Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Anderson.
Hi Aaron , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My career in photography actually started here in Colorado. I was sitting on a bench with my wife and I was really enjoying taking pictures of people but wanted to do bigger projects, I remember asking her “do you think people actually make money doing this?”. I’ll never forget her response, “I don’t know, but we can certainly try.” That answer led us down a crazy journey and shortly after we moved to San Francisco so I could go to the Academy of Art for Photography.
That was a beautiful time in my career, I was immersed in the craft for two years learning everything I could about lighting and photography. All the while wandering around San Francisco and meeting incredible people. This was also where my love of coffee started, not only because I was barely sleeping, but because I loved the culture and community it drove. More about that later!
While I was in school I realized that a lot of the students weren’t spending much time learning Photoshop and retouching, so I focused on that aspect of photography, as well as lighting and production. This led me to my first career in the city working at a retouching firm called Sugar Digital. It was very eye opening to be working on large scale campaigns for companies like Google, Tazo, Coca-Cola, and so many more. There was a moment in there where I realized that photographers aren’t some magical unicorn who can take pictures like no one else, they took pictures just like me, and that was actually really encouraging.
After San Francisco we made the move back to Colorado and I continued retouching while managing a scuba diving shop here (that’s another story for another time). It got to the point where my hours were unsustainable and so I quit to be a full-time freelancer, focusing on retouching clients and more photography clients. At that point we had a house in Colorado Springs and our three awesome kiddos came into the world, it was a very busy time of life and we had to start making choices about how to make this a more sustainable career.
This led to one of the more crazy decisions we’ve ever made: selling everything we own, including our house, and moving into an RV to travel fulltime. Yes, the 5 of us. So, we hit the road for almost 6 years, traveling primarily on the West coast so I could connect with clients and work in LA. We also took some time in Texas meeting people and eating really good BBQ. It was a beautifully hard chapter of our lives, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s been the catalyst for our family becoming close, and spending many hours together having adventures. On top of it all, that time also created a life in photography that is more than I could have dreamed of.
That catches you up to present day. Now we live in the mountains on 3.5 acres in a little cabin and the RV is my office. We have since added a dog and a cat to the family, something the kids always wanted but had to wait until we were off the road. I roast coffee, go for hikes, drink coffee, hang out with the fam, and oh yeah, I still take photos for really cool people.
Making our story “brief” is tough…but that’s the best I can do for now!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m not sure I believe in smooth roads in the freelance world, and if they exist it’s not a path I’m interested in taking.
There have been many moments when it has made me question what I’m doing. Feeling irresponsible for pursuing such an unstable career to support a family of five. Drained bank accounts, long days, long nights, client uncertainty, feeling like an imposter, it’s all part of it. My biggest hope in telling you this, is that you won’t give up when you face these same challenges. I don’t know who said it but, “joy is on the other side of fear”, so keep going.
If you haven’t read “The Man in the Arena” a famous part of a speech from Theodore Roosevelt, I would highly recommend you go read it, and then read it often. I salute you.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a commercial photographer and director, which basically means I get to make people look larger than life for a living. I specialize in photographing people, usually in environments where there are a lot of moving parts: big sets, complicated lighting, tight timelines, and a whole crew working together to make something that hopefully looks effortless in the end.
Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work on campaigns for brands like Sony PlayStation, Bosch, Monster, International Justice Mission, and a bunch of others. I’ve photographed athletes, musicians, regular people doing extraordinary things, and occasionally someone standing completely still while we spend an unreasonable amount of time making the light look perfect.
I think what I’m known for most is creating cinematic, story-driven images that still feel believable. I want people to feel iconic without making them feel artificial. Lighting is a huge part of that for me, but so is directing. You can have the most beautiful light in the world and still make a pretty boring photograph if there’s nothing happening underneath it.
What I’m most proud of, though, probably isn’t any single campaign or client. It’s that I’ve built a career doing this while raising three kids with my wife and having a pretty ridiculous amount of adventures along the way. I’ve gotten to work with companies I never imagined would hire me when I was sitting on that bench in Colorado wondering if people actually made money taking pictures.
As far as what sets me apart, I think I’m pretty comfortable when things get complicated. Commercial sets can have a lot of people, a lot of lights, a lot of money, and a lot that can go wrong. I really enjoy taking all of that chaos and turning it into something controlled, collaborative, and fun. At the end of the day, I want the client to get great work, but I also want everyone on set to walk away thinking, “That was a really good day.”
That matters to me.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
There’s a lot we left out! But, if you have questions you can reach out on Instagram via DM and I’ll do my best to answer!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.andersonvisuals.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronandersonvisuals/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronandersonvisuals/
