We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Russ Clapp a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Russ , 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?
My father. Growing up, my father worked rotating shifts at a paper mill. In his 36 years of working there, he never missed a day. He always went. Sick or not. He was never late either. He was one of those if you’re on time, you’re already 5 minutes late type of people. This was my normal. For good or bad, I was the same way. In my early years I was the same way. Be it sickness, family emergencies, children’s activities, I never missed a day of work. In the end, it never really got me anything except some sense of self satisfaction. I was just the guy who could be counted on. Unfortunately, the guy who can always be counted on doesn’t get an award for missing out on the other important things in life. It took a lot of years to realize that it’s okay to do the important things. Work ethic is great when you’re working, but it’s okay to put it away when you’re not.
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 reaching the end of my career in the oil and gas industry. I am beginning my career as a professional landscape photographer. Living in the Pacific Northwest provides so many amazing photography opportunities. From mountains to sunsets and everything in between, the canvas choices are never ending. I’ve had the opportunity to participate in a couple of shows, and to have my work featured in a local gallery. The response has been positive, plus it’s given me the chance to meet other local artists. I also support a number of local nonprofit groups, donating photos to their miscellaneous charity auction events. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that others are bidding on a piece of your artistry to hang on the walls of their homes. It’s very humbling.
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?
What I consider to be one of my best qualities goes back to my work ethic. I always dig deep to find out how other amazing artists go about their business of creating. From shadows to long exposures to scene creation. There is no limit to what can be learned. I have spent hours watching YouTube videos on technique. There are so many ideas from low budget creativity to endless budget. There are no boundaries. My best advice is to keep experimenting and to keep trying. That is probably the greatest thing about the advent of digital photography. I can take as many pictures as I want, then sort through them when I get home. I might go through a thousand photos to find that one that makes you stop and go “Oh my”. To me that’s what it’s all about. A photo should invoke a feeling of some kind.
The viewer gets to decide what that is.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
Aging. Becoming more in touch with the fact that us humans do have an expiration date. My challenge is to have the ability to keep getting out to do the things I want. Having had 4 pretty major surgeries the past few years to keep my body moving has taken its toll. I can’t get out on the back country trails, or hike to the top of a mountain like I used to, but I still have that passion in my heart to get out and do as much as I can.
Having just recently lost my father also brings into focus that father time is coming for all of us. He had 88 exceptional years. He always had a smile and a story for everyone and was active until the day he passed. We can all only hope to be so lucky.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://russellclappphotography.com
- Instagram: barkingdogphoto
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