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Andrew Nevins
@andy_nevs
Photographer based in Canada
Every visual creator has the desire to tell a great story, whether it is their own or the story of what they experience. I have begun to value the story so much more than the images themselves; I’m more intentional with what I shoot and why. A great story speaks for itself, I’m inspired to create images that tell as much of that story as possible.
"In the last year, I made the decision to invest in myself with the goal to go full-time as a digital creator."
I remember being very uncertain in the beginning, but I can gladly say it was time, money and effort well spent. It has been exciting to learn about and develop commercial photo and video work, helping outdoors brands grow their business and tell authentic stories, and I’m ready for all of the new challenges and projects it brings.
Along with some talented friends, we’ve been reaching out to international tourism boards and travel agencies. New environments, new cultures, and new experiences will always be the greatest creative inspiration, and if it’s together with others, the learning outcome may even be greater. Instagram’s most redeeming quality has been its ability to bring creators together. If I could start again today, I would emphasize networking and any kind of collaboration as much as possible.
Understanding that you will get much further when you collaborate instead of trying to always compete. Help others without expecting anything in return; you’d be surprised how many creators are more than willing to help you or offer valuable insights when you need it! In addition, when you work together, adventures might have a higher success rate – with photographs as a result that you may otherwise not have been able to take.
We live in a time where so much of what we see is thoroughly documented and detailed online. It feels like the world is getting smaller and finding unique experiences is becoming more and more rare. One of my most memorable experiences in the Canadian Rockies, my friends and I spent weeks exploring a range of different areas – comparing maps to photos and pieces of information we had gathered, coming up with a strategy and ultimately just exploring. In the end, it took us three, 12-hour days – which by all accounts were disheartening and frustrating as we went home ‘empty-handed’ until we found what we had been searching for.
Winters in the Rockies can be very unforgiving if you are unprepared. There are only 8 fleeting hours of sunlight in the winter. This particular trek involved five hours of driving, a 14km snowshoe hike across a moraine, walking into 60km headwinds, and two river crossings. To top it all off, it was -15º at the warmest – not exactly a walk in the park. Would I do it all again? In a heartbeat.
The photos from this trip are some of my favorite images that I’ve taken. Partly because of the effort it took to capture them, and also because they look more like something you would find in Argentina, not in the Canadian Rockies. These photos show the low winter sun casting a horizontal glow onto the face of the rocks, the powerful winds kicking up snow, the stunning atmosphere, and the towering walls of brilliant blue glacier ice.
One thing that has become clear to me over the past years evolving my photography, is to not wait for clear skies and sunny days. Some of the best photos I have captured are the result of persevering, even on the bad days. I like to consider and understand all of the tough choices that led to the positive result. This requires a specific mindset that you can only strive toward when it becomes a true, integral belief of yours.
Prepare as best you can, but get used to the idea of being uncomfortable. One of the best ways to encourage and motivate yourself is to take action. At the very least, if you enjoy being outside, getting fresh air and exercise, and take pride in making an honest effort – you will never be disappointed. And at best, you’ll be in the right place at the right time to witness something spectacular. Nevertheless, don’t reserve a sense of accomplishment only for the best days – every bad day should be acknowledged as part of the process.
I think the best stories are the ones that inspire people; whether it inspires an idea, a desire, or an action. As said in the beginning, my main goal as a creator now is to create impactful stories with my images and videos – to make people feel something, in addition to merely showing something.
The theme for my video created for the ColorPro video contest was based around identity and how we choose to define ourselves. This concept is interesting to me, because lately I have noticed the dramatic difference between what my friends do for work, and what their passions are. I think people living in adventure destinations are some of the most interesting people; many of them have jobs that serve as a means to be able to live in such an incredible place. You see people working ordinary jobs just to be able to do extraordinary things in their spare time. Just within my immediate friend group, there is a school teacher that summits 11,000ft/3358m mountains on weekends, a bartender who is also a talented landscape photographer, and a manager with a passion for long-distance running.
I think photographers, filmmakers and content creators who are just starting out can all relate to the idea of having to work another job, just to support their passion. And probably many more people with other passions that make their eyes shine. With my video, I wanted to express the idea that you should define yourself by the things you love, rather than by your day job only and what you accomplish there. Your passions and hobbies offer a more genuine perspective of who you really are!
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