We were lucky to catch up with Laura McCumber recently and have shared our conversation below.
Laura, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Work ethic was instilled in me at an early age by my family. We worked hard for everything we had. My grandfather was an electrician. He grew up during the Great Depression and was a self-made man, eventually owning his own business. He was a union man. Later in life, well into his senior years, he worked at the Palo Verde Nuclear Plant. My mother worked three jobs to make ends meet. When I was a child, I would help her with her weekend jobs. My pay was an Archie comic book and a slurpee. Working hard to earn our way was just what we did. That was life. That was the norm. Those values carried into my adulthood.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a professional natural light photographer, specializing in family portraits, graduation portraits, and weddings (occassionally). I shoot landscape photography in my spare time. I am always chasing the light. Photography is a passion I began in high school where I learned early-on the fundamentals of photography, at which time we shot with film and learned darkroom film developing techniques. Currently, I shoot digital. It’s just a passion that never died or faded. My style is true to life color, fun, and laid back.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that have been most impactful are:
- Knowing where to stand
- Controlling the light
- Being flexible and working well with people
The most impactful part of my journey with photography has been capturing memories for people, seeing my art on the walls of their homes. Additionally, photography has taken me on many adventures in life, traveling to places to capture the light and the beauty of natural landscapes. One of the most impactful moments for me was photographing Diamond Beach in Jokulsarlon, Iceland, because it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I went in winter and shivered in a sleet storm, at which time my camera stopped working. I was able to fire off a few shots before the camera died. It was an amazing experience.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
My favorite book is “On The Road” by Jack Kerouac. It inspired me to travel, explore, and see as much of America as I possibly can. “…all that raw land that rolls in one unbelievable huge bulge over to the West Coast, and all that road going, all the people dreaming in the immensity of it.” The book is a living quote for a life of adventure and travel, “Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.” Kerouac inspired me so much with his writing, I self-published a book of Haiku poetry, “Big Sur: Haikus/Photographs” which is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The Henry Miller Library in Big Sur also carried my book, which was a dream come true for me. I fell in love with Big Sur when I first visited the area many years ago. My book encapsulates my love of wandering, writing, and photography.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: LauraMcCumber and LauraMcCumberPhotography
Image Credits
All images shot by Laura McCumber
