Creative Community: Sean Parker | Capturing the Cosmos
Old Pueblo, New Economy
English - October 02, 2020 14:00 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBEntrepreneurship Business Investing entrepreneur arizona economy tucson mexico millenials pima sonora Homepage Download Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Sean Parker’s astrophotography showcases the sparkling sky above our distinctive desert landscape. His passion for shooting the stars, capturing lightning, and chasing a dust storm translate into amazing pieces with graphic impact. Hear how he launched his photography career and how his work was quickly published in the Smithsonian. Learn how his presence on social media has led to amazing opportunities like shooting the aurora borealis in Iceland for a big brand to now leading international workshops there. Sean’s an adventurer, hard-worker and reveals many tips for creative entrepreneurs and up-and-coming photographers! Enjoy this Creative Community episode with Sean Parker.
Sean Parker is an award-winning photographer and workshop instructor based in Tucson, AZ. Sean holds a strong passion for capturing the beauty of our universe from gorgeous sunsets all the way to the stars above. His fascination with the night sky started when he was younger, but it wasn't until 2011 when he took a photo of the moon with his iPhone through a telescope that really had him starstruck with the art of astronomy and photography. Now Sean has been published internationally in magazines such as Arizona Highways, Smithsonian, Digital SLR Magazine, and more for his landscape DSLR photography. His work has also been commercialized with big brands such as LG, Ford, IMAX, and Hollywood Productions.
“I owe Tucson a big deal of my success - I found my art side here in Tucson. There’s so much talent here. I think everyone is so supportive. There were friends I’d meet that would have better cameras than me and they would just let me use their gear and that helped excel my talent and I feel Tucson is a BIG SMALL Community. Constant support - we all want to make it and I think Tucson is a great place to do that. Having a beautifully diverse community really helps with that.”
“I wish I took a workshop when I was learning cause I would have saved a lot of time, but at the same time I’m glad I went through those steps to be where I’m at.”
Thank you for listening today. This was a really insightful conversation with Sean Parker. The key lessons that stand out include:
Taking RisksSean pivoted from a full-time career in IT to an entrepreneurial journey into photography. As we discussed this can be a big risk, but he followed his passion, and taking this risk has paid off. He also agreed to opportunities he was not familiar with like creating video for a major brand overseas. He sought guidance regarding pricing and legal agreements that helped to secure one of his favorite collaborative projects so far. Education:
Sean stated that the passion for education keeps your juices flowing. He was a self-taught photographer utilizing YouTube and trial and error. He said, “I wish I took a workshop when I was learning cause I would have saved a lot of time, but at the same time I’m glad I went through those steps to be where I’m at.” Today he’s teaching photographers who want to save time and shoot astrophotography. Visit his website at sean-parker.com to see his next workshops.
3) Sharing work on Social Media:
Sean’s frequent and consistent posting of his photography has led to amazing opportunities like shooting the Aurora Borealis in Iceland. He said “It all started with LG finding me on Instagram and saying - “We like your work - Your vibrant and contrasting images would complement our new technology - Can we send you a TV and get your feedback on it?” This led to the opportunity in Iceland.
Doesn’t this inspire you to level up your social game?
Resources from Sean Parker:
Connect with Sean Parker: