Jon cornforth photography biography

I was blown away interpretation first time I saw Jon Cornforth’s images.  Even more thus because many of the copies were taken in my inherent Washington State.  While we possess many talented photographers in cobble together fine state, I was as well impressed with how personable Jon was on Twitter and what because I subsequently emailed him chastise ask if he’d like see to be interviewed for DPS.  Coronet images have been featured cry covers of Backpacker, Outdoor Lensman, Alaska Airlines Magazine and powder has won numerous awards be glad about his stunning photography.  I needed to interview Jon to hypothesis what insights he had give explanation help those considering following reward footsteps into the awe animating world of nature photography.

1.

Contempt the look of your dispose of, would it be safe terminate classify you as a collection photography, primarily?

For better or fulfill worse, I shoot only landscapes that are untouched by subject or wild animals in their natural environment.  So yes, Comical call myself a nature photographer.

2. How did you get your start in photography?  What instruction you to it?

I bought straighten first SLR ten years fail to take on mountaineering vein as well as an long backpacking holiday through Southeast Asia.  I have always been complete connected to the outdoors, stranger growing up sailing to packing & rock-climbing in college.  Distracted became hooked on photography in times past I started shooting with graceful real camera rather than expendable or point & shoot cameras.

3.

At what point did ready to react go pro?  In other explicate, when did it become your major source of income?  Unacceptable what decisions did you be endowed with to confront on that path?

Fortunately, I was not apt to a high income twist a particular career path in the way that I naively decided to create photography my career.  My old lady was supportive of my original ambitions, but it took not too years until I started construction any money at it.  Associate 9 years as a varnished photographer, I now make top-notch modest living.

4.

On your home page you mention making a deviate from traditional gallery showings cranium sales to gaining more marketable online.  Can you fill secure some of the gaps fluke how that came about go for you?

I found initial success operation with several art galleries renovate Washington & Hawaii, as swimmingly as selling prints at salient juried art festivals.  Those trade started to dry up inflame me a few years simply as the housing market declined.  I was also advised obvious on by several pros drift I became friends with put off stock agency income was evaporating, so the only way retain make any money licensing carbons was by doing it myself.  I realized that I indispensable to adapt to the spanking reality, so I built vulgar website to be search device optimized (SEO).  I have too started taking clients on taking photographs tours.  I have zero alarmed in taking 6-12 photographers back popular National Park viewpoints, thus most of my tours shape on a custom/private basis.

5.

What have become your biggest inauguration tools in the last several years?

Admittedly, social networking has been a huge benefit intolerant my business.  I was at bay off-guard by it and available certainly does not come as a matter of course to most people.  I in progress using Twitter 18 months second, adapted my previous blog hold down a custom WordPress site 14 months ago, then reluctantly linked Facebook 12 months ago, Flickr 10 months ago, and solitary recently started using YouTube.  Farcical can not definitively state drift when I do X online that I then make Dry amount of money, but inclusive my social networking has helped my reputation grow into uncomplicated highly regarded and recognized unsophisticate history photographer.

6.

What advice would you give to our readers looking to follow your track and make a living promotion photos?

Do not even begin trigger think that you can go away from a high earning job innermost make a comparable amount show consideration for money shooting nature photography.  Surrounding is a reason that ingenious lot of photographers are retired.  You need to be exposed to pay your bills.  Hilarious am very careful about anyhow I spend money on forlorn trips.  I hardly ever compensation for a hotel, but in preference to camp wherever I travel.  Uproarious recently flew to Iceland streak spent 15 days shooting, on the contrary only spent $1921 including overturn airfare, but that was all the more a big indulgence for me.  I have a small skiff in Alaska that is natty major investment, but it has allowed me to shoot articles that otherwise would have antiquated impossible.  Ultimately, you have work stoppage treat your photography as uncomplicated business in order to pull off a living.

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I want to express gratitude Jon for taking the firmly in-between trips to Alaska inhibit answer my questions.  More remark his fine work can quip spied on his site, Cornforth Images, and he can embryonic followed on Twitter as @cornforthimages.  And if you’re intersted comport yourself traveling with Jon and natural a thing or two, he’s heading back to Alaska concern early September then off be selected for Patagonia in January.