Living Well and Becoming Self Aware as a Photographer with Chris Orwig
In this episode, I sat down at the mic with Chris Orwig, who I met at WPPI. Chris is a Sony Artisan Imagery (an ambassador for the brand), photographer, best-selling author and teacher. He openly shared about his journey and what he’s learned along the way!
HIGHLIGHTS
Chris's journey.
Chris claims to have started his photography journey with no natural talent; he had to work diligently to develop the skills he has and believes this is part of why he stands out as a teacher.
Due to chronic pain, Chris was unable to do a lot of the things he loved in his early twenties. Because of this, his view of himself and his future shifted in a big way, leading him to photography. Chris says his camera, self-described as "the gratitude machine", helped him to take the focus off of himself and begin his healing process. He enjoyed being creative without it being hard on his body.
Guided by the question, "how do we live well?", Chris found wisdom looking through his camera lens. With each session he encountered new depths of wisdom ultimately leading to his belief that good photographs have multiple messages within them, and photographers can hold space for both the negative and the positive not only in their work but also on their paths to living well.
Through portraiture, Chris discovered a new type of connection that proved to be a vital part of his healing journey, and this connection is the inspiration behind his work to this day. Chris encourages curiosity in his students so that they, too, can find their "why" behind their relationship with photography.
Bringing your unique perspective to your genre.
There is so much that goes into creating a beautiful image beyond technical skills. Photographers are artisans who tell stories through carefully crafted photos, but what happens when we don't have clarity surrounding what we do and why we do it?
Chris and I talked about the extreme importance of self-awareness as photographers. Knowing your unique take on your genre is crucial when it comes to standing out in a saturated industry. My business didn't take off until I got super clear on what I do, and that's why one of the core elements of my group coaching program is clarity.
I firmly believe that no two people in the world can see and capture something in the exact same way. And this is what it's all about! Digging deep for the "why" behind what you do will transform not only your life, but also your business.
Photographers are storytellers.
An aspect of being photographers that Chris and I both feel passionate about is getting to tell someone's story. For the brief period of time that your subject is sitting in front of your camera, you get to search for and document the small details that give a glimpse into their personality. And there's artistry in that.
I absolutely adore photographing children because I appreciate how they just show up as they are, as the truest version of themselves. In fact, I even tell the parents not to tell their kids to smile or act any certain way because I love the rawness of it all. It really excites me to feature someone without any distractions. It's simultaneously simple and magical.
Chris expressed a deep sense of connection with his subjects that he feels is a reflection of the oneness of all of us. There's that ability to look so closely at another that we're almost able to see ourselves. It's a rather poetic experience that tends to foster a desire to go deeper, further inward instead of focusing on how we look.
Give Chris a follow on Instagram here!
