Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amryn Soldier. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Amryn, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Over the past few years solo travel, hiking, and car camping have been the biggest source of my confidence and self esteem. I have always been inspired by nature and over the last few years I plan very detailed trips to take photos and document these trips. Exploring nature and astro photography was a way to be learn a new skill within the field I have ten years of experience in has been a motivating challenge to become more creative. Spending a week searching for hidden waterfalls and tiny creatures, getting up insanely early to shoot the milky way, or hopefully capture a dramatic sunrise takes an immense amount of planning and intention. When sharing the photos I have often received comments that going alone is difficult or would be far too dangerous. This surprises me since it is one of the only things that makes me feel empowered and above all capable of creating my own journey. There have been many times where I’m afraid on a trail but pushing past that and completing the trip builds my confidence each time whether or not I succeed in getting “the shot”.
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?
Photography has always been my passion and I was lucky enough to discover it very early on. I specialize in fine art, weddings, elopements, and portraiture. I have photographed hundreds of weddings over the last ten years and been part of some truly unique projects presenting photography alternative processes, local and international exhibitions, published in magazines, and giving a TEDx talk are some of the highlights.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
-Learning the basics and “rules” of photography is also important in order to break them and create a unique style. -The ability to overcome fear of rejection is one of the most important skills that has impacted my career. It’s definitely something I am still working on. I won’t book every shoot, be accepted for every show or magazine and being defeated by rejection prevents my chances of being open to the next opportunity.
-My ability to put people at ease in front of a camera is the most important quality I have learned to take better photos.
My advice for anyone starting their photography journey is to practice every day, explore a variety of genres, and continue to make mistakes so you can learn from them.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Quiet by Susan Cain and Francesca Woodman: On Being an Angel are two inspiring books that have been very impactful to me. They both speak about introversion, creativity in solitude and the power of silence. I believe these are very important in photography as the ability to listen and observe are key to meaningful photos.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.asoldierart.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/afearfuljourney
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/asoldierphoto
Image Credits
All photos- Amryn Soldier Phototgraphy
