Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Rung.
Hi Michael, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I don’t want to rehash too much of what I shared in my first interview with Canvas Rebel, so I’ll just start with my transition to being a full-time photographer…
I left my career of nearly 30 years early in 2022. Making the shift to trying to earn a living off my photography was a goal of mine, but I ended up diving in at least a few years sooner than I had anticipated due to uncertainty around the business and a wildly shifting culture at my prior job.
Since making that leap, I’ve had my share of ups and downs, both from a business standpoint and more personally. As luck would have it, a chronic health issue reared its head again shortly before leaving the corporate world and ended up leaving me with fatigue and, over time, depression and anxiety. Not a great combination of hurdles to face when trying to work for yourself for the first time!
Fortunately, that’s been mostly under control since late 2023 and I’ve been moving forward with a full head of steam since. Perhaps most significantly, after (now ironically) vowing to never produce in-field behind the scenes videos for my nature photography, I’ve been doing just that since November 2023 when I – for whatever reason – decided to go for it during a return trip to southern Utah.
Out of that came 5 episodic videos detailing my explorations and photography over the course of the trip, and I’ve since gone on to produce 8 additional videos from various locations, with more to come. My main fear with adding video into the mix was distracting myself from the photography side of things, but the casual vlog style I’ve adopted has worked well for me so far.
My goal is to share my experiences more than anything else, as opposed to creating content that’s full of fast-paced action, pumping music, and manufactured drama. Nature is calming therapy for me, and I want my videos to convey that to my viewers.
YouTube is by far my largest audience across social media, and I find it’s an audience that is often far more engaged and interactive than on platforms like Facebook and Instagram (especially as algorithms continue to crush photographers with limited reach). Video is a great way to let my followers get to know me better, to understand my values and the authenticity behind my photography (a big driver for creating the in-field content).
I’ve focused on video in this answer since – as already noted – it allows me to reach my biggest audience, but I’ve also been focused on providing other work to help grow my offline (AKA email subscription) audience, largely through providing free downloads that range from ebook portfolio releases of new work to free desktop calendars. I’m attempting to operate largely on the Value for Value model, in which I provide value to others and they hopefully reciprocate through voluntary contributions, the purchase of my fine art prints and folios, and/or by joining my (relatively new) Patreon.
Although social media is still vitally important, I’m more focused on building my email list as it allows me to speak to my audience directly, without algorithms getting in the way. I’m also finding Patreon is a great way to provide even more value to my most ardent followers, through exclusive access to early-release content, ad-free videos, free and discounted prints, and more.
I’m still a long ways from where I want to be financially, but I’m definitely starting to see an increase in momentum in 2024. Heck, in a single week I had the pleasure of producing more of my Artist Series prints in my home studio than I produced for customer orders through all of 2023! That was a fantastic week, not just for the superficial appreciation of the income but, more so, because I absolutely love producing my own prints. That is one trend I definitely hope continues!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I already touched on this, but I have had my share of challenges since leaving my prior job. From a health standpoint, I have Crohn’s disease and, after a solid decade of being in remission, I discovered that the extreme fatigue I’d been battling for a while was actually tied to a “quiet” flare up of the disease. It took nearly two years to find the right medication, but I’m happy to say that I’m now going on almost 9 months of feeling great!
Worse than the fatigue – although also tied to it in a bit of a feedback loop – was the depression and anxiety that struck me in early 2023 as I continued to struggle with the Crohn’s disease. Between taking appropriate steps to address that, and my improved physical health, that issue has also been mostly resolved.
Not surprisingly, feeling good physically and mentally is critical when you’re trying to make a go of earning a living through self-employment. In these past 9 months, I’ve accomplished far more than I did throughout the first year and half of this wild journey.
Sadly, I’ve also faced my share of grief in the past year, starting with the loss of my first adulthood dog in May of 2023 and, out of nowhere, losing my mom this past March. Dealing with all the emotions that came with such inevitable life-events makes it hard enough to focus on building and running a business, but they also shut down my creative energy to varying degrees. That’s a huge obstacle when working in a creative space such as photography and videography.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a nature photographer through and through. I used to label myself as a landscape photographer, but over the years I have shifted to focusing on smaller, more intimate scenes, and I feel the “nature” moniker is more fitting.
Getting more specific, I suppose you could say I specialize in tree photography (I’m certainly gaining a reputation for it). Everywhere I go, regardless of my surroundings, I’m far more likely to be found seeking out interesting trees in compelling light or conditions than looking for an epic grand vista (although I do photograph those, as well, when the opportunity presents itself).
As technology has advanced further and further, making it easier to create fantastical scenes that (in my opinion) are too often passed off as photography through omission or intentional deceit, I also consider myself a representational nature photographer. I strive to share my experiences as they were, not as I wish them to be.
That doesn’t mean I don’t make creative decisions when it comes to processing my photos, but my approach is to emphasize what I saw and what I felt through deliberate, yet still minimal, adjustments. I may remove small distractions, or minimize them through editing techniques, but I never add elements, alter the topography of a landscape, or swap out blue skies. If the viewer had been with me during the act of making the photo, I would expect them to easily recognize the same scene and moment in my finished image.
I like to think I’m also starting to build a name for myself through the prints I personally produce in my home studio (branded as my Artist Series prints versus ready-to-hang options that are fulfilled by a trusted lab). As I mentioned earlier, I absolutely love printing: to add some perspective, I abhor dancing but, when working on prints while listening to my favorite music, I often find myself awkwardly bopping about my office as I run prints. It makes me that happy! I do keep the door closed, though, lest my partner should see what’s happening and fear I’m suffering a seizure…
I’m also very proud of my Artist Series prints. I use a heavyweight fine art paper, Palo Duro Etching 315 from Red River Paper, which provides a beautiful, subtle texture that works exceedingly well with my style of photography. It also produced deep blacks and vibrant colors, something not found in many matte papers. The feedback I’ve received from buyers indicates that the pride I feel in my print work is not misguided.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I hope to start dipping my toes into the workshop waters later this year (subscribe to my email list to stay in the loop!). Ideally, I’ll have something to offer more locally to north Texas and farther afield, such as in southern Utah.
I’m also currently on the lookout for opportunities to collaborate with other photographers (or artists in general, I suppose), whether it’s simply meeting up in the field to explore an area together or co-leading workshops, or even working to create videos together.
Regarding the best ways to support my work, I’ve already mentioned a few but to expand on what I said earlier… I signed up for Patreon earlier this year and have put a lot of work into providing value to my paid members through that (and I put out some bits of content here and there for free members, as well). Buying prints is another fantastic way to offer support, and beyond the enjoyment I get out of producing prints, I also love seeing my work displayed in the homes or offices of my clients.
Lastly, if neither of those fit someone’s budget or interest, returning value through voluntary donations as a Thank You for the free downloads I provide on my website is always greatly appreciated.
Pricing:
- My Artist Series prints start at only $100
- My limited-edition print folios start at $125
- All US purchases include free shipping
- Gold and Diamond Patreon members receive a free 11×14 Artist Series print each year
- Diamon Patreon members also receive a free limited-edition folio annually (while supplies last)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.michaelrungphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelrungphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelrungphotography
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelRungPhotography
- Other: patreon.com/MichaelRungPhotography
Image Credits
N/A, all photos are my own
