CATEGORIES
CATEGORIESColby Brown's work in emerging nations drew us to him. Unlike many of his peers who see the world from a narrow perspective, Colby embraces the whirlwind of confusion and potential that surrounds him in his travels as a shooter, instructor and bringer of practical hope.
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Field: Landscape and portrait photography Affiliation: Colby Brown Photography, The Giving Lens Location: Denver, CO Applications: International location photography & Instruction |
The common theme in my photography, as well as the business side of things, is "organic". Over the years, I have learned not to force things, but instead go with the flow when opportunity presents itself. For example, if I show up at a location with a very specific photograph in mind, the chance of me making that vision a reality is slim with all of the variables that are out of my control, such as weather or a car breaking down. But if I go into the situation with open eyes, what I call a "child-like sense of discovery", I am not only much happier with the results of a trip, but the experience itself was that much better as well. That being said, I still do my research and homework when exploring a new location.
When I was growing up, my parents were avid readers of National Geographic. The yellow magazine would show up at our house month after month and I would dig into it, staring at images and reading the stories behind them. As I got older and fell into photography as a career, I began to realize that there was something special about the images found in Nat Geo that made them extraordinary – the photographer’s ability to capture the essence of a story in a single image. To this day, I feel it is the something "special" that draws people into an image rather than simply provoking a glance as they go about their day.
One of the main reasons that I got into photography was because of my love of travel, not photography itself. In fact, when I decided that I wanted to "become a photographer", I had only used a DSLR once or twice in my life. I relished the idea of being a stranger in a strange land, being free to throw away many misconceptions of travel and push through my lack of confidence during those early years of traveling with a camera. To this day, I still take each adventure one trip at a time and try to immerse myself into the cultures I am visiting and documenting.
Tough question, as I’ve been very fortunate to travel to diverse, visually rich locations over the last 8 years, but likely Nepal. The culture there is a beautiful fusion of Indian Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism, creating a very kind and giving people that are both colorful and beautiful. Top this off with a backdrop of the Himalayas, my favorite mountain range in the world, and there is a lot to love about Nepal.
In early 2014, I have some great trips lined up starting with some deep winter work in Iceland and the Canadian Rockies followed by a project working with the Australian government that has me headed to The Big Island in Hawaii of all places. If 2013 was any indicator, 2014 is going to be another epic year.
