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Ben Herndon Photography. 895 likes · 2 talking about this. Intersection of rock and water -- www.benherndon.com.
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Photographer Spotlight: Ben Herndon. By. Patrick Perry. - May 23, 2019. Sharing is caring - a sneaky pup grabs a lick of his owner's beer during a fly fishing float in Idaho. Flylords: Who is Ben Herndon? Ben: A sarcastic optimist based in North Idaho that likes good folks, wild places, and tasty beer. Prime “spring” Idaho fly fishing conditions.
Ben is a freelance photographer, writer, and filmmaker based in rugged north Idaho, USA. On the photo side, he gravitates toward conservation, adventure, and recreation, with the occasional foray into landscapes and history of the Inland Northwest, USA.
- United States
- 2019, 2021
Ben is a freelance photographer, writer, and filmmaker based in rugged north Idaho. On the photo side, he gravitates toward adventure, casual recreation, and moments in-between, with the...
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- Ben Herndon Photography
- Moscow, Idaho, United States
- Gear
- Mindset
- Clients
- The Lifestyle
- About Adventure Photographer Ben Herndon
1. Use a real camera
Yup, it’s expensive. Save up, buddy. Yes, I know it’s heavy, but so is that fifth of pear-infused vodka you packed into camp. Some things are worth their weight. Quality high-resolution images are essential for publication and commercial use and you need a nice heavy camera to do it.
2. Learn to love long lenses
The bulk of all photos out there are wide-angle smartphone images. It’s easy to differentiate yours by using long lenses, specifically telephoto (zoom) lenses. I like the Canon 70-200 USM II 2.8 as my go-to. I took a loan out for it from my then-girlfriend, now-wife Bekah about six years ago. (see tip #13).
3. Carry a tripod
Those pretty star images aren’t shot from the hip. A sturdy tripod is required for landscape and starscapes alike. Save weight by purchasing a carbon fiber or GorillaPod option.
4. Focus on craft, not conformity
It’s great to get inspired by other people’s work. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. But crappy imitation is just straight up offensive. Even well-emulated imagery can glaze the eyes after a while. Use other people’s ideas, perspectives, and techniques, but adapt them to your own life and geography to create something unique.
5. Be humble, but positive.
Owning a guitar doesn’t make you Jimmy Page. Owning a Pop Tart-size iPhone 6+ doesn’t make you a photographic virtuoso. Focus on improving your technical game and presenting work that you’re proud of. Good mantra: your best image will always be the one you haven’t taken yet.
6. Be discerning.
Good photographers also tend to be selective photographers. Be your own photo editor and flush out the best frames or moments to share instead of shock-and-aweing your friends with a spammy barrage of near-duplicate images. Less is more.
8. Use social media.
Building an online presencecan expand your reach, help build relationships, and potentially generate more work. Don’t sell your soul for a few hundred followers, though. And for God’s sake don’t follow people only because they follow you—it’s just silly. #instafollow #pleasefollowme #ifollow #likeback #followbackalways #alwaysfollowback #like2like #love4love #likesplease #likesforlikes Sadly, I didn’t make any of those hashtags up. It might just be a pet peeve of mine, but if people don’t lik...
9. Reach for magazines and beyond.
Once you’ve built a strong portfolio of a few hundred images, start reaching out to magazines and potential clients. Don’t be annoyed or get discouraged if you don’t hear back right away (or sometimes ever). Editors, art directors, and marketing professionals are very busy people and they get tons of submissions every day. Some magazines like Backpacker have mailing lists that you can request to join so you know their upcoming needs.
10. Don’t forget stock imagery.
Contrary to popular belief, not all photo agencies are rights-hungry troglodytes. I work with Tandem Stills + Motion, for example, and it’s been a great way to dramatically expand my reach beyond my immediate circle of contacts and generate some income. It’s not a gimme though. Content has to be not only technically strong but relevant to the ever-changing needs of the industry. You also have to be a little bit of a journalist, providing detailed captions and keywords while keeping open lines...
12. Keep your day job.
As a general rule, don’t quit your job until you have too much work to handle (which may be many years down the road). Blue collar your way to long-term success like a champ by working two jobs: the one you have but don’t want, and the one you want but are working towards. Stay positive and keep on and you’ll come out right side up, albeit perhaps with bad eating habits and an intermittent inclination towards alcohol abuse.
13. Use your loved ones.
Feel free to manipulate your loved ones to help you pursue your dream. Just make sure you don’t abuse their generosity (pay them back within 6-12 months like a good borrower). Long ago I took out a loan from my girlfriend to buy important equipment. We married 2 years later. There’s nothing like a hefty interest-free loan to bring a couple together.
14. Focus on long-term business relationships.
The key to “making it” financially is by building long-term relationships with clients. These “goldilocks” relationships involve a client that has a continued respect for a photographer’s work and a willingness to provide fair financial compensation. You don’t acquire those rare relationships by sending a smattering of images via e-mail every few months. It takes years of working together and probably some face time, so be patient and undemanding. Even with a patient, cheerful disposition, ki...
Ben, based in Moscow, Idaho, has been a photographer since 2009. He worked part time until jumping into it fully in 2014.
- Ben Herndon
Jul 25, 2016 · Headlamps on and standup paddleboards in tow, Herndon found logistically challenging photographic wonders, signs of vandalism, sun beams cutting through humid chambers, deep blue waters and one angry spider in Oregon’s caves.
Jun 28, 2018 · Outdoors Issue
