Meet Beau Cardwell | Photographer

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

Hi Beau, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Before even picking up a camera I knew I wanted to form routines that I could lean on before, during, and after a shoot. I was quickly able to figure out what does and doesn’t work and rectify on the spot. Something I really like doing is waiting for the model to show up before assembling the camera. I’ve found it allows just a couple of minutes time for introductions and to feel each other out. More often than not, both parties need a little time to work the nerves out and start the session. It may seem like a minor detail but it’s something that really makes a difference and can set the tone for the rest of the shoot.

Early on I also made the decision that once I come home from a shoot, the first thing I do is ignore everything around me and immediately backup the shoot to my laptop and hard drive. I’ve heard horror stories of photographers losing entire shoots and I just want to make sure everyone’s hard work is safe and sound right away.

By developing routines, you are giving every action an organized purpose. While I think beautiful work can come from chaotic moments, it has been the small habits along the way that have shaped me to have happy clients and quick turnarounds.
Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I grew up really loving horror and ghost stories. My family would share stories while we would cruise around dark country roads at night. You start building these experiences as a kid that stick with you for life. This really gave me the vision to create ethereal and almost ghostly portraits. There are plenty of dark and moody photographs out there, but I really want to give the impression of what you’re looking at is beautiful and other-worldly. It was definitely part of my inspiration on creating a style.

Getting to this spot has been an adventure. I made the decision to make an Instagram and not tell family and friends for months. I wanted to pour energy into organic growth and networking so at the end of the day I could have a platform dedicated for work and art. I’m not sure anything is ever easy, but I think it’s about equipping yourself to know how to avoid stressful situations. I did a couple of weddings before focusing on portraits and was immediately humbled. I eventually discovered that it wasn’t fulfilling the artistic craving I came into photography for. You have to dig deep and understand what you really want out of your pursuit. Once you grasp it, don’t let go.

Depression and anxiety are something I have struggled with for years. I meet a lot of artists and models that share this with me and when we work together, we can just get lost for a couple of hours and really wrap our heads around creating something gorgeous. It’s the one time I can just really focus on what’s in front of me and have total confidence in what is happening.
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.
We would have to visit Gordon, TX. It’s a little west of Mineral Wells and my parents own land in the mountains. We have fun riding around in ATV’s and set up targets for shooting practice. I was born and raised a country boy and even though I migrated to the city…I still very much love doing these kinds of things. I’m a massive fan on hot wings and probably eat them a couple of times a week…so Plucker’s is a must! There’s nothing better than thin layer of wing sauce on the beard and a frosty beer you can hold with two hands.

I also play lead guitar in a Rock and Roll cover band called “Saving Yesterday”. We meet all sorts of awesome people and I’m always dragging my friends to our weekend shows. It’s just a good time!

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?
My fiancé, Leah. She is an educator, and I can’t express how much support I receive from her on a daily basis. That encouragement takes me all the way and I could only hope to even begin give back something of that magnitude to her.

Instagram: instagram.com/beaucaptures

Image Credits
Spencer Reyes Karina Reyes Janine Czajka