Meet Ben Stephens | Aspiring Wildlife Photographer

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

Hi Ben, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’m someone who puts a lot of time into thinking about all of the potential risks of a situation before making a big decision. I think I’ve taken some big risks in my life. Moving across the country from Pennsylvania to California and Alaska were both big risks. However, I felt like they were risks worth taking in order to get myself to where I am. Before I actually made these big moves I spent so much time thinking about all of the possible outcomes of my decisions, and by the time the day came to embark on these journeys I was pretty mentally prepared.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve spent the past several years building up my wildlife photography portfolio. I’m currently living in Alaska working as a “safari driver” for multi-day trips. In my free time I go out in search for wildlife. However I didn’t start out photographing moose and bears. Back at the start of the pandemic I lived in Philadelphia and I needed a hobby that got me out of the house and into nature. I decided to give wildlife photography a try, so I went to the local nature center. I was surprised at how much I was able to see just by visiting one spot consistently. Over time, I started seeing the same birds and my photography stopped improving. I thought a change of scenery would help freshen up my photography and I moved to California. Initially it felt like I had so many new opportunities, but when I looked back on my photos months after the move I realized that my problem was that I was not committing my time to photography like I had in the past. I also put myself in a place that made it harder to make the time to focus on my goals. After returning home from California, I tried again and applied for jobs in Alaska. I chose a lifestyle that put me a little closer to the action and also allowed me to make the time to work towards my goals.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m currently living on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. My favorite spot on the peninsula is Seward. It’s a beautiful little town situated along the coast and is surrounded by mountains. I’d recommend anyone who visits the area check it out. There’s so much. wildlife and glaciers to see on a boat tour of the Kenai Fjords. In addition to the wildlife and landscapes, my favorite spot in town to get coffee is called Resurrect Art and is somewhere that I always stop at whenever I make my way down to Seward.

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?
I wouldn’t be where I am now without the support of my parents. I’ve been taking an unconventional career path working seasonal jobs, but neither of my parents ever told me it was a bad idea. I was always given advice and suggestions to help me throughout the process of making decisions. Without their support I would never have had the opportunity to be as ambitious with my goals as I’ve been.

Website: benstephensphotography.squarespace.com

Instagram: @allofthepicture

Image Credits
Image of Ben was taken by Vince Rebbecchi. All wildlife images were taken by myself.