Today we’d like to introduce you to John Steitz.
Hi John, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is John. I’m a landscape photographer and avid backpacker from the wonderful state of Minnesota with a deep love for the great American wilderness. As a fierce advocate of the 7 Leave no Trace principles and the protection of our public lands, I’m especially passionate about promoting a culture of responsible, thoughtful, and inclusive outdoor recreation for current and future generations.
I’ve been doing photography for about 15 years and an outdoor recreation enthusiast since I was a little kid. In the past 7-8 years, these two passions of mine have fused together and now much of my free time is spent on whichever trail I can get to, photographing natural landscapes and wildlife. While I’ve explored all over the United States, the Arrowhead region of Minnesota holds a special place in my heart. I especially love exploring the Boundary Waters and the Superior Hiking Trail along the North Shore of Lake Superior. We have such amazing places and so much to protect in this state. I’d like to inspire folks through my photography to cherish and better protect the incredible natural resources we have here.
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?
Well, by nature the backpacking I do is full of literal challenges and obstacles. Metaphorically speaking, I think I’ve lived a relatively blessed life, one for which I’m grateful.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Well, my professional world is a bit bifurcated. The majority of my work comes from sound engineering for live theatre and concert venues around the Twin Cities. My deepest passions revolve around backcountry adventuring, environmentalism, I consider my landscape photography to be a “side hustle”. While I do sell prints and have done photography exhibitions, making a living as a full-time landscape photographer is difficult. That being said, I absolutely love getting to see concerts for a living, so it’s hard to complain!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Both of the industries in which I toil are seeing exponential change as the rate of technology continues to advance. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up. While many are often afraid of changes to their industries, I feel like these advancements will ultimately help to facilitate creativity as well as increased quality and user experience. Although as someone who appreciates authenticity in nature photography, the ubiquitousness of artificial intelligence-aided processing, compositing, and the like have made it increasingly difficult to differentiate images that are “real” from images that are “not real”. This is something I sometimes worry about when it comes to the future of landscape photography.
When it comes to live event production, our world has very much been turned on its head over the past 2 years. We’re starting to roar back to life, but the landscape has changed, perhaps forever. It’s hard to know exactly what the future holds, but I hope the day comes soon when everyone can feel comfortable going to their favorite music venues again.
Contact Info:
- Email: johnsteitz@me.com
- Website: johnsteitzphotography.com
- Instagram: wilderness_john
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steitzphotos
