Our fantastic collection of interviews will take you on a tour of the journeys of some well-known photographers around the globe.
This time, we were honored to interview an inspiring and talented adventure and travel photographer Dan Bailey, whose stunning artworks are a treat to the eyes of the viewers.
Dan Bailey is a photographer based in Anchorage, Alaska. His work has been published by clients worldwide, including Fujifilm, Nikon, Fidelity Investments, Alaska Airlines, British Petroleum, Outside Magazine, Discovery Channel, National Geographic Adventure, The New York Times, and Patagonia.
Dan spoke to us over email last week. All the images used in this post have been clicked by Dan himself. The interview conducted is presented below. Enjoy reading!
Question 1: How do you maintain your fitness to adapt to challenging travel conditions that come with outdoor adventure photography?
Answer: I was born with boundless energy, but I also stay active every week of the year, whether cycling, hiking, skiing, wrangling my little yellow Cessna around, or lifting weights.
Question 2: What do you consider your most significant achievement as a photographer?
Answer: That’s a tricky question. It’s been the honor of my professional career to be one of the original Fujifilm X-Photographer Ambassadors, having used Fuji slide film and X Series cameras for nearly all of my life with the camera. It’s also been an outstanding achievement to be recognized as an influential instructor and inspired by many other outdoor photographers who follow my work.
For an actual photography achievement, getting to photograph the sunrise on K2, the world’s second highest mountain in the Karakoram Himalayas of Pakistan, during a trek in the summer of 1994 was an unmatched memorable experience.
Question 3: Who are some other photographers that have inspired you in the past or still do?
Answer: Galen Rowell was my most significant outdoor adventure photography influence as an aspiring pro. Still, I was inspired by many prolific outdoor shooters, like Ace Kvale, Bill Hatcher, Greg Epperson, Nevada Wier, and flash experts, like Joe McNally and David Hobby. These days, there are so many talented shooters that I follow on social media, and I continue to be inspired, not only by their fantastic work but by the ways that some people have adapted and forged their path with new creative ideas and also the methods that people use to promote their work.
Question 4: What are your pro tips for amateur photographers?
Answer: Nothing will ever replace the journey and experience you gain from shooting as many subjects as you can, as often as you can, for many years. Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule is the key to success for any skill or craft, and in photography, every hour you spend shooting and learning to market yourself will be a building block for your creative and technical skills and your career.
The other key to success is to do what you love. It sounds simple, but if you’re following your individual creative path in a way that genuinely feels right for you, then you’ll be inspired to create your best work. When you do that for 10,000+ hours, you will gain the necessary experience and authority it takes to do this for a living.
And in the end, if you don’t actually achieve the kind of “pro-level success” you had in mind, you will have at least spent years doing what you truly love in life, which is worth more than anything.
Question 5: What is your most memorable interaction with a local?
Answer: During our 2001 cycling trip to Ladakh, India, we stopped at a monastery in the village of Diskit. There was a young 10-year-old monk at the entrance, and our first interaction with him was merely to pay him a few rupees to enter. He was pretty stoic at first, but as I got out the camera and horsed around a bit, I was able to coax a few laughs out of him, which allowed me to shoot one of my favorite portraits of all time.
Question 6: Describe your ideal workday.
Answer: There are many possible types of “ideal work days” for me, but they usually include playing outside on my bike or exploring glaciers and gravel bars in my little Cessna, shooting tons of photos, then returning after sunset to download photos and eat dinner. In the summertime in Alaska, when we have the midnight sun, it’s not uncommon for me to get back home at 12:30 or 1:00 AM and eat at around 2:00 while editing photos. Those are good days.
Question 7: Among all your work as a photographer, which one do you consider to be your favorite?
Answer: Of all of my images, I’m really proud of my mountain aerials, which I shoot from the window of my plane. In the wintertime, these impressive peaks are covered in snow, and the combination of clear cold air and long, low-angle sunsets makes for some truly amazing and magical images. In my mind, they communicate the idea of outdoor adventure photography with so much majesty and power, and they’re shot from such a unique vantage point. I think these are some of my favorite images I’ve ever shot.
Question 8: How do you deal with a client who has a completely different vision of what they want versus what you think would look best?
Answer: That’s something that all pro photographers face, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult situation. Good communication and people skills are key; being flexible in trying different approaches can help diffuse potential issues.
In my experience, I’ve found that art directors are open to my ideas of outdoor adventure photography. As long as I make sure to take into consideration the specific ideas they’d like to see in a shot, I’m usually able to find a good middle ground and get a shot that works best, even if it’s different than what any of us might have thought it was going to be.
In short, be the photographer who’s easy to work with, which sounds simple, but you’d be surprised at how often this isn’t the case. Those are the shooters who don’t get called back for the next assignment.
Question 9: If not photography, what could have been your profession?
Answer: I trained as a musician and recording engineer, so who knows? I love playing and recording music, but most of that happens inside, so I don’t know if I’d be happy with that kind of life. I spend time these days writing and producing music for my videos, so I guess I’m already doing that part-time. I’m interested in many things, but I’m clearly drawn to creative pursuits and working for myself.
Question 10: What are your plans for the upcoming months? Have you got any events or outdoor adventure photography projects scheduled?
Answer: I hope to return to doing some real-in-person workshops and photography events later this year, but those are still TBD. Either way, I’m looking forward to shooting more with my X-T5 this year and dipping my toes even further into the world of video. I’ve got some new gear on the way, so I’m excited to continue exploring how to blend that aspect of image making, which is generally more gear intensive, with my typical, fast-moving, often minimalist style of outdoor photography.
For more information about Dan Bailey’s photography and insight, do visit his website!
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