We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jeremiah Flynn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jeremiah below.
Jeremiah, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I find my resilience in my voice. Growing up I had a speech impediment that led to bullying in the elementary. No one was willing to listen to what I had to say, which kept me silent for a while. That silence lead me to discover my love for writing. I thought, “If I can’t say these words, maybe I can write them.” This led to short stories, poems and notes to give to my friends and others as a way of communication. Through this, I thought I had found my voice and way to connect. That would change in 6th grade when I turned in a paper that I was so proud of to my English teacher. She on the other hand, thought differently and proceeded to rip up the paper in front of the class. There I was, silenced again and apart. This was the method of communication I felt safest in, but in one moment it was taken away. Even without this, my desire to connect with others grew by the day. With no outlet it built from a small spark into an undeniable need. I wanted to be known, for others to see what I saw. The day I picked up a camera was the first time I got that chance. The summer after this event, my mother took me to the local zoo and handed me an old Fuji camera. I wandered around, snapping shots of everything I could see. From peacocks to monkeys, I captured them all. It was an old turtle that shifted my focus though. When I saw the picture developed, that old unfamiliar feeling was back–I felt proud. Given what had happened before, I should have been nervous to show this to anyone. I should have been at least a little afraid that it would be like the other times. The desire to be heard was resilient. When I submitted that picture, it was as simple as breathing. The response was like nothing I had ever experienced before. Not only did the photo win awards, but it reached far beyond my immediate circle. People I had never met before loved a moment I had captured, all because I had been able show them how I saw it. I had found my voice. One that couldn’t be silenced.
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 visual artist based in Austin, TX providing photography and filmmaking services. At the beginning of my career I was primarily a landscape and wildlife photographer, selling framed prints as income. Now, I primarily work as a documentary and portrait photographer, capturing events and helping local businesses with creating content. I have created content for clients such as Rick Soto, owner of “Soto Co.”, Roko TV’s “The Cupcakes Guys” and Tre Abeita & Joaquin Ugarte of “The Shop ATX.” My most recent project was taking photos and video at the 2023 NFL Draft with Soto & Co. Where I documented the process of Rick Soto suiting up C.J. Stroud of The Texans and Joey Porter Jr. of The Steelers.
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 three most important qualities and skills impacting my career are persistence, willing to learn from failures and surrounding myself with like-minded people. Persistence is the key to success. A break every now and then is fine but you must never give up. Everyone has room to learn and practice so failing from time to time is ok. Even the industry’s top photographers mess up once and a while. The most important obstacle to overcome is your mind. If you surround yourself with negative individuals they will drag you down. The more you surround yourself with like-minded people, the stronger your business’ will grow.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
For the past year I have been working with local businesses in Austin, TX. After working with artists and a custom clothing store, I have been wanting to collaborate with more fashion companies and creatives. I love capturing BTS footage of how things are made all the way up to the finished product. My dream project is documenting a suit being made, from the first thread to the last stitch.
You can contact me at:
jeremiahflynnphotography@gmail.com
www.jeremiahflynnphotography.com
www.instagram.com/jeremiahflynnphotography
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jeremiahflynnphotography.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeremiahflynnphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejeremiahflynnphotography