© Samantha Schwann

Meet underwater photographer and APA member Samantha Schwann.

Do you have a favorite podcast?
I’m not a podcaster but right now I’m trying a learn to speak Spanish one.

Who are your top 5 favorites that you’re following on Instagram?
@spacex
@hiroshisugimoto
@missionblue
And a couple of dog accounts because they bring me joy 🙂 

What do you listen to when you’re shooting?
I can’t listen underwater, but there is nothing better than getting lost in creative flow while editing with good music. A lot of indie electronic.

What inspires you?
That we still have a shred of a chance to preserve our oceans, but it’s a global call to action.  

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
I get to invite viewers to join me in experiences, and share my passion for our ocean planet.  

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
I’m deeply engulfed in a project (which is my happy place) so it’s pretty all-consuming. That being said, I love what yoga does for me mentally and physically, so I try to keep that balance.  

Describe your daily or weekly work habits. (Pre-Covid and currently)
I’m a very early riser and find mornings are when I’m at my creative best. Currently it is a lot of writing and preparation for a project. Covid meant no travel, but time in quarantine allowed for concentrated work in other areas. I’m usually traveling every couple of months, so it’s a cycle of developing, preparation, and then editing.

Who were your biggest influencers?
Nick Brandt
Edward Burtynski
Laurent Ballesta

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
“Hard work beats talent any day of the week” – Joel Grimes.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far?
Highlight is happening right now, working on my dream project. The challenges have been learning how to navigate my way to where I want to be, and in funding my work.

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
I was an investment advisor. It was interesting and I was ok at it but I knew it wasn’t what I was meant to be doing. I saw a lot of people who worked and saved their whole lives, for moments which never came. That stuck with me – while it’s important to plan and be responsible, I want to do things now, while I can.

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
Perhaps an oceanographer, or a submarine pilot – but I require a creative outlet. I feel I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing.

What do you do when you get stuck?
I’ve learned to trust the creative process, and stopped freaking out a while ago. Step back, hit a yoga class, go for a swim or lose myself in a movie. The less I stress about it the smoother the wave.

What is your best advice for your peers?
Keep going.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
All of the experiences you will go through, especially the difficult ones, will be catalysts for growth. Be fearless in your pursuit, observe and listen to learn as much as you can, and trust your instincts.

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
I think it’s great that technology has made it easier for people to become interested in photography and take better pictures! I don’t see it as a threat, as I find it can foster a deeper appreciation. While advances have made things easier, at the end of the day you still have to put in the work if you want to pursue photography seriously. What separates a photographer from the masses is a cohesive body of work, personal style, and vision, and there are no shortcuts for that.

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
Contributing to ocean conservation in a meaningful, tangible way, and ocean exploration.

To view more of Samantha’s work you can follow along here.

Meet Houston based commercial and editorial photographer Amy Scott.

Do you have a favorite podcast?
Dear Art Producer by Heather Elder, Focus on Women with Traci Terrick, and I love listening to the “Daily Wellness” every day on Spotify.

What do you listen to when you’re shooting?
I let my clients choose, otherwise I like to constantly mix it up depending on my mood. In the afternoons when energy is a little low on set after lunch I like to pump things up with pop and R&B from the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s because they make folks laugh and sing along.

What inspires you?
People who see the world differently than I do. I love coming across artists and authors and other creators that explore the whole range of humanity through their work! Whether it be playful, heavy, or poignant, people doing work that reflects the insane, wonderful, and inspiring stories around or inside of them fill me with joy and help me think about my life and work from new perspectives.  

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
Making images that really convey the feeling of a moment. Working with incredible inspirational teams to make something I could never create on my own. And problem solving! Every day is full of surprises and I love it.  

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
I love cooking, travelling, wandering through forests, growing food, writing, making weird wines and vermouths.  

Describe your daily or weekly work habits. (Pre-Covid and currently)
Every day that I’m not on a shoot, I work out or take a walk before I start my day. I try to make sure I start the day with a clear idea of what my goals are so I have a daily to do list and highlight the things that are essential. Each week I spend time researching and connecting with new prospective clients, planning out marking emails or social media posts, brainstorming new projects, and teaching myself new skills. I have trouble unplugging at the end of the day and will often work late, but I’ve been getting better about it and try to just work 9-6 if I’m not on a shoot.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far?
It was hard to get consistent assisting jobs when I was just starting out and trying to learn. I was even told once that I wouldn’t be considered for an assisting job because I was a woman. Many (male) photographers told me that I would have to prove myself because male photographers wouldn’t believe I was strong enough to do the job. I just had to persevere and continue to look for the folks who would hire me and mentor me regardless of my gender. 

One of the biggest highlights of my career so far was being awarded a grant to pursue a photo documentary project of Houston farmers. That work then led to work with a national rice brand, and many more opportunities.

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
Do not give up. This is a hard business, but you will make it if you don’t give up – let everyone else be the quitters.

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
I was the manager of a 26 acre vegetable farm!

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
I’d be a writer, an advocate for small scale farmers, or I’d pursue my weird dream of going back to school to study ancient Greek papyrology.

What do you do when you get stuck?
Take a break, get outside, try something new, do something active.

What is your best advice for your peers?
Connect with each other! I would not be where I am without the support of other photographers and I am so grateful to not feel alone in this sometimes very challenging, lonely business! Community is what makes everything worthwhile.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
Always be yourself and make no apologies. You got this.

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
I still see us as storytellers first and foremost. Anyone can take a picture, but I see us as creative partners who work alongside our clients to make their story or campaign come to life.

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
I would love to get larger grants to tell more photo documentary style stories about US farmers through stills and motion!

To view more of Amy’s work you can follow along here.