Meet Ivan Ness Lehman | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ivan Ness Lehman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ivan, how does your business help the community?
The social impact my business wields is that I help local musicians and artists who are beginning their own journey into the industry. I have been able to see the impact I have during shows as well, my friend Kenji Asamoto has told me when I’m there at a show he feels the improved energy from everyone performing. Knowing that myself as well allows me to create a web and talk to many artists pushing them to collaborate with one another

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When it comes down to my work and career is that, I love it. Being able to take pictures of people and see how their faces light up when they see themselves looking amazing brings joy to my life every time I see it. Being able to meet people that I would’ve never been able to if I didn’t follow this journey makes the long winters worth it. The hardest part of this Career is the slow seasons, but my advice to anyone wanting to join this industry is to recognize and know when the slow seasons are, and to not lose hope that you’ll make it in this industry just because of these slow patches. This world is both beautiful and brutal, but I believe it is our jobs as photographers to capture the beauty. That is why I love this job; to me this is a passion.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Here in Fort Collins there is amazing places all around. Horsetooth was my first ever photo shoot; the place is magnificent. The view from up there is always something breathtaking. The Poudre river that flows through Fort Collins has always held a special place in my heart as me and my family would spend hours there during hot summer days. The amount of places in old town you can visit from The Museum of Discovery down to Natures Own; These places in old town can give you endless chances to make memories. The music venues here in Fort Collins such as the Aggie, Washington’s, the lyric, Surfside, and many more that keep putting on shows for local music will also be at the top of the list for places to be. All in all wherever you look there is beauty to be seen.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When it comes to this journey I have been on, there have been so many amazing people who have shown me support. I wanna thank and shoutout my family for supporting me and helping me continue on my path, without their help I wouldn’t be here doing any of this. The first person who got me to take pictures of shows was my friend Tyler Skillman. When I told him that I found a camera in my closet he told me to pop out to his shows and that I did. Alongside Tyler my friend Jacob also pushed me to follow is passion by just telling me to bring my camera whenever we would hangout this allowed me to hone my craft. Because of these two people, I followed this path and found my passion, and I will forever be grateful for that. Because I started on this journey I met many artists who I began working with. Isaiah Carter, Jane Rhoads, and Sagan Peter Smith are just some of the artists who have continued to trust me to take their photos. Most recently I have been invited to join a collective known as Rollin’ Good; a collective working on bringing the local rap scene of Fort Collins together so we can build something great, they have trusted me to capture that journey and I’m greatly honored. During this journey I have been mostly self taught, but someone who has been a teacher to me is my friend Jackson. He has taught me the ins and outs of this industry as well as tricks and tips to improve my own art.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivanwnlphoto?igsh=bWI2anMydWdnNzhr&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HK3VRn7Mq/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits
Me myself and I @ivanwnlphoto