“Not Everything Has to be the Next Best Thing.” Watch Episode 2 of Personal Work with Forest Mankins Now

“All these weird things that I take photos of… [I do it] because I feel this pulling to it. I think it all adds up to build you and your voice and your vision and how you see things,” he says in episode 2 of his show about photography, Personal Work. The trap set for creative professionals is to only make what’s expected of you: only capturing exactly what the client has requested or getting stuck mimicking the prevailing look of whatever is trending on social media. Instead, Mankins argues that what you create, what you capture, “doesn't need to make sense, just give yourself permission to like what you like.”

In other words, the only way to find your voice as an artist is to listen for it. And the only way to truly listen is to remove the burden of thinking everything you make could be your next big career breakthrough.

Embracing that mindset towards a craft requires a certain level of discipline. You can think of it like a meditative practice for your work: rather than jumping to the next client project or trying to dream up your next big opportunity, maybe instead go hang out with a friend or head to a place you find beautiful and interesting. And bring your camera.

To illustrate, episode 2 of Personal Work takes us along with Mankins to West Yellowstone, Montana, for a fly fishing trip with his good friend, Craig Matthews. Matthews is legendary in the fly fishing community, known around the world for his handmade fly lures and his shop, Blue Ribbon Flies. Matthews is also the co-founder of 1% For the Planet, a non-profit network of businesses around the world donating 1% of their annual sales to environmental causes and charities. The non-profit is celebrating 25 years this year and is closing in on $1 billion in total giving.

The two became friends after Mankins DMed Matthews on Instagram asking to take some photographs of him and offering to donate the images to 1% For the Planet or another cause. “It’s been five years ago now,” Mankins says. “And whenever I get a second, I just come down here.”

Over the course of the episode, the two fish and share stories while Mankins tests out his new Hasselblad square camera that has taken the place of a Yashicha-Mat that he had used for years. Mankins also gives some tips on shooting under “stormlight,” one of his favorite environments to take a photo in.

A couple of Mankins photographs are even featured in Matthews’ latest book. It’s a perfect example of Mankins advice in this episode: Shoot what you like and your interest will come through in such a way that the work will find an audience. Mankins says following that inner compass has improved his craft in numerous ways. “You really get to learn people and you form these bonds, these friendships, that last a lifetime,” he says.

“Craig’s out on the water over 200 days a year. Rain or shine, ice or snow or wind or anything else,” Mankins says. “Craig is a person who never lost that joy, I think, that we all have as kids. That is the sort of person that I am striving to be.”

Check out the full fishing trip to West Yellowstone with Craig Matthews in episode 2 of Personal Work.