We were lucky to catch up with Townsend James recently and have shared our conversation below.

Townsend, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been one of the most interesting investments you’ve made – and did you win or lose? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

As a travel and lodging content creator, angle and unique presentation is everything in creating captivating art for clients and followers. Initially starting out, I was limited to my handheld camera. Even though it was technically a “professional” grade camera, it was the most basic model within the professional line that Sony had on the market at that time. It was a great tool to learn the beginner and intermediate technicalities within photography and videography, but within only a few months of getting it, I already recognized my limitations and internal desire to progress further.

Since the beginning of time, humans have always possessed the desire to fly. To soar the skies freely, roam through the clouds, and admire the grandeur all around. I’ve never been any different in that aspect. Flight has always intrigued and mesmerized me. While today’s modern development of drones may not allow you to actually fly yourself, it does put you in the driver’s seat of the most unique angle and perspective currently available to visual creatives. When I purchased my first drone, I didn’t have the budget for it yet, but I knew I needed to make that investment into my craft and my development creatively. 4 years later, and I now own 3 different professional level drones, with only a few crashes and learning experiences under my belt ;)

That investment of purchasing my first drone has singlehandedly changed my creativity and the clientele contacting me, in the most positive and impactful ways. Mastering the craft of flight, while also maintaining a smooth cinematic control over the drone camera and footage, has opened up doors for me I didn’t dream possible. It’s allowed me to work with some of the world’s leading luxury hotel, resort, and travel brands, establish a business and income source in the process, as well as capture some of the most unique and incredible destinations in my own personal travel endeavors.

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 name is Townsend James. But if you’re reading this, then that means we’re friends. And my friends call me TJ ;)

Born in a small mountain town of Virginia with less than 1,000 people and 2 traffic lights, the nomadic spirit always lived within me. I knew from an early age that I desired to experience the world and all of its mystery that existed outside of my bubble. I worked local jobs and saved up as much money as I could throughout middle school and high school, and took my first solo international journey in 2005 at the age of 15, to live in Northern Ireland for that entire summer doing missionary and humanitarian work. That summer forever changed me, and ignited within me a deeper desire to continue exploring what was foreign to me, and to consistently introduce myself to environments and experiences that were outside of my comfort zones.

I set out in 2019, with a camera in hand, and drone in tow, to discover the world and all its wonder. Five years later, I have had the honor of experiencing 87 countries and cultures. Each unique, each distinct, and each offering lessons of growth and wisdom. The nomadic spirit lives within me, and I desire to inspire others around me to engage with the world around them, and to create unique adventures for themselves while doing so.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Before photography and videography were ever even a thought for me, music was my first love. It all started when I picked up the trumpet in 6th grade. I fell in love with creating music. After studying audio production and singing/songwriting in college, I was certain that was the path meant for me. I was performing and touring full time as a recording artist from the age of 18-24, living in the urban music hub of Atlanta, and thriving. Then reality hit, when the record deal I was signed under went south, and I was left with thousands of dollars in debt. Simultaneously, at that exact same time, I was experiencing severe damage to my vocal cords, and had to be silent for 3 months. Even after they healed, there was unfortunately scar tissue and permanent damage from the nodules and inflammation. Between the business side and the physical side both falling apart, I took that as a signal that it was time to move on from music, and discover what was next for me. As difficult as I thought that transition would be, I actually had an unexplainable internal peace about it.

Throughout my touring and performing as a singer, I always had either my GoPro or my iPhone with me, capturing photos and videos along the journey. I really enjoyed documenting all of it, and showing my fans and friends the plethora of places my eyes were seeing throughout my journey, That, combined with my immense passion for travel and exploration, led me to purchase my first professional camera in 2019, my first drone a few months later, and start pursuing the field of photography “, videography, and content creating.

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

There’s 2 sides to this answer: The personal side, and the client side.

On the personal side, it’s a blessing and a gift to be able to consistently expand creatively, challenge my own artistic abilities, and always be pursuing new tasks, objectives, and boundaries. It keeps both life and vocation fresh, entertaining, and exhilarating.

On the client side, you know that you are playing a key role in bringing a product to life for a client. For most clients, their product and their brand are their babies. They take pride in their baby, and they want it to be presented to the world and the market in the most unique and specifically tailored way. Knowing that you are paramount in that process for your client of bringing their vision to life, is an extremely rewarding feeling.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/tjbetrippin