Mads Barnes’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Mads Barnes. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Mads, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Traveling has been bringing me a lot of joy lately. Whenever life feels too busy, getting away helps me slow down, reconnect with myself, and come back feeling refreshed. I recently returned from a three-week backpacking trip through Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines, and it was absolutely what I needed after a year of going non-stop with studying and working. I had the best time and feel better than ever.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a documentary photographer from Portland, Oregon, USA, now living in Melbourne, Australia, where I’ve just started my third year of photography school at Photography Studies College. These days, I’m shooting a lot of events, portraits, personal documentary projects, and working closely with the LGBTQIA+ community at Victoria’s Pride Center here in Melbourne. I also recently put together my first photo book, which was such a fun way to bring my work together.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mom. She’s always been all-in on every dream I’ve had. When I told her a couple of years ago about my slightly crazy idea to move to Australia, she definitely thought I’d lost it, but she still cheered me on the whole way. She believes in me even when I’m not so sure myself. I couldn’t have done any of this without her.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Just relax and enjoy the ride. Life’s way too fast to waste time on worries that don’t actually help anything. Everything’s going to work out just fine.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. With my photography, I want to keep creating projects that celebrate queer culture and all its vibrancy. As someone in the community myself, it’s such a joy to make art alongside people who mean so much to me. I will always be a proud advocate for my community.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing? 
Hopefully nothing! I want to continue living in a way where I don’t have regrets, where I follow through on the things that matter to me, so at the end of the day, I can say I did everything I wanted to do.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @shotzbymadz
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Mads Barnes