Meet Ethan Ege | Photographer

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

Hi Ethan, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Over the last 12-18 months, I have noticed a direct correlation between achieving my goals and my work-life balance. If I set a goal, set a date to accomplish that goal, and do something every day to reach that goal, I always achieve that goal. Now, if I try to have an even “balance” between working and living, my goals are usually harder to achieve and take longer. So for me, I see work-life balance as a cousin of comfort. If you want to be comfortable, have a work-life balance. If you want to be successful in reaching your goals, focus on putting in the work, day in and day out, and you will undoubtedly reach those goals sooner or later.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It is my personal conviction that a primary reason we are put on this planet is to create and consume beautiful art. Some may create more than they consume, and vice versa, but if you look back on history, no matter the time, culture, or circumstances, people always have and always will create art that reflects the day and age they live in.

For me, my outlet has been photography. It has given me a lens both literally and metaphorically to view the world through. I first picked up a camera in high school yearbook class, but I wasn’t too interested in how it worked or how to create a good photograph. Skip forward a number of years, and I found myself discussing photography with a good friend of mine at work. He said he had an old film camera he wasn’t using much, and that I should give it a chance. Thanks to Jesse, my passion for photography was ignited. Once I got my hands on the camera, I couldn’t learn quickly enough or take enough photos. I quickly became obsessed. Skip forward a few more years, and many, many more hand-me-down cameras, new cameras, photographs taken, and time spent learning, and I am where I am today.

The journey of getting from point A to point Where I Want to Be is rarely easy, but always worth it. I have had to overcome challenges of all sorts along the way, but they have all been great learning experiences. For instance, I tried building two different websites, the cheapest and quickest way possible, only to realize they look unprofessional, don’t support the features I need, and are not up to my personal standards. So, after spending not only more money, but considerably more time and energy, I was able to build a website that was satisfying to me. A primary takeaway for me in my creative journey has been to act upon creative ideas as soon as possible, regardless of resources or circumstances. If an idea for a creative project comes to mind, I must work relentlessly to fulfill that idea while it burns inside me before enough time passes that the opportunity to do so is lost. I believe we all have great ideas inside us waiting to be unlocked and put into reality, so when those ideas start to take a clear shape in our minds, we must respect the act of creation and do our best to bring that vision to life. I don’t care if it is one photo, one melody, one sentence; if it is there, build upon it and use it as a stepping stone to the next idea.

If I could leave the readers with one takeaway about my brand and my story, it would be this. No matter what has happened in your life to this point, you always have the choice of taking one step today in the direction of your goal for tomorrow. If you repeat this consistently, you will be successful creatively, financially, personally, etc.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many great spots to choose from. Here are some of my favorites. I would definitely take my friend to La Jolla shores. I think it is a great snapshot of what San Diego has to offer in terms of beach-going. I would also definitely take them around South Park. It is great for walking, popping into cafes, grabbing an ice cream cone at Stella Jeans, or shopping. I would of course also have to show them sunset cliffs, as it is one of the most spectacular views around. Additionally, I think I would take them to a Thursday night Jazz session at Quartyard, which has been one of my favorite things the city has to offer.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is a very difficult question because there are so many different answers I could choose. I would say the person who has helped me tremendously throughout not just my career, but my life as a whole would be my brother, Malachi. He has always been willing to answer my questions, give me constructive criticism, and be honest and open. Without Malachis support, I can safely say that I would not be as far as I am today.

I also owe a large part of my success to my beautiful girlfriend who is always there to hear me out, help me problem solve, and push me to be the best version of myself possible.

Website: https://www.ethanegephotography.com/

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

Image Credits
All images shot by me