Adrian Taylor – Journeys of a Hybrid

My mom used to tell me, “You don’t want to buy the nicest house on the block.” She didn’t just say it when I was buying real estate, but used it as an analogy when she was dispensing other words of wisdom. Maybe that’s why I grew up not wanting to be the “smartest person in room.”

When I was very young, I used to create characters that I wanted to hang out with. One was my imaginary friend Peteso who was a “newspaper boy” in China, doing dare devil stunts on his bicycle as he delivered his papers. There were plenty of others, each one bringing something exciting to my more mundane life of a typical 5 year old child.

By the time I got out of college, I had traveled the world, building all sorts of relationships with people from many different cultures who had broadened my mind as to how I saw the world and myself. I gravitated toward people who were NOT like me.

When I first began my career as a photographer, I had the great fortune of having an incredible art director, Adrian Taylor as my mentor. Adrian had a colorful career as an art director for magazines like Holiday (the original) and Travel & Leisure, which is how I connected with him. Adrian took my partner Tom and I under his wing when we were first starting out. He encouraged us by believing in us and he made me always want to put everything I had into an assignment and improve with each one.

We learned a lot from Adrian, but perhaps one of his greatest gifts was to include us in lunches, dinners and parties with some of the best photographers of that time – Arnold Newman, Slim Aarons, Pete Turner, Al Satterwhite, John Lewis Stage, Fred Maroon and countless others. Being in the room or literally “at the table” with these legends and listening to their stories and advice was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. What I learned from these photographers is the kind of stuff you don’t learn at a photography school. And it wasn’t necessarily things like business tips or photographic technique. They talked about their passion and their ideas and it awakened me to the possibilities within myself.

I’ve been preparing a presentation that I’ll be doing for ASMP at the NAB Show (National Association of Broadcasters) next week. As much as I’m grateful to be able to share my knowledge at this prestigious conference, I have to remind myself that it’s only possible because I’ve lived my life, putting myself in situations and environments where there are people who are much smarter than me. In fact, for me the best part of NAB is to sit in on some of the panel discussions with the movers and shakers of the industry and listen to what they’re talking about.

These days, when I fantasize, I no longer create make believe characters to hang out with. Instead I imagine myself at a table, having a discussion with people who intrigue me on some level and expand my mind to a place it hasn’t gone before. And then I set out to make my fantasy come true.

I talk to a lot of young aspiring photographers these days and invariably I am asked, “What advice would you give someone who is just starting their career in photography? – Is there a future? – Can I make a living?”

I don’t have a crystal ball but I do have 35 years of experience behind me but yet the enthusiasm and outlook of a 25 year old. I remind myself of what I learned from my mentors when I was just starting out. One mentor, who shaped my career, was art director Adrian Taylor of Travel & Leisure Magazine. Adrian taught me a lot – about magazines, about the story, about style and taste and most importantly he gave me the confidence to believe in myself. Adrian gave two young, naïve photographers, my partner and myself a chance and in return – we always gave it our all every time we set out to shoot a story.

With that said, I would not be where I am today if it had not been for mentors like Adrian Taylor and my greatest joy at this point in my life is to pay that forward to photographers just starting their careers.

Learn video – Video is no longer a “specialty niche” or in fact a separate genre at all. In the very near future – which is already upon us – a photographer will need to know how to shoot both stills and motion – or partner with someone who does.
Stay true to what your inner voice is telling you. For example, if your passion is to be a photojournalist, don’t listen to people who are telling you that photojournalism is dead and that newspapers are a thing of the past. While “printed” newspapers may be dying out – journalism and photojournalism is not. Don’t let others’ dogma determine what your path should be.
Collaborate with your peers. When I was first starting out, photographers kept their clients, their techniques and their ideas to themselves. But I have found that whenever I have collaborated with others – we all push the bar to the next level – each bringing their own strong suits to the project. As a subject of my film Opening Our Eyes told me “We’ve got to shine each other up.”
You don’t need the validation of others to proceed with your idea and make it into a tangible plan and product. As far as publishing and/or distribution is concerned – the gates to the kingdom are open and the kingdom is the entire world. We are living in a time of empowerment for the individual and for a content creator that is profound. If you are willing to do the work – the rewards are bountiful.
Act on the ideas that don’t go away. It’s easy to let resistance sabotage you. Resistance comes from many places – your loved ones, friends, your peers – but mostly yourself. Stop talking yourself out of ideas and start acting on the ones that just won’t quit you.

I have made my work my pleasure in my life. I have always found it difficult to separate the two. When you feel that – you’ll know you are on the right path.

Tag: Adrian Taylor

I Don’t Want to be the Smartest One in the Room

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