Meet Robert Hansen | Photographer: Architectural . Design . Fine art

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

Hi Robert, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wouldn’t say that it was a conscious thought process. I would say it was more of a journey, following my bliss, and honoring what makes me happy and whole. That’s the true journey of an artist – to make discoveries about yourself and the world.

I was fortunate in my career, starting a photography business, because in this career there are also numerous avenues to make a living other than just being a fine artist.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I was in my early twenties, floundering in college,I was given a camera. I had always been interested in art and had taken a wonderful art class in High School, visiting galleries and museums in New York city. However I had never pursued making images with a passion.
When the gift of a camera was given to me, making images, keying out, creating cosmos from chaos became a sort of therapy for me. It fed my soul.
Soon after college I enrolled at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara. Brooks was very technical at that time. So I spent my free time doing my own creative work-photographing the street people on lower state street. I was not only striking a balance between the technical and the creative,but I was finding out that I was a story teller. That talent enabled me to get a full time scholarship from Brooks in a photojournalism class. Latter on in my professional career as an architectural photographer that talent served me well. With every new commission I was always relaying a photographic story.
The lesson here is to always follow your bliss. If your excited and making discoveries with your work, the client will get excited.
As a story teller I spent ten years traveling to southern Mexico, photographing with large (8×10, 4×5) view cameras. It was the self assignment of a lifetime. I eventually created a book called “Yucatan Passages” which was published in 2004. That work is now in a few select galleries and museums and can be viewed at https://www.roberthansen.com/gallery/mexico-black-and-white/

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to galleries and museums. I would also take them to The Festival of Arts / Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach, Ca. where I and another 120 artists show our artwork from July through the end of August. The event also includes nightly The Pageant of The Masters, good food and live music. We would hang out there. https://www.foapom.com/

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?
Many many people and organizations deserve the credit for my success. My father was the primary person who encouraged me to work for myself and start a business. An instructor at Brooks Institute of photography named Phil Cohen also was influential who recognized my talent as a story-teller that lead to future book projects including “Yucatan Passages” – a ten-year photographic journey to southern Mexico, published in 2004.

I have also had the opportunity to work with Wallace Neff Jr. photographing and producing two books and a large portfolio on his father’s iconic career as an architect in Los Angeles. Wallace Neff Sr. worked in Los Angeles as an architect during California’s Golden Era, designing more than 600 homes for celebrities and notable individuals.

I guess you could say that the great teachers are the ones that recognize latent talent and seek ways to develop that talent. I have also worked as a photography Instructor and I hope that I have inspired my students that way.

Website: https://roberthansen.com

Image Credits
Image Credits: From the book “Yucatan Passages” published by Laguna Wilderness Press. All images are copyright Robert A. Hansen 2925 from the book of the same title. The book as well as other titles by Robert are available at https://www.roberthansen.com/product/yucatan-passages/.