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Hugo Healy
@hugohealy
Photographer and videographer based in Dubai
As a youngster I used to do a lot of urban exploring with my brother. We loved traveling around, finding large abandoned buildings and industrial units such as old physiatric wards, hospitals, cement works, and hotels abandoned in time. I have always had a fascination with the beauty in decay. A place frozen in its time, giving an insight into its own history. I first started shooting with a camera when I was a teenager, and I used to shoot abandoned buildings a lot. I then studied photography at college, experimenting with all kinds and genres. From film and darkroom processing to long exposure, city, and light painting. However, I never really saw it as a career or a means to make money, and my passion started to fade a little. That was until I bought a drone when I was studying at film school. This opened my mind and eyes to a whole new perspective and helped me reignite that love for shooting stills. I was able to see things in a whole new way and started exploring more to find the unique and colorful patterns and textures of the places I lived.
I grew up outside of the cities and always appreciated the nature around me, so my passion for nature next to my natural desire to explore and travel has been deeply ingrained in me from a young age. At the age of 18, I spent five months traveling Asia. This opened me up to a whole new exciting world. These days I continue to travel when I can. The thing I love about photography is how it allows me to explore and see more. It makes me wake up for the sunrises and go on crazy hikes, visiting places I would have never gone to otherwise, in the best light with no one else around. It really is an incredible way to see our planet.
Taking a leap of faith
At some point, I decided to quit my job and go full-time in the creative world. This was a massive step for me. It can be hard stepping away from a guaranteed income and going freelance, but for me, being my own boss and having the freedom to do the things I love when I want is incredibly gratifying and key to my happiness nowadays.
I started to grow my brand and get international recognition for my work by winning various awards. I have been fortunate enough to work on a music video that won an MTV VMA and later a Grammy, and have had multiple images win competitions all around the world. All this helped me tremendously in my career as a creator.
Nevertheless, there hasn’t been a single moment that landed me in the situation I am in now. It’s been more of a continuous grind day and night, to produce the best imagery I could and have an amazing time during the process. I used to work a 9-5. Now I work 24h but absolutely love it. It’s a combination of lots of things that have added up over the years that helped me become a better professional, artist, person, and businessman. Learning, preparation and timing are everything.
"We create our own luck and our own paths. No one else can."
Life lessons and tipping points
One specific thing, however, that has had a massive impact on my situation, is probably my Instagram. It has been a platform that allowed me to share with the world and get recognition through it, but the most impactful thing for me has been the people I have met on Instagram and the adventures I have had with them. If it wasn’t for Instagram and the friends I made there, I certainly wouldn’t have the job I am doing today, nor the practical skills.
No growth comes without challenges, so I do believe that also things that seem unrelated, are very important for the creator I am today. In my case, first of all, being a firefighter for five years boosted my personal development and I obtained skills that will be beneficial for me in life forever. It’s extremely rewarding and allows you to see how fragile life is and how important it is to do the things you love with the people you love.
"Another significant challenge for me was to move to Dubai; leaving the UK and all my friends and family behind."
It’s always hard starting a new life, especially when you know no one. But putting yourself outside your comfort zone is where we grow the most. Since moving here I have learned so much and worked on the biggest projects I have ever been a part of. I have a new skill set that I didn’t have before and it will allow me to progress into the future.
I want to move more into the film industry world, particularly focusing on aerial work and FPV. That’s what I’m doing now and I want to keep growing and developing in this industry. I really don’t plan ahead of time though, I like to go with the flow and ride the waves as they come in. I want to keep traveling and will continue to explore the world. I would also like to continue to sell my images and become more renowned in the photography world. I want to help others also, so I hope to develop some kind of course or training, and host trips to help people develop their photography and drone skills.
Tips to building a career in the creative industry
To share some first tips from my point of view about building a career in the creative industry… First I would recommend learning something new every day. As obvious as it may seem, it is essential that you continue to grow and push yourself to become the best you can be. Next, it is important to market yourself well. Use the tools we have around us. It’s sad but it is true that Instagram can have a massive impact on your work as a photographer. Definitely as a content creator. So in that sense, it’s important to post your best work as often as you can to help build your brand. However, Instagram is not the only way. There are many ways to market yourself. Just reaching out to brands and pitching ideas can also be a good way to get out there!
Thirdly, please know that mastering editing is key. I feel like editing is about half the work and it really allows you to stand out and create fantastic imagery.
Finally, just make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. I love my job. I love shooting and feel as though I’m never working. Love your job and never work a day in your life right? I didn’t start this to get clout or a following or anything like that. They are just a byproduct of creating amazing/inspiring work. So if you truly want a career in photography, don’t do it for the money or the ‘likes’. Do it for love and passion. It’s going to be hard. It will be a struggle. Good things are never easy and there are plenty of other photographers out there doing the same thing.
"But if you truly love what you're doing. You'll never be unhappy."
Ingredients for a great photograph
For me, great photography is all about light. Especially for the work, I produce, shooting in the best light is a must. It adds so much to an image. However, of course, the way you use your composition is also important. Having great lighting with no composition is almost pointless. There are many other key factors such as storytelling, emotion, and contrasting concepts… These can sometimes be harder in a landscape image. Within the landscape and travel world, one thing that’s super important for me is that the image is unique. I want to see and create images I haven’t seen before. Especially on Instagram, there can be so much saturation and copying. So for me, a great image is also a unique one.
I guess I want that same energy to be reflected in my photos and my edits. I want to show how colorful, wonderful and mind-boggling the world is. I don’t really edit to a particular ‘style’. For me every image is different and I like editing on an image-by-image basis. I’ve never used a preset. Generally speaking, I want to create a well-balanced image with a pop and a wow factor. You will see my images don’t have a color scheme. However, they all work together because they contrast against each other and show the world in a particular color and light. I like to play with the light in the image to draw my viewers to particular details or subjects.
Special photos
During the last years, I have captured many moments, and the following images stand out:
The first view is so surreal I am not even sure I am still on Planet Earth. Four volcanoes perfectly aligned and a sunset that will stick with the times. Low clouds move over the cracking lava fields as the sky slowly turns from gold to red to pink and then blue.
The next image is also a unique perspective. It is made of around 30 shots to get this broad perspective, allowing the view of the whole landscape. The conditions allowed for a dramatic scene. There was a storm brewing allowing some mood in the sky. After I took this photo, the rain started pouring from the sky, and my drone got soaked.
City in the sky, the next image, is my favorite because it is such a unique image, with literally the perfect conditions and making downtown Dubai look like a city floating in the clouds at sunrise. I had just relocated there for work. So it also marks the start of a new life.
The following photo is also on my top. It is an incredible spot in Iceland that shows one of the most beautiful roads worldwide. I photographed this one during one of my most insane road trips, and the final result won the People Choice Award at the British Photography Awards.
Finally, Coastal Capillaries, has to be in there too.
For me, aerial photography has always been about finding unique patterns, shapes, and textures in our landscapes. Natural or human-made. I often spend time scouting google earth and maps for interesting places from a birds’ eye view. This spot is one from the UK, which is hard to believe.
This image represents the vital systems our planet needs to survive. Rivers and streams supply our ecosystems with the water they need to live and thrive. The lifeblood of Planet Earth, similar to the capillaries in our bodies – complex and entwined systems that support life. Moving the oxygen and vital nutrients we need. This image is abstract, and it can be hard to understand what it is exactly. However, it mimics the structures and patterns within our bodies, illustrating that we are all connected to everything.
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