We had the good fortune of connecting with Ian Helmcke and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ian, how do you think about risk?
My favorite movie of all time is “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” with Ben Stiller. In it, Kristen Wiigs character has a line which has shaped the way I live my life: she says “life is about courage, and going into the unknown.” To me, this means if there is life to be lived, I must live it in risk and venture another step further into discovery and creativity. While taking a risk is quite scary and requires a leap of faith, the benefit of it far outweighs everything else. I believe risk is quintessential in living life to its fullest.
I would argue that I would not be the person I am today without risking. I would not have traveled the world, slept in caves, seen sunrises on top of Austrian mountains or witnessed sunsets on the New Zealand sea shores. I would not of met DJ’s in Barcalona, Spain or pioneers of film-making in Colorado. I would not have experienced joy of falling in love or the sadness of heartbreak. I could imagine myself experiencing all these things, but without risk I never would of actually stepped out my front door and lived.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The first time I remember picking up a camera was actually when I was healing from 4 concussions I had experienced in a time span of nine months. One of my therapists had recommended taking a photo a day so that I could actively search for beautiful things when I barely could even walk. It was through this that I found not only healing, but that I had a gift for seeing the wild and beautiful parts of our world. I healed from those head injuries and found myself in Austria upon some of the highest peaks, there a fellow photographer mentored me in how to set up my composition and use certain settings on my camera. It was at this moment I took a picture of a sunrise peaking over the Alps, and I knew I wanted to take photos for the rest of my life. It was not easy getting to this point, the physical healing from my head injuries took forever, but the mental battle with depression and anxiety also took time to heal. Never did I think I would be able to climb a mountain again, let alone travel the world but there I was: the impossible just became possible.
The limitations I faced are not new, I know so many people who believe that if they get better gear, or better equipment then the photos will be better. While that is only partially true, I find that I have gotten to the level of skill I am at today from a lot of patience, a lot of failing, and a lot of risk taking. The best thing I can tell others to invest in, other than a camera body and lens is to embrace humility. For the amount of photos I have created, I have failed twice as much in trying to create them but I did not let that stop me. I wanted to continue seeking something wilder than what I had just created. I learned to pause and ask ‘why’ and I still have to do that to this day.
Something Wilder is not another photography or digital media company, at the moment, my companies ideals are expressed through those mediums but I hope to wider that horizon soon. I hope to build a community through adventure and beauty and never stop seeking it. I believe that at the core of humanity is curiosity to know but in a world of comfort, it is very hard to cultivate said curiosity. Something Wilder is designed to engage the deeper part of our souls and invite people into exploration, curiosity, and wonder and not just with nature but with each other as well.
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?
My best friend lives in Australia so getting a chance to host him here in Colorado would be a dream come true. I would want to introduce him to all my friends and coworkers at Loyal Coffee, the coffee shop I work at. From there we would probably travel down to the Telluride, Ouray area of Colorado and spend a few days above tree line taking photos and camping out. One of my favorite things to do in downtown Colorado Springs is to ride the electric scooters and race them from one side of the city to the other! On clear nights I would want to show him Rampart Range road, above the Garden of the Gods area and take photos of the milky way over pikes peak. I might take him out to the flat lands of Colorado and show him the stars out there.
If it was anywhere outside of the state, then most definitely the Oregon coastline. That place is my favorite location in all of the United States.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My sister. She has been my cheerleader, my comrade, and one of my closest friends. She has been there with me through all my highs and lows, and I couldn’t have been more blessed.
Blake. All though he lives on the other side of the world, Blake has been my best friend and inspired me to keep creating when I felt hopeless.
The community whom I have come to love: they bought me all my equipment, encouraged me along my adventure, and pointed me to hope every single day. Whenever I felt alone, I never was because of them.
Website: www.besomethingwilder.com
Instagram: @besomethingwilder
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM4Btw-n4uQ6PBQarsO_lmg
Image Credits
Image credit: Ian Helmcke (Something Wilder)