdoorphotoexperience.com https://www.instagram.com/yosemiteweddingphotography

Image Credits
All images by: Shawn Reeder