Kristopher Grunert: Energy & Photography

Kristopher Grunert completed four years of photography studies and apprenticeships before taking three years to travel the globe and build relationships as a professional photographer. Along the way, Grunert discovered a subject matter he was drawn to. Words that sum up his visual statement are: lines, atmosphere, movement, light, architectural-industrial, and landscape. Grunert pushes ideas forward with a clear mission and careful attention to his energy.

During his start-up period as a photographer, Grunert overcame his impatience with passion. "(I struggled with) understanding that the great things I expect do not happen over night. My solution was simply to focus on my passion for photography. Passion is what drives us when things are difficult, it is by far the most efficient energy source that we have as humans. It is not something that can be taught or learned but it is certainly something that needs to be discovered. We all have it and the beauty of (passion) is: the more you share it, the more you seem to receive."

Grunert struggled in his early days to manage energy wisely. "Before being mindful of how I spent my time, I found myself...doing things that I thought were very important and very urgent. (I was) procrastinating and then going from deadline to deadline feeding off the adrenaline.... I think this energy is very powerful and should be used, but certainly not every day, it is a limited source and when it runs out we tend to fill it with other limited sources."

Grunert suggests that "Sometimes the best thing you can do to stay on track when pursuing your idea or starting your company is to say 'No.' ...I can definitely think of many things that I involved myself in that did not serve my main goal or passion. Beware of the energy and time suckers..."

As for the moments that spark ideas, Grunert finds that you must slow down. You must stop running around and just "go to the park on a Monday afternoon with a good book or some magazines." As Grunert explains, "It seems to be these times when the big ideas hit or when I meet some random person that makes my dream come true or a project a reality. When we are in overdrive it is difficult to be mindful of the subtle but magical things that enter our life."

"As an artist or freelance creative, (accountability) can be one of the most difficult things because we are often on our own individual mission... Doing anything on your own is difficult, especially starting a company. The first thing that was a huge help for me was to involve myself with a structured group of peers - one with similar interests that meet on a regular basis. We would share our plans and ideas. I found that the more I shared my plan the more likely it was to occur. The more specific the things you share the better."

At one point, Grunert hired a professional coach named Kathy Dornan. As he explains it, "Not only does she add a thick layer of accountability, but the value of advice she provides can hardly be measured."

Grunert's work is derived from a concrete mission. "When boiled down, my general mission is to inspire as many people as possible through my work and show them how beautiful and magical this world is. Whether it is my images that are hung or projected on a wall as fine art, ones I create for a corporate annual report or for consumer advertising, my goal is to affect positive change on a global scale. At first glance, this statement may seem daunting or unrealistic. But, when you think about it, it is actually happening even now through the Behance Project. This excites me."