Today we’d like to introduce you to Vince Rockwell.
Hi Vince, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been a photographer all my life but only recently allowed myself to accept the title. Imposter Syndrome and all that, you know? I had a tendency to take pictures constantly but never understood that was supposed to be the official path for me. So I spent AAAA LOOOOOOOTTTTT of my time doing all the other things I’ve had a chance to do instead of what I was supposed to do.
7yrs in the Army as a Combat Engineer
6yrs as a Freelance Content Creator
2 1/2yrs as a Television Producer
2yrs as a Commercial Photo Retoucher
1yr as Ground Crew and “Aerial Marksmanship Instructor” for a helicopter hog hunting company
1yr as a Content Creator at Black Rifle Coffee
1yr as the Media Director for Fieldcraft Survival
4mo as a “Courier” for a Urinalysis company, “Driving pee from A to B.”
2wks as a loader at UPS
I did eventually realize that I enjoyed making images so I have also spent time doing actual photography, most notably spending 8yrs doing Concert Photography for bands like POD, Chevelle, Slipknot, NonPoint, Saving Abel and several others.
These days I concentrate mainly on portrait photography. I love being outside, and despite how often I complain, I love people. Everyone has an incredible story to share and it makes my heart happy when I get to meet people, hear those stories, and share images we’ve made together.
Photography, as it turns out, is about how cool the images come out. But even more importanter, it’s about your relationship with your subject. How vulnerable you’re willing to be with someone in the flash of a moment, and how much you’re willing to let your heart show. I let mine show constantly, and it’s becoming a goal of mine to share with others that they can do the same.
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?
Roads? Where I was going I didn’t need roads. I had essentially just learned to throw myself off of the “Curiousity Cliff” whenever I found an opportunity to learn something new. The lack of bumps and obstacles comes with a caveat. You’re in it till you hit something or you open your wings. I hit A LOT of stuff with each leap but would just start the climb back up the cliff face to do it all over again.
I’ve been late paying bills, I’ve had utilities shut off, played the “Pick and choose what you want to keep on” game more often than I’d care to admit. I’ve counted pocket change. I’ve sold important possessions. I’ve buried myself in an office to stare at a computer screen and gone without a social life for the better part of the last 15yrs because I had things that I wanted to do that interested me. Something about having a cake comes to mind…
But you can’t get anywhere on a journey unless you’re willing to leave somethings behind or do without. Sometimes we call that “Burning The Boats.” And I’ve learned to burn with the best of them.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Portrait photographer. I try to see People first before the shot. Broken down to it’s etymology, photography means to “Write with light.” The story is the most important thing when I create an image. That’s you.
The person I’m sharing time with is the most important story I could be telling in that moment. To write with light is to capture the literal photons you reflect in space and time and have it recorded so others can “see” you and read.
I pride myself on my ability to see you in the moment, and help you tell a story that’s authentic, honest, and truthful to you. That breaks away from the cookie-cutter appearance of 99% of photography these days. My editing style reflects that as well I hope. I don’t Photoshop much of anything these days. In a world of AI portraits and heavily edited lies, you’re going to see a rise in honest storytellers, and I’d like to think I’m helping lead the charge to maintain authenticity, honesty, and integrity.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I spent my childhood ACTIVE. I was in sports year round, and while video games were a big part of it, there was also no keeping me inside during Summer.
But my favorite childhood memory is just the feeling of what I would call “The right before, or the right after.” The silence of an early morning before the rest of the world woke up. Hum of a bus engine, the smell of the heater being on. Snack food for days. Dew still on the grass and half-sleepily getting onto the bus, or finding a spot to put your blanket on the ground for a track meet. Or the all-out hype of traveling to a basketball game and getting pumped up. The electricity that built up before we went out.
Or the silence of the bus ride home. In the knowing that you gave it your all, leaving it all out there or that you didn’t push hard enough and that there was work to be done.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vincerockwell.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vince.rockwell/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vince.rockwell/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@vincerockwell
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@vince.rockwell
