Photographer Cory Richards Shares the Key to Great Art

What is the key to making great photography and art? Find out by watching this video featuring Cory Richards. 

Thirty-eight-year-old high school dropout Richards is a world-class photographer and adventurer. He regularly covers stories for National Geographic and is an Eddie Bauer-sponsored athlete. His photography and films consistently win awards, and he constantly pushes the limits on what is thought to be possible in the outdoors and big mountain ranges. Richards is one of my personal inspirations in the mountains and behind the lens. 

In this video, the photographer gives us insight on what makes great art. Vulnerability, he says, is the path to making great photography: "You want to catch [subjects] in that in-between moment ... they left you, and you are no longer present in their mind. They have now wandered and they are thinking about something else. And that's the reality. The little person, big landscape stuff is cool ... but it's not soulful to me. That's easy." 

Personally, I couldn't agree with Richards more. I think that great storytelling imagery happens when the photographer and camera essentially disappear into the background, and vulnerable, authentic moments are more prone to happen and are captured. 

For journalists, it's best advised to bring an unbiased, neutral view on a subject or person being covered. But for adventure photographers, bringing your own emotion and past experiences with you to a shoot can help immensely, as Richards exclaims. By doing so, you can then pour your thoughts and soul into the imagery itself. 

To hear more of Richards' thoughts on this topic and to see his imagery that relates to the theme of vulnerability in photography, watch the above video.