On his love for photography, Mercer said, “I love the possibility of creating images that will last more than a lifetime and I love working with interesting and fascinating people. I also enjoy creating images that families can pass down through Parfuture generations.”
Particularly impressive about Mercer is that for over two decades he has only used Nikon cameras.
Regarding his daily motivations, he said, “I am motivated by the desire to create magic through art and I am motivated to be uplifting and be a light for others. I have been so blessed in my life I feel a responsibility to be strong for others who are not as fortunate.
On his proudest professional accomplishments, he admitted, “I have a few accomplishments that make me proud. First, just the fact that I came from nowhere with not much of anything and I entered a field that is so competitive, and I went on to photograph several album covers and a few book covers as well as movie posters, TV shows, magazine covers, and features.”
“I was also featured in the New York Times with my blog, which is absolutely my number one best accomplishment. I am coming up to eleven years of posting close to 400 interviews and photo sessions,” he added.
Digital transformation of photography
On the impact of technology on the photography industry, he said, “Technology has been both brilliantly good and horribly bad. It is good in that we can do so much more so much better with much less skill. It is bad in that everyone thinks they can be an image-maker now and most are not good, but many people can’t tell the difference, so they think they are good.”
Regarding his use of technology in his daily routine as a photographer, he said, “I use a digital camera and I use a computer to edit the images and turn them into exactly what I want. I send images all over the world through e-mail of course.”
Mercer subsequently acknowledged that it “feels competitive” to be a photographer in the digital age.
For young and aspiring photographers, he said, “Do something as different and unique as possible. Shoot all the time. Being good at something means lots of repetition.”
Alan Mercer defined the word success as follows: “Success to me means personal happiness and contentment. Professional goals do not come with a lasting happiness. Waking up in the morning and feeling good about who you are is the most success anyone can ask for. Being resilient and strong in an ever-changing and challenging world is a success.”
To learn more about Alan Mercer Photography, check out his official website.
