Kylie Fly is an adventure photographer and storyteller who says her “knack for adventure storytelling and creative directing is all about raw, honest moments run and gun style in wild environments.” Fly took the time to answer a few questions to give us a look at her exciting career. See more of Fly’s work at kyliefly.com.
1. Where are you based?
Salt Lake City, Utah.
2. How did you get started in photography?
I picked up my first camera as a kid, where I’d chase my dog around the yard taking photos of anything and everything. When I decided to move to China at 20 years old, I bought my first SLR camera and began shooting travel and adventure and was immediately hooked. It’s followed me everywhere I go in all walks of life and has been a constant companion and tool for me to share my voice and the way I see the world.
3. How long have you been an active photographer?
I always end up shooting what I do, and the places I go and people I spend time with naturally work their way into my imagery. When I started climbing, mountaineering and doing expeditions the camera came with me. I’ve skied my whole life, so that naturally came along as well. I have been shooting action sports for as long as I’ve done the sport, so it’s been well over a decade.
4. Do you consider yourself a professional photographer or a hobbyist?
I’m a professional photographer, it has been my career for over a decade and I own my own production company. It was a hobby in my teens.
5. How would you describe your photographic style?
Natural, raw and honest. I specialize in authentic imagery that captures the in between moments of people enjoying doing what they love.
6. What inspires you creatively?
I’m inspired by light and color, all of which dance across a landscape. Because my work is primarily outside, I spend all my time observing the little things from the way the sage blows in the wind to how the light hits a crack on a granite face. The people step into the landscape, and everything lights up and connects, coming full circle and bringing a story to life.
7. For you, what makes a compelling photograph?
Symmetry, composition, the right light at the right time. There are so many little moments between the main “shots” that really tell the story we want to share. I find that we often surprise ourselves with these experiences by sharing genuine conversations with our subjects, experiencing new things and joining a subject in their world so they’re the most comfortable they can be.
