Daily Inspiration: Meet Max Hendrickson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Max Hendrickson.

Hi Max, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I first stumbled into photography when I was young. You can ask any of my family members, I’ve had a camera in my hand for all my life. When I started taking it seriously was when I was about nine years old. I lived in Salt Lake at the time, and my grandfather liked to take me on hikes a lot as a kid. One day, he brought along a cheap Canon point-and-shoot and taught me how to start taking landscape pictures. I was hooked instantly.

Fast forward eight years. After an introduction to film photography from a YouTube rabbit hole, I started adventuring out of landscape photography into types of photography that seemed more appealing: portraiture, streets, and medium format film. Then COVID hit, and I wasn’t able to experiment with different shooting styles as I wanted. There are only so many pictures you can take around the house.

After things started opening up again, another opportunity presented itself to me. I had a mutual friend who had designed a poster for a concert happening at a dance studio in Fort Collins. The roster was full of hardcore punk and metal bands, crammed into a tiny fourteen-by-fourteen room. I had wanted to try my hand at concert photography and this seemed like a no-brainer. Turns out, it was all the right timing, as a local show promoter and non-profit Blast N Scrap was looking for more people to document their shows, and I was their guy.

Coming up on over a year since that first show, I’ve created a magazine in collaboration with a group of friends that’s funded by Blast N Scrap, shot shows in garages, houses, and big venues like The Aggie, had my photos used by record labels and bands I look up to, and so much more. It’s crazy that one concert I brought my camera to elevated me to where I am right 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 feel I struggle, even still to this day, with my work-life-creative balance. Trying to make sure you’re making money at the job that pays you, while also dedicating time to friends, family, and loved ones. All the while, still trying to find things to take pictures of, manage a magazine, keep your loved ones happy, and yourself, too. If you want to chase your creative aspirations, you have to learn time management. You most often won’t have too many off days from everything you’re doing.

Self-image and presentation are other things. I constantly seem to sell myself short of what I’m doing. Thinking someone else is better than me because they have more attention on their work, or because they’ve been doing it longer, and undervaluing my work as a whole. Working closely with the punk and D.I.Y. community in Denver and Fort Collins has helped me realize that everyone supports each other. Whether you’re new, a veteran of the area, or somewhere in between, there’s a place for you, and that’s assured me in many cases.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t struggle with burnout either. Getting tired of what you do is the nature of the beast. Finding ways to unwind and disconnect from what you do for a bit allows you to view what you’re doing from the outside. Find things that aren’t related to what you’re doing and detox. Shooting concerts gets repetitive, so stepping into experimental photography techniques I haven’t before or doing traditional portrait shoots allows me to step back.

I feel there’s a stigma that as an artist or creative you always have to be creating. Eventually, you have to learn that you need to create on your terms. Ones that are healthy, beneficial, and productive to you, instead of overworking. If you need a break, whether that be a week or a month, it allows you to reconnect with your passion.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In the Fort Collins area, I’m known for my constant work on Scrapped and my involvement with Blast N Scrap. This includes shooting concerts they host, interviewing other creatives in the area, printing and selling magazines, plus volunteering to help run these events.

In Denver and Boulder, I’m known as the guy that drives an hour to be a part of the punk community. Making my way down there is a chance for me to experiment with my photography since the environments are always so special in their way. It’s a good way for me to expand my reach and also have fun.

I’m proud of how I’ve taught myself to capture things that excite me. What sets me apart is my ability to capture the essence, energy, and environment of a show.

We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is different for everyone. It doesn’t have to be numbers, followers, likes, or how many people know you. You’re only successful when you feel like what you’re doing has become the most enjoyable it can be. As long as you’re brave enough to put yourself out of your comfort zone, that’s a big part of what makes success your own.

Contact Info:

• Website: maxhendricksonphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/max.wellphoto/