Meet Sean Boggs | photographer / filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sean Boggs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sean, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
We work approximately one month every year for non profits or causes that we deem worthy. Last year we went to India with Ninash.org, a foundation out of NY that funded building and running 7 schools in rural India for Untouchable girls. This year we are finishing producing a suicide prevention movie for our county, Eagle County Colorado. As it turns out, Eagle county has one of the highest teen suicide rates in the country and we wanted to see what if anything could be done. When I sourced a team to help me make this movie, I learned that almost everyone had direct experience with a friend or family member that had committed suicide and or came very close. Our crew has 10 Emmys and more than 150 years film experience. Dudes, like Walter Mather, Rob Stookey, David Ruess Wolfe, Michael Fox and more helped and are helping to make it impactful. To make pictures for your life’s work is a gift in any genre but to make pictures that impact the lives of the needy and maybe even everyone is really our obligation as artists. It is the job of art to make change. It’s our job to make a living, be kind, honest and if possible, be a force for good.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
We make environmental portraits, still and Motion. Before there was a we, I was making still environmental portraits as a means of manifest destiny. I wanted to be paid to make the portraits so I made them myself until I was known for them. It would have been easy to make a living shooting portraits and weddings and that’s a great path for many. I wanted to adventure, to adventure culturally and to meet the most interesting people in the world, get to know them and show them to the world. Now, we make these portraits all around the world. In the last 8 weeks, we were in Iceland, Missoula Mt, Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah and Aspen Colorado. We worked on a movie, a scenic still shoot, a lifestyle still shoot, and then a live broadcast with Martha Stewart for the food network. It has been a life long journey and early on I had accepted that I may never have any money. 27 years in and we make a nice living doing what we always wanted for the best clients in the world. For the future, I hope to make one or two more documentaries , then a scripted show or movie, then get a master’s and teach. Let me know if we can help you with any people related photography still or moving.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
High country Colorado is it’s own national park with no lines. We would sit on my deck until we were satiated and then head into the hills. We might fly fish, maybe shoot some photos.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Amy Boggs, Sofie and Sam, Rex Keep, Scott Cramer, Walter Mather, Mrs House, John McAlee, and Grips For Life

There are two things that I’m working on in my life. My family and the making of pictures.
Not an easy road to love an artist, I’m gone a lot and I’m out the door in the dark and back after dark again most days. I’m hyper focal and so much is so consequential that I can be no fun at all. I want to thank my family for putting up with me.
Mrs House:
Pictures were my path since the beginning. Mrs House, Oneonta Middle School art teacher, 1983. We called her mom. I was a failure in almost all areas of school, but not art and she put a camera in my hands just when I needed it.
My father: Dr Tim Boggs
I was 17 years old and failing at high school. My father hatched a crazy genius plan and encouraged me to quit high school. I started college at 17 part time and studied only art. I made the dean’s list and got a high school equivalency diploma for getting 24 college credits in NY state.
Rex Keep:
I then graduated at age 21 and started working at a tv station and as an assistant to a working commercial photographer. Rex Keep, the most kind, honest boss. I was so fortunate to work for Rex and he taught me business related stuff like value and contracting.
Scott Cramer, Walter Mather,
Early in my career I worked closely with my then best friend Scott Cramer. Being so close to a genius picture maker like him taught me a ton of techniques that I still use today and to be taken under the wing of Walter Mather, DP for shows like Swamp people and Human is an honor and helped me greatly with my most recent project, On The Salt, a documentary about Salt Flats Motorcycle racing. I’m learning more now than ever and I’m just humbled and energized to make pictures still or moving. I don’t care anymore, both are so very beautiful.
John McAleer:
“Big Cat” is the producer of On The Salt and Motonomaddicts and he put his trust in me as Director of Photography on the movie. It means a lot and I can’t wait to make more. Much love to everyone mentioned here and to all the others that are my team and support!

Website: www.seanfboggs.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanfboggs/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanboggs/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sean.boggs.16/ https://www.facebook.com/SeanFBoggsPhotography

Image Credits
all except polaroid: seanfboggs.com polaroid: https://instagram.com/mattfrenchart?utm_medium=copy_link