We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Morgan Ellis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Morgan, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
My photography has grown over the years as I dive more into nature. My relationship with nature has deepened and it continuously inspires me and the way that I take photos. Recently, my love for foraging and learning about plants has inspired my photography work a lot. Being able to spend meaningful time outside and slow down has allowed me to experience places I love in a much more enriching way. Foraging has become a huge part of my life and let me understand the area I am in more and how all of the plants in an area work together. From wedding photos to action sports, seeing nature in new ways helps me visualize photos in creative new ways. When I’m out taking couple photos I get to work with nature to create a similar cohesive pattern the way I see plants all working together when I forage. Using nature as a frame for couples creates a grounding feel. When I’m shooting for action sports I’m able to appreciate the complexity of the geography and show how aesthetic and beautiful these strong sports are. There’s so much variety in nature that I seem to always pull creativity from the new places I’m in and also individualize the photos that I’m taking.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a traveling photographer based in California taking engagement and wedding photos out in nature. When I’m not shooting love I am shooting action sports in the mountain or yoga retreats throughout North America. As an avid outdoor enthusiast I strive to create photos for people who share the same connection with nature. This year I will also be working with sustainable companies to help promote products that are less wasteful and promote healthier lifestyles.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The most important skill I’ve been told over and over again is to never stop learning. Learning in a broad sense may be learning about your equipment that you’re working with or being curious and learning about the world around you. We inevitably change when we learn and grow and it is what makes each person’s photography so unique. Another important quality backpacking of the first is being open to help. Asking other photographers for help or resources has helped to figure out what kind of work I like and don’t like. The last skill I think is the most important for myself and everyone is to work in the area you love. For a long time I would bounce between different photography jobs to help pay the bills, but when I learned to focus on the areas I love my work became better. Loving the work you are creating will help prevent burn out and will push you in the direction you want to be going in. Putting energy into work that you do not support or want will pull you away from the things that you do care about.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am looking for people and companies to collaborate with who share a passion for the outdoors and want to push forward sustainability. My main focus for the year is to be outside and create with nature. I can be reached through my website or through social media to help create with those looking to inspire a sustainable community and promote wellness.
Contact Info:
- Website: Morganoutside.com
- Instagram: @Fatherflamingo
Image Credits
Photos of Brittany Griffiths @soulstokedyogini and Nathan Williams @williams_nathan Rhaude Dahlinghaus @hotrhaude Kelley Doyle @livingyoga_soulsessions Rhaude Dahlinghaus @hotrhaude Brice Niemond @bricemakesmusic Brittany Griffiths @soulstokedyogini
