Today we’d like to introduce you to Cyrus Crossan
Cyrus, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always been drawn to the natural world. Growing up as a Peace Corps kid on remote Pohnpei, Micronesia exposed me to the raw beauty of our planet from a young age. While I did not realize it then, the years swimming through mangrove forests and swinging on vines through the jungle were some of the most formative memories that I’ve had. After about 6 years, my dad eventually got a job back on the mainland and our family moved to the DC area.
My appreciation for the outdoor world did not change however. I was gifted my first camera sometime in high school (a Nikon Coolpix!) and it soon became an extension of myself. I would constantly go to the local park and lake and just snap photos of whatever I could find, in all seasons. You could say that I was hooked. I got my first DSLR in college and ended up backpacking on the Camino de Santiago from France through Spain on what was intended to only be a month study abroad which turned into the entire summer, much to the chagrin of my parents.
After college, I got a job as a graphic designer and videographer and this job essentially took all my creative energy and kept me busy for a few years. I also met my lovely wife and number one supporter during this time. She happens to be from Traverse City, Michigan and thus began my lifelong love and appreciation for the state. During the pandemic like many others, I was forced to slow down and at the time I was living in California. My wife and I began to explore the numerous natural landscapes and parks that California offers. It was during this time where I was reminded once again that I really enjoyed capturing the innate stories the natural world offers to us. I began capturing and documenting places that I found interesting or landscapes that spoke to me. It soon became a passion project, from starting a YouTube channel that showcased the beauty of our National Parks to searching for the endangered Kirtland Warbler and exploring old growth forests in Northern Michigan.
I think as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that my true passion lies somewhere in telling stories about our natural world and how we as humans come into that equation. I’ve just left my day job of 11 years and have gone freelance full time in hopes of having more time and flexibility to capture and tell the stories that deserve to be told.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Is it ever a smooth journey? I don’t think so!
If life was smooth, then there would be no growth nor development.
I do think if the pandemic had not happened I would be grinding and climbing the career ladder more. The silver lining of the pandemic for me was that it gave myself a much needed respite to really take a moment and find what I was most passionate about.
I’ve been agonizing over the last 2 years or so on whether to quit my day job. You know as humans, we’re innately fearful of the unknown aspects of life that we cannot control. I’ve struggled with that I think and I used to be a more go with the flow type of person but I guess as you get older, you have more to worry about. I finally made the leap and I am optimistic of what is to come. I know that this new chapter of life will have it’s own struggles as well and I fully expect to fail in some endeavors and also hope to learn and grow from those failures and see where it takes me.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I would consider myself a multi-faceted creative.
I double majored in graphic design and cinematography at James Madison University. I worked the past 11 years working for non-profit electric cooperatives as a Designer, Producer and eventually Creative Director. I am grateful for my time there as I learned a lot and it gave me the tremendous opportunity to visit 47/50 US states. A lot of these visits were to source, film and document stories in rural America and give each story a platform to shine. These stories ranged from a high school boy in Boerne, Texas whose goal it was to ensure that every foster child had a real backpack to take to school instead of trash bags to a farm that offered specialized services, job opportunities and support for children and adults with down syndrome. This 5 year span of filming and photographing these special stories has also been another formative time of my life. I’m proud of my work filming and capturing these stories and some of them even went on to garner national attention from statewide TV affiliates and even be featured on Good Morning America.
I am a storyteller and I employ a lot of tools and skills to tell these stories. From sketching, to video, to photography, to having a casual and real conservation with someone, there’s always a lot to learn and even more to listen to. I like to seek out the emotional heartbeat of a story and capture that in a way that can be shared and remembered.
I draw on a lot of inspiration from traveling or by simply being outside somewhere hiking and enjoying the natural world.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
As I’ve mentioned before, I do believe the silver lining from the pandemic were those slower moments where one’s true passions and goals emanated from the pause in time.
I also learned that I am a person that needs to be constantly creating something. The video shoots, people and stories from my day job were all paused and eventually sunsetted. There was a creative void where it made me realize that I love telling stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cyruscrossan.com/
- Instagram: @cyruscrossan
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/cysescapes
- Other: https://vimeo.com/cyruscrossan
