We recently connected with Ryan Varga and have shared our conversation below.
Ryan, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is something I think we all struggle with as creatives, especially when we are first starting out. And in some way when we start making things and putting them out into the world we are actually imposters because we haven’t gotten good yet. But the longer I’ve been a creative and surrounded myself with people who are “successful” I’ve noticed that nobody really has it figured out. Most people are learning on the fly and making it up as they go. I don’t think you can ever be 100% prepared for that big job or creative problem when it shows up. I’ve tried to be comfortable in the not knowing and trusting that I can always figure it out as it shows up.
The second aspect of imposter syndrome which is somewhat counter to the above paragraph is nobody can actually be an imposter. I believe we are all unique and have our own special combination of experiences and ways of seeing the world that aren’t replicable. For example, if you give two different people the same assignment, camera, location etc. they will both come back with completely different photos and interpretations of what they saw. Since who we are is not replicable and we can’t counterfeit being ourselves it could be argued that imposter syndrome doesn’t exist. Only a lack of confidence.
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’m a lifestyle, portrait and commercial photographer based in Denver, Colorado.
The number one thing you should know about me is that I absolutely love photography. If I am never paid for photography again I will continue to make photos for myself as long as my hands work. I think this comes through in my excitement on set and attention to detail. I bring a careful consideration of light, connection and nostalgia through the wide range of subjects I shoot to help clients achieve their desired outcome.
Whether you’re a brand looking to tell your story with a visual narrative, a business owner looking to sell a product or a model looking to build their portfolio I’m confident that I can help bring your vision to life.
Outside of photography I enjoy running, snowboarding and spending time with my wife Shelly and daughter Penny.
Since the birth of my daughter I’ve been working on a personal project called Rad Dads to document fatherhood in modern day and build a connection with these men on the shared experience of becoming fathers. You can see more on my website at https://www.ryceroni.com/rad-dads.
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?
The two qualities I think were most impactful on my journey were networking and constant exposure.
I think connecting on instagram and social media is great but if you really want to get jobs as a photographer there is no replacement for making a connection in person. I try to tell photographers that are just starting out to assist as much as possible, get coffee with people without an agenda and to make friends with those you admire and are where you want to be in 5 years. Since covid happened I feel there is a real opportunity for people who thrive in person because there are simply less people doing it.
The second quality I think was impactful to my journey was constant exposure. This means constantly shooting personal work, sharing it with the world and developing taste. I try to bring my camera with me wherever I go. One of the reasons I do this is because I enjoy taking photos and the second is I know that each time I click the shutter I am getting 1% better. Whether it’s filling gaps in my portfolio or shooting personal projects I know that this not only helps me stay relevant but will make me better in the long run.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
I would say without a doubt it has been becoming a father. There is a real biological light switch that goes on when your first child is born that I think matures someone as a person and cuts out the bs in life. I say no a lot more since my daughter was born and my priorities have become a lot more clear. It could be that there is a little person holding me more accountable or that my time is more limited but there have been a lot of unknown positives from starting a family I couldn’t have anticipated. I feel more productive, I watch my health a lot more and I look a lot harder at who I am as a person because I know how much my behavior could be modeled.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ryceroni.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryceroni/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-varga-8780bb16/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryceroni
