Stephen Elliot

This continued for several years, and my business continued to grow through word of mouth alone. Eventually I found more work than I could handle, and I noticed that I was often shooting the same events over and over, year after year. It all started to look the same. The creativity and inspiration that fueled my work earlier had all but vanished. I got bored, and photography became just a job to me.

March of 2012 claimed the title as my "busiest month ever.” That is, until May came along, and then June broke the record again. By July I was spent. Exhausted. Burned out. The last thing I wanted to do was take another picture. I needed a vacation, and fortunately I had just the ticket. I spent the next two weeks exploring Alaska and backpacking through the beautiful wilderness.

I reluctantly brought my camera on that trip because I knew I would be glad to have pictures in the end. What I didn’t expect was how much I loved capturing memories on that adventure. It reminded me why I got into photography in the first place. It showed me that I wasn't tired of taking pictures; I just needed to shoot the things I love.

During that trip I resolved to pursue opportunities that feel more like memories instead of assignments, so naturally I turned my attention to adventure and vacation photography. It feels like a perfect complement to my personality and experience as a photographer, not to mention it has led to some incredible experiences for me too.

I’ve had the privilege of traveling to places like Egypt, Cuba, Costa Rica, and South Africa to capture the stories of others. The best part for me is not the pictures, but the memories they bring back. I’ve made many friends in the process, and I’m once again grateful I get to make a living as a photographer. My camera has served me well, and I’m excited to see where it will take me next.

That’s my story so far.

If you’re in New York City or just visiting I’d love to grab a burrito with you, give you a high five, and hear more about your next adventure. Hopefully our stories can share a few pages together.