We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Raul Touzon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Raul below.
Raul, 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?
The three “Ps” Patience, Passion and Perseverance. I always wanted to be a National Geographic Photographer and I never gave up. The same concept applies when you are out in the field shooting, you MUST be extremely resilient and never walk away from the opportunity evolving in front of you. For me it has always been the philosophy to shoot and live by.
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 basically do photographic assignments for companies such as National Geographic, Apple, and the US National Park Service. I have also done some work for the United Nations in Sudan. The other part of my business is to lead photographic expeditions that can be either nature or culture driven. Ej. Nature (which tend to be remote locations) Svalbard, Antartica, Iceland, Greenland and cultural ones like Istanbul, Mexico and Guatemala. I like working on long term projects and turn those into books. I have been shooting Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico and Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala for 15 years. Here home, I have been building a visual essay of the Everglades for the last 10 years, some of those images area featured in the Everglades National Park visitor center at Flamingo.
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?
1. Sense of Business: It doesn’t matter what, ART is a business and you need to have at least basic knowledge on how to manage your company. 2. Talent: In my case I never studied photography. You need to recognize what are your strengths and weakness and maximize the first and work hard on improving the second. It is easy to teach photography but talent you can’t teach.
3. Resiliance: Work hard and never give up, work on long term projects that will make you think and concentrate. Perseverance is a great teacher, you will learn from your mistake and keep trying until you get it right. Always be humble and hold your subjects high,
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
Since I decided to walk this path, I made sure to be surrounded by those who I admired, which in most cases were National Geographic photographers. David Alan Harvey, Maggie Steber, Sam Abell and Steve McCurry were instrumental. They made me understand the challenges and what was needed to succeed. Over the years I have been blessed not only to be their friend but also to share the classroom and shot side by side with them. Mentorship is a great way of learning. Having said that, it is a hard career which has taken more than 20 years to learn, a job with many ups and downs specially during COVID as this business relies 100% on travel. But at the end of the day it has been a remarkable journey that has taken me to all continents and given me the opportunity to see and experience what many people will never see or experience.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.touzonphoto.com
- Instagram: @touzonphoto
- Facebook: Raul Touzon Photography
Image Credits
Copyright Raul Touzon
