These Famous Photographers Have One Thing in Common…
I've just finished watching the six-part documentary - Photographer - on Disney+. It's a National Geographic production that tells the stories of famous photographers from a range of different genres. I want to share my biggest takeaway from the series, and why the driving factor for success has little to do with the images you make.
It may seem absurd to suggest the images a photographer makes aren't the centerpoint of their success. Of course, it's important and you'll struggle to achieve anything without the ability to make compelling images.
But, in truth, many photographers can make great work - but few of them will reach the levels they dream of.
Now, I don't want to completely spoil the series, and if you haven't watched it yet, I highly recommend you do. What I will say is the word that was at the forefront of my mind throughout watching Photographer was sacrifice.
With each story that was told, it was clear all of the photographers had to make huge sacrifices to find their way in their respective fields.
I'll start with Cristina Mittermeier. She's a photographer and conservationist whose work has been published in the likes of National Geographic, TIME Magazine and more. Her work is truly stunning and helps highlight the importance of preserving our relationship with wildlife and nature.
However, her path was not easy. In the series she speaks about how she was told she couldn't be a photographer because she was a woman, and was spoken down to by her male colleagues. It would have been easy for her to give up, to move into a more comfortable working environment and take the easy road.
But she didn't... Instead she sacrificed her comfort, and continued to keep doing what was important to her.
Then we have Anand Varma, a wildlife and sealife photographer…
Varma never had the intention of being a photographer. He worked hard to study as a scientist and had his path clearly laid out in front of him. Then, by chance, he became a photographer's assistant and eventually had to rethink his whole life plan.
The safe path to take was one of his science background - but instead he chose the difficult path. He taught himself on the fly to make images so powerful they became world renowned. He’s perhaps most famous for his Parasites project which earned him the front cover of National Geographic.
The third episode of this gripping series told the story of Dan Winters. He's a celebrity portrait photographer, a NASA photographer and has a wide range of personal projects. His sacrifice is perhaps the hardest to sell because, the truth is, it's one that impacts those closest to him.
Around halfway through the episode we listen to Winter's son. He speaks about the difficulties of not having his father around a lot growing up and how the connection he did have with him felt more like a photo project than a father and son relationship.
Winters, who clearly recognizes the consequences of his actions, wanted to be a success and provide for his family. Sadly, however, this meant sacrificing important relationships and hyper-focusing on creating his work and developing his photography career.
The fourth episode introduces us to Campbell Addy. His sacrifice is perhaps the most challenging of them all. Raised in London, Addy is from a Ghanaian family with strong Christian values.
When Addy came out as gay, originally, it wasn't welcomed by his family. He had to sacrifice the family in order to be himself and pursue his art career - this included going into foster care. He would go on to become one of the most successful fashion photographers of his generation, shooting for the likes of Vogue, Dazed and many more established publications.
Today, Addy's relationship with his brother has remained strong and he's also now in touch with his mother and other family members, all of whom attended his first solo exhibition.
That brings us to episode five in which we followed adventure photographer Krystle Wright. From dangerous sub temperatures to extreme rock climbing, Wright has a thirst for adrenaline and loves documenting what she discovers.
But it's not without its drawbacks...
Wright sadly lost one of her closest friends during an air gliding accident. And later in her career, she had a near death experience after crashing into a rock while paragliding - both events happened while she was on a photography job. But, despite all this Wright never gave up and continued to make images in the best way she knows.
Some may call her reckless, others will admire her bravery, but what's true is Wright sacrifices a lot we take for granted in order to tell her eye-catching stories.
And, finally, we met photojournalist Muhammed Muheisen. He's best known for his conflict photographs where he visits war-torn nations and shares what's happening. You could see the conflict in his mind - he so desperately wanted to connect to these people but knew, like any good photojournalist, he was only there to observe.
Muheisen had to sacrifice his values, his safety and his emotional battery. He lost countless friends and acquaintances and at the end of it all wasn't sure if his work had helped, hindered or done nothing at all.
It's a trauma he will likely have to wrestle with for the rest of his life, and he was prepared to be in that place in order to share truth - in the hope in some small way - his works could make the world a better place.
What’s Your Sacrifice?
These sacrifices aren't small inconveniences – they're life-altering choices that fundamentally shaped these photographers' journeys. The elite photographers profiled all share this willingness to give up something most people wouldn't, whether it's relationships, safety, comfort, certainty, or emotional peace.
So what's your sacrifice? This question requires serious contemplation for anyone with ambitions in photography. Think about what you’re truly prepared to give up in pursuit of your craft. Are you willing to sacrifice financial stability, time with loved ones, comfortable working conditions, or personal safety?
I also want to acknowledge that it's perfectly acceptable not to make extreme sacrifices. You can still enjoy success and fulfillment as a photographer without reaching the rarefied air of National Geographic covers or Vogue features. You can create meaningful work, build a sustainable career, and impact others through your photography without the level of sacrifice described in these profiles.
But the documentary makes it crystal clear: the upper echelon of photographers – those whose names become synonymous with their genre – all share this common thread of significant sacrifice. Their extraordinary work didn't just emerge from talent and opportunity, but from their willingness to give up what others wouldn't.
As you develop your own path in photography, consider honestly what you're willing to sacrifice – and what you aren't. Your answer will help define not just your potential success, but the kind of life you'll lead while pursuing it.
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