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Brett Becker
@brettbeckerphoto
Landscape photographer based in the US
My name is Brett Becker, I’m 23 and live in Southern California. Being from California, I’m close to so many amazing national parks that are right in my backyard practically. I remember my first camera was actually my mom’s Nikon with a kit lens. I loved that camera, and I remember taking thousands and thousands of pictures with it no matter what it was. Being behind a camera gave me the opportunity to express my own unique perspective of the world. As a photographer, I am simply an observer of this beautiful planet. Many people ask “why would anyone want to wake up at 3AM and travel four or more hours to a destination for photos?” My answer will always be the same. “It’s not about the travel time or distance, it’s the destination which is special and worth the effort, and I want to show people there’s more to this life than their everyday environment.
"I want to inspire people to leave their comfort zone.”
The most special place to me so far has to be Yosemite National Park. I’ve visited the park four times and going again at the end of February for the infamous “firefall.” Yosemite holds a special place in my heart because it was my first National Park I’ve ever been to. I remember the first time seeing Yosemite, I kept asking myself if this was real. The sights, the smells, the large granite faces that host some of the best views in the world and offers endless amounts of compositions to work with. My second favorite place would be Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua tree is the closest to me being only two hours from my home.
"Miles and miles of trees all held together by sculpted granite rock makes this place feel like you stepped foot onto another planet."
"I am definitely someone who’s using every single possibility to travel and I always have my next destinations ready."
The next two trips I have planned will be Sedona Arizona, and Shiprock New Mexico. Sedona has been on my mind for a few years now. I finally have it planned for April of this year and can’t wait to spend a few days shooting landscapes! The trip to Shiprock hasn’t sparked my curiosity until lately. When I first saw a picture of Shiprock I knew I had to go there as soon as possible because it looks amazing especially from a drones point of view. Eventually I will make the trip to Iceland. That’s probably this biggest goal I have for myself.
Each trip is very different and that’s the fun part, but what is important to me in every trip is timing and bringing friends. Whether it’s a sunset shoot or sunrise, I try to arrive early or stay as late as possible to fully enjoy the opportunity. My main objective is to find a composition of my liking, and out of the hundreds of shots I may take in one day if only one of them is perfect it was a successful trip! I carry my backpack and all my gear with me every day no matter where I go because you never know when you’re going to need it. The gear I use is simple, I shoot on a Sony A7ii with a Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, and a Sony 70-200 G lens.
"I also carry my IPad around so I can edit while in a tent or hotel where I am staying so I can post pictures on the go."
Going on trips and all sounds pretty amazing, but photography is not just about that. There is also uncertainty and frustration when it comes to how you are dealing with everything you experience and how you can best express this in visuals. I think every photographer progresses and changes throughout their lifetime. At one point last year I wanted to give up photography out of frustration mostly with myself. I’m glad I didn’t, because I wouldn’t be writing this. All I needed was a little bit of self-reflection on how far I’ve come and how much I’ve learned about photography.
"I never truly found my creative style until this year and my photos and editing style are a representation of who I am as a person."
"I believe this is something very special, because even though the same landscapes and places can be captured by hundreds of photographers from the same composition, each photo is going to look different."
Each photo is going to represent personality. And all photos together over time will represent personal and professional growth, a personal learning curve, which is something very special and something to be proud of in my opinion. Photography has allowed me to show who I really am through the pictures that I take. It has pushed me out of my comfort zone and into a world of creativity and true happiness. I’ve met so many amazing people along the way that I wouldn’t have met any other way. It’s the connections that I’ve formed with other people that make life fulfilling for me.
"Seeing new places and meeting people that have the same passion as myself opened up a new world for me in terms of it being my whole life."
"Photography comes in all shapes and sizes. From mountains to deserts to oceans, there is never a dull moment."
I believe my main goal with photography is to show people the beauty this planet has to offer. Not everyone goes on adventures to unknown places because they’re afraid to leave their comfort zone. Personally I don’t want to just be alive, I want to live and see everything I can in my life. I think about my future and photography everyday and I have come so far from when I first started. Eventually I would want to run my own business and travel the world all while making new friends along the way. If there’s one thing I would say to a new photographer that would be to never give up. When you hit a rough patch, or you think you’re not progressing, just stop and self-reflect. Ask yourself, is this my passion? Is it worth giving up after you’ve come this far? Just know every photographer has these moments and it is worth the journey.
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