Isaac Wheatley, a 19-year-old Cambridge, Massachusetts native is a photographer that’s breaking down barriers, ensuring his name echoes long after he leaves the room. We're here to tell you how he got to where he is today.
When asked how he got into photography Isaac immediately recalled, “My grandparents gifted me a tiny little camera when I was young. I’d go to the zoo and try to photograph all the animals.” What made it stick for him was getting his first iPhone in 8th grade. “I couldn’t have much on it, so I used the camera a lot,” he explains. Then one day, his parents asked, “Want to learn to use a real camera?” And the rest is history. He started shooting street photography constantly, but what he didn’t expect was the burnout it caused. “I just felt like I was disrupting people’s peace,” he reflects.
Later in high school, he rediscovered his passion through a film photography class. “It was slow–the process.I started doing portraits and it helped me reconnect with my love for photography.” Isaac then went on the journey of applying to NYU—a well-known challenge in itself. “Yeah, it was hard… I had to write six essays, six short answers, do a portfolio, write an essay about the portfolio, and write about each individual shot. It was the only application I submitted,” he recalls.
Now entering his second year at NYU, Isaac is the media chair for the NYU Board Program, a photographer for NYU's ‘Static Magazine’, and Vice President of NYU’s ‘ISO Magazine’. He has no plans to leave New York's impressive art scene anytime soon.
With such an insane portfolio, one only wonders how Isaac went from shooting on his iPhone to casually photographing Omar Apollo in concert. “I’d reach out to 50 people at a time, and only about three would respond,” he shares. When given an opportunity, he’d make the most of it. “I’d go into shoots as the set photographer, but when there were breaks or when models weren’t being used, I’d ask them if they wanted to pose for a few pictures for me. "Closed mouths don’t get fed,” he says. Isaac credits his success to being proactive. “From doing that, I ended up getting closer to the directors, and they sent my work over to the owners of the brand.”
When asked if it’s hard to stay motivated through it all, Isaac says that the people he surrounds himself with play a huge role. “The biggest thing that keeps me motivated is that I’m always working with other people. When that happens, you’re on other people’s timelines. Deadlines keep me motivated.” He adds that he doesn’t often feel unmotivated because “My art is much more visual than it is storytelling or personal, so it’s easier to stay motivated and come up with fresh ideas.”
One challenge Isaac faces is “trying to continually create new work.” He’s always looking to grow, and for him, that means making something fresh while staying true to his artistic style. “I push myself in new ways, experimenting instead of sticking to what I know looks good or what’s easily achievable.” He credits the people he works with for allowing him the creative freedom to do so. “They have faith in my style… I have a lot of freedom and creative control.”
Isaac also emphasizes the importance of putting your work out there. “Share your work, keep putting it out there. That’s the only way you’ll stay in people’s minds, and it’ll have an impact for you.” When asked what he hopes to do in the long run, he answers quickly: “Be able to make a living from photography.”