We’re looking forward to introducing you to Morgan Holcomb. Check out our conversation below.
Morgan, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Outside of work I’ve started going on weekly walks with a friend to the various trails in my city. It’s a lovely habit we’ve been fairly diligent to keep up with, and it always improves my mood to walk in the park or by the lake and look for butterflies or birds. I’ve also started making little ornaments out of felt, which sometimes feels a little childish, but I’m not good at the other crafts like crocheting or knitting – a blanket stitch, however, that I can do.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi (again)! I’m Morgan, and I combine my backgrounds in corporate marketing and narrative performance to create photography and media material that -hopefully-moves my clients and their desired audiences. I also dabble in Voice Over and On-Camera acting. I guess, I just want to make people feel something, in whatever medium I’m using. This is has proved surprisingly successful in both the creative and corporate sectors to build client and consumer confidence in the professionals or corporations I work with.
Perhaps in contrast to other artists (sure, I guess I can call myself that now), the medium is less important to me than the effect it has. This has made for wonderful learning opportunities across a variety of industries and artistic expressions, and while getting my clients out of their comfort zones in the spotlight, I’m also delighted if they want to try something new that’s out of my area of expertise too. I love the creative challenge and I try not to marry any particular style or vibe so my clients can feel like it’s been a collaborative effort that we both get to learn from if that’s something they want to explore.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The need to prove myself constantly. Of course, straight out of school I felt like I had to ! accomplish things ! and show the world that I had a voice and that they should give me a chance. I had a particularly varied skill set that I wanted to prove had the same value as a specified area of expertise. I’ll admit that it served me well at the time – my resume certainly benefited- but somewhere down the line, I forgot how to relax or even feel proud of my accomplishments. I just felt that I had to keep striving and pushing myself to prove that I deserved what I was receiving, that it wasn’t – I wasn’t – a fluke. I don’t think I really need to do that anymore. I still like a challenge and stretching myself, but not for anyone else. It’s more like a game for me instead of a panic to prove I’m good enough or deserve my happiness.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I’ve always felt lonely. I was an only child to brilliant and avant garde parents who were very loving, but I never really felt like I fit in with the priorities of my peers. When my little sister was born, I adored her, but our age gap made it impossible for me to expect her to understand me until much later. School was also lonely until about high school and that feeling of loneliness, but being a very friendly and affectionate child who had no outlet for her excitement about everyone and everything, had a lasting impact.
Since then I’ve tried to identify those wounds in others. To “see them” the way I wanted to be seen, and to share in their excitement. Outwardly, I’ve found that photography and mentoring others has definitely helped to heal that feeling while, inwardly, my concept shoots and acting projects have allowed me a safe space to explore/express those feelings and how they continue to affect me.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
The grind. I hate the grind. I realize that’s a very strong word, but working hard for the sake of working hard seems exhausting and limiting to me. I understand that might sound privileged as well, and it might be my short attention span, but I don’t think “nose to the grindstone” is very efficient or particularly effective. I think continued learning and curiosity puts you in a better position to accept opportunities and move up in the world more that just “hard work” which is rarely recognized. Of course, know and learn your stuff, but at a certain point the best work you can do is learn more about the world and the people in it while keeping your ego out of it. Smart people tend to become myopic “there is one right way to do this and I will master it,” but to quote my mother “there are more ways to get to 4 than 2+2” and sometimes I feel that people are so married to the process they have committed to that they lose sight of the real result they wanted or lifestyle they actually wished to lead. *hops quickly off of soapbox*
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
Well hopefully we are not including my cat in my possessions, because he needs to stay. But beyond that, probably my curiosity. I’d still be wandering around looking for beauty in the natural world, animals to pet, people to learn about, stories to hear. I’d still find a way to make things and engage with my environment. My memories and inspiration would still motivate me to be softer, and stronger. I won’t deny that some part of me would be in a panic, but the deeper parts of me would still find a blank wall to do something with, someone to talk to, or some new place to explore.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.morganholcombportfolio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganholcombvo/#
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-holcomb-4652b396/
- Other: Short Film: https://www.instagram.com/the.deal.short.film/
Personal Branding E-book: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3AMorgan%2BHolcomb&s=relevancerank&text=Morgan+Holcomb&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1
Image Credits
Photographer: Me
Subjects Who Wish to Be Known: Ellen Asquith (red background), Andre Kelly (Black & White Portrait), Abstract Milk Film Festival (Black & White), Laguna Playhouse Youth Production of The Lightning Thief (Monster Fighting)
