Photographer and filmmaker Taylor Gray has been impressing us for years, which is remarkable considering the Oregon State University Freshman is only 18 years old. He has told us about how his seemingly endless creative future is his inspiration and shown us how to find unique views of Yosemite’s famed Firefall.
So when Gray published a new film showcasing the beautiful coastline of his new home state of Oregon, I knew it would be an engaging film. And as always, Gray delivered.
Hailing from Northern California, Gray moved to Oregon for school. While Oregon State is obviously a great school, it’s no secret that the surrounding landscapes played a role when it came time for Gray to choose a university. Gray told me:
As most artists can agree, being stuck in a creative rut can be frustrating to say the least. At the end of my senior year of high school, I was not feeling very inspired. I needed a change of scenery. I had lived in the Bay Area for my entire life, and as much as I love it there, there was a restlessness inside of me that I just couldn’t shake. When it came time to pick a college to attend for the next four years, this restlessness ended up playing a big part when making my decision. I ended up choosing to go to Oregon State University, which turned out to be the perfect place to meet both my creative and academic needs. After moving up to Oregon, the creative rut I had felt previously seemed to have been filled, and I looked at my new environment with an open mind. The possibilities were endless, and I soon took an interest in aerial filmmaking and the Oregon Coast. It wasn’t long before the two merged together, and “Clearly Coastal” was born!
So it’s safe to say that Taylor is loving his new home. But with his whole life ahead of him after college, it will be interesting to see where Gray winds up. I asked him about what the future may or may not hold.
Right now, my biggest passion is landscape and travel photography/filmmaking and I would like to be doing this type of work for as long as I possibly can. However, there are so many opportunities and possibilities in front of me, that I find it somewhat difficult to pinpoint exactly where I will be in the next four years. I am keeping the door wide open for different opportunities that may come my way involving this sort of work. Traveling, shooting, and filming for a living is my biggest dream, but to answer the question truthfully, I do not know where I will be at the end of my college years because there are so many different experiences and possibilities that await me, which will ultimately help shape my perspective and allow me to find the career path that is right for me. Looking back four years ago, camera technology was nowhere near where it is today, and I believe that I wouldn’t have been able to achieve the same quality of work back then that “Clearly Coastal” has now. I cannot even fathom where technology will be in the next four years, but I believe that I will be in my right place and ready for whatever comes my way regardless of the direction my career takes in the coming years.
Wherever Gray’s path leads him, we are sure Gray will be very successful wherever he winds up.
See Also – Taylor Gray: My Future is my Inspiration.
Read Taylor Gray’s previous article on Resource Travel which talks about his photography inspiration. Also to see more from Taylor Gray, follow him on Instagram at @taylorgrayphoto, Facebook or on his website.
