When you witness something breath taking, your first instinct may be to take out your new iPhone 6s and snap a picture so one day you can look back and relish in that moment. You might consider that moment rare, but to some talented others that extravagant moment is just a fraction of the adventures that lie ahead. Adventure is something that Dominic Starley, an 18-year-old photographer, thrives on. From Eagle Mountain, a small town in Utah, Dom seeks out adventure for a living and has managed to stun the country with his breath taking photographs. To Dom, a picture is more than the Instagram “likes” and increasing his follower ratio. In his eyes “To photograph something you have to experience it”. This experience has taken him across the country to capture the most beautiful sights and America’s hidden gems.
Surprisingly, this journey only started five months ago. Prior to his photography career, Dom would film his friends skating on rails, curbs, or stairs around his hometown. This passion quickly changed into a different form of art when he moved to Maui, Hawaii by himself when he was 17 years old. Reminiscing on this pivotal moment he remarked: “That's really where it started. I took my first photo of a sunset and it was probably the worst photo ever taken, but at that moment when I heard that fist click sound from the shutter I fell in love, I instantly knew that it is what I wanted to do with my life.”
Dom’s passion for photography delves much deeper than the surface as he perceives his photos as a way to communicate with the world. Dom stated “It's a way for me to share my feelings and emotions, from the way I take the photo to how I edit it." One of the attached pictures is a significant photo that speaks to him personally. Here’s the story behind the snapshot:
“I had just moved back home (Utah) from Maui and I met up with my best friend who I hadn't seen in months. We both love adventures so we went on one. We drove for about an hour into basically the middle of no where. We had pulled over on the side of the road, he got out of my car, grabbed his skateboard with a huge smile on his face and just started pushing. So I grabbed my camera, jumped on top of my car and clicked away. It was such a great day; one I will never forget. I guess it means so much to me because it was just in the moment. We hadn't planned to go shoot or to even go where we went. We just started driving and went on an awesome adventure.”
Although not all of us aspire to be a professional photographer, my challenge for you is to add some spontaneity in your life. Turn off the Netflix, grab your keys, and let the road ahead take you somewhere you haven’t been before.
*For more information on Dominic Starley's photographs, follow him on:
Instagram: dominicstarley
Twitter: dominicstarley_
