CEO to Wildlife Photographer

Photography Tips  •  Wildlife Photography

It’s not uncommon for for a person to take up new hobbies once they retire and it probably comes as little surprise to hear that a former CEO by the name of Brian Hampton started taking his photography more seriously in his golden years. What sets Hampton apart from others with similar stories, however, is the level of professionalism and tenacity Hampton has invested into the arts. Some might say, in fact, that he has started yet a second successful career as a photographer and philanthropist. Listen to his inspiring story below:

The entirely self-trained Hampton says he won his very first camera as a kid, but never used it because his family could not afford film or processing. The financial tables have turned for Hampton after having been CEO for five thriving company’s throughout his 40 year career in business.

With the money to put where his passion is, Hampton self-publishes photo books, which he sells for $2,000 a copy. Forty percent of proceeds go straight to charity and the remaining funds are used to cover publishing costs. Hampton does not make a profit on the books. In fact, he’s losing money on the project, but he says, “that’s not important to me as long as my wife and I can still afford to do it.”

Starting with around 1000 of Hampton’s best images from either Africa or the Everglades (depending on the book), he narrows it down to his top 50 and uses them for the book. The books are then hand assembled at a local photo studio, one by one, until they are ready to be shipped to their new owners. Hampton has raised over $100,000 for charity.