Daily Inspiration: Meet Andrew Morris

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Morris.

Hi Andrew, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I simply got tired of watching paint dry I suppose…I started painting when I was eight, that endeavor carried into adulthood some 40 years. I ignored people telling me I should delve into photography largely because when I did snap photographs off, they were of a trivial nature and I assumed it was just flattery. Then one day I picked up a DSLR and a kit lens. I went for a walk downtown and started really at the space around me, framing it, looking at details I seldom paid attention to before as I walked. I took close 500 photos that day and when I went to my computer to look at them, I saw a perspective that I think most people either miss or take for granted. That started it all.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing in the fine arts world or photography for that matter, lends itself to a smooth journey. Nothing is binary, nothing is tremendously easy if you want to master your craft. I’m a long way from that and I’ve had struggles. The biggest struggle has been really tempering the creative vision I have for any given photo or set with my own knowledge and mastery of the camera. There are so many different ways to photograph someone something and if you don’t know how to use the equipment, you may never see that vision you have come to realization. I’m a perfectionist so I have to work on that as well. I make it a point to dedicate time as frequently as I can almost each week to learning the endless lists of functionalities my equipment has.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
So I call myself a creative but I work in a leadership capacity in IT/Software. I think if you were to ask my peers or any one that has worked for me, they’d tell you that I’m a strong believer in servant leadership. I love watching those around me evolve and grow. I love working behind the scenes and contributing to their overall success personally and professionally. That is largely what I think I’m known for but I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve ever actually asked. I’m pretty sure I’m also known for being shockingly dry at times.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’ve taken risks both careless and calculated. I think there is a time and place for both in our lives. I’ve taken major risks, at least those are risks that are major in my eyes. Giving up painting was one. I have always identified myself as an ‘artist’, a ‘painter’. I liked the lifestyle, and I liked trying to find a single piece of clothing that didn’t have paint on it that I could wear out on a date or to work (I chuckle as I type this). I liked being a part of that community and the friendships I cultivated along the way. I liked the creative process, the gallery exhibits and opening nights and the frenzied nights up late working on a painting. So moving into a new creative space that was filled with uncertainty and asking myself existential questions about why I am doing it, was a challenge. It was scary. Any time you put yourself on display by proxy of a visual work, you’re taking a risk. But it’s worth it.

Contact Info:

• Email: drew@nonamephotos.org
• Website: www.nonamephotos.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ammphotog/
• Facebook: facebook.com/drewphotog