Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Haugen.
Hi Eric, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
It all started when I became a son of an arts-and-crafts mother and an architect. I was born on April 17, 1989, in Burnsville, Minnesota. In my toddler days in the early-mid 90s, I struggled with speaking and struggled to learn how to communicate and listen at an average level. So my parents took me in to get assessed, and as a result. I was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Before I learned in 2019 that my status had changed from Aspergers Syndrome to ADHD in 2001, the vast majority of my childhood and through my college years was figuring out how to learn and communicate through alternative ways as well as hiding my autism status from friends and classmates during a time when it felt that society didn’t accept neurodiversity. But throughout those challenging times, I was able to get through them with the best outlet and ultimately the best gift that my parent’s DNA have given me… which was art.
My artistic adventure began with sketching landscape scenery and buildings, with a side of anime characters that I wish I could become and things other kids had, such as the first PlayStation. Later, I began realizing that each time I was sketching, it was only when music was playing, and I would only implement specific colors during certain keys and rhythms to the song. Before I became aware of Synesthesia, I grew up and created art through the colors I can see when listening to rock music. The funny thing is, the heavy rock music with the colors and emotions I was simultaneously sensing would result in sketching a peaceful landscape scene or designing a logo with a mountain on it. My special education advisor, who put up with my terrible lack of academic performance for years, was so amazed at the process of how I created art that he recommended me to a program at Dakota County Technical College where I can take Introduction to Graphic Design courses (with accommodations of listening to music via headphones) for high school credits, and ultimately became my college of choice to continue pursuing my graphic design and illustration degrees. It seemed like everything was leading me to become a graphic designer who could design mountain illustrations for brands like Patagonia or REI until my dreaded first day of a five-hour Introduction to Photography class at 7:00 am on a Friday. After the class ended, I had a strong feeling that my life was about to change and that my career was about to start.
The photography class was taught by a nature photographer who provides photography workshops for capturing landscapes and fine art imagery at Minnesota’s north shore. Without hesitation, I registered for the next available course, which was the Winter North Shore workshop. I was a graphic design student who only had my first beginner DSLR camera and an additional lens, and so many layers of clothes for the brutal 60 below zero degrees weather, surrounded by photography students, photographing so many colorful scenes and subjects that I used to only see in motivational posters in offices, and for the first time in my life. I felt confident, and I found a home. After posting my top ten images the day after the workshop on Instagram back in 2012, I quickly received interest from countless friends and acquaintances in selling prints. After that workshop, I knew that once I finish my graphic design degree and pursue the photography program, I was determined to become a professional photographer with the same mindset as a graphic designer and the same mindset I’ve had since I was a toddler who constructed colors as a form of communication. Since then, my photography career has spanned over a decade with various added photography services such as real-estate, lifestyle portraits, and wedding photography, with the same emphasis on vibrant colors, unique composition, and story-telling elements that attempt to attract viewers with emotional connection.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It could have been a smoother road. Throughout my career, I’ve had some struggles with anxiety and communication. During my early art show years, when I couldn’t sell a print of one of my favorite landscape photos, I would become insecure and not confident with my entire gallery. When I didn’t deliver precisely what the client wanted during a real-estate photo shoot, I immediately thought I would have my contract terminated from the studio. When I have busy schedules and fully booked weeks with back-to-back photo shoots and project deadlines, I often fail to respond promptly to emails, messages, and phone calls or even react, which always makes me feel inadequate and unprofessional. When I haven’t seen any wedding photos posted from a couple I photographed months ago, I would go into a toxic mindset where I doubt myself as a photographer – sometimes question myself as an artist in general, and wonder if I should just quit being a creative and work in a production floor or construction. There have been times when I feel all of these fears just an hour before the photo shoot starts, for which I learned to arrive to an appointment an hour early so I can allow myself to feel those anxieties and eventually let my “golden retriever” personality trait kick in and remind myself why this client connected with me, why they chose to hire me, and why I’m good at what I do.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a professional photographer and videographer specializing in landscapes, portraiture, and events. I would be most known for my nature and wildlife imagery, where I’ve had the privilege of having my images printed in book publications such as Capture Minnesota and Minnesota Bride Magazine and digital publications in global channels such as National Geographic.
The three things that I’m most proud of are:
- The ability to be creative and do what I love for a living.
- Being able to connect with so many amazing people; my favorite example is when I met a couple, my neighboring vendor, at an art show, who bought art from me and hired me to photograph their wedding just a few years later.
- Throughout my childhood, many people, including my parents, told me that when I was presumed to have an autism disorder, I was not going to graduate high school, nor was I going to make it far in life. I’m very proud that I never gave up pushing myself to be better every year.
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
I’m a risk-taker. One of the most significant risks I took was when I was approached by a theater manager interested in hiring me to photograph a VIP event hosted by a well-known celebrity. Although I said yes, I had never photographed an event such as that before, nor did I have experience with a studio light to fulfill the particular photography style they requested. Thankfully, I had just enough time to learn what I needed for the job to succeed, and it ultimately helped me land more event photography bookings. I’ve also had some risks that could have been more successful, such as having a camera accidentally drop from a 1,000 ft cliff before dawn and deciding to climb down the cliff to retrieve it in the dark without any precautions of my surroundings. Even though I was able to find it hours later with the memory card that included a famous photo at art shows to this day, it was still quite a dangerous risk to take.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.erichaugenphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haugennaturephoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haugennaturephoto
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-haugen-5942563a/
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@erichaugenphoto
