We seek the most talented photographers on the planet and ask them to share a bit about themselves and their creative process. Today we have the pleasure of learning more about LA-based architectural and aviation photographer Mike Kelley.

Mike Kelley is an architectural and aviation photographer based in Los Angeles. In this 2017 interview, he explains how he starts new work, what he does when he gets stuck, why Wake Turbulence is his favorite photo and which book he thinks every creative person should read.

What Fires Him Up

What’s the one quote that always fires you up?

“There’s a myth that time is money. In fact, time is more precious than money. It’s a nonrenewable resource. Once you’ve spent it, and if you’ve spent it badly, it’s gone forever.” – Neil Fiore

His Creative Process

Do you have any particular habits that are a part of how you begin your creative process?

With personal work, it usually consists of me just booking a plane ticket to a destination that I want to photograph. Everything will work itself out around that – it’s like, once I throw down the $300, $600, $1000 or whatever, it’s on and it’s happening. Everything’s secondary to that.

With commissioned work, I can’t start without a good night of sleep, so I can’t say it’s a very exciting way to get started, but is absolutely necessary.

What do you do when you hit a wall during your creative process?

Honestly, I procrastinate. Not the best answer…but it’s true. It will eventually come back. Sometimes I just need to walk away, lay on the couch and watch Netflix for an hour before I realize I’m wasting time and I get the urge to work again.

Sometimes I just need to walk away, lay on the couch and watch Netflix for an hour before I realize I’m wasting time and I get the urge to work again.

Mike Kelley

Mike Kelley’s Wake Turbulence

What’s your favorite photo you’ve ever captured and why?

It’s gotta be Wake Turbulence. It’s the simplest, easiest answer but the amount of doors that photo has opened, the amount that it’s been seen and used, the amount of money I’ve made from it, what it represents to me and my background, etc, I just love it. I love what it stands for and the feeling I get when I look at it. Sorry, I’m totally gushing here, but making that photo was probably the second best decision of my entire career, second only to actually picking a camera up in the first place.

Required Reading

What book would you recommend any creative person read?

Libyan Sugar by Michael Christopher Brown.

It puts all your problems in perspective, and makes you realize that while you’re here, you need to focus on making photographs that really matter. And I still struggle with that on a daily basis.

It puts all your problems in perspective, and makes you realize that while you’re here, you need to focus on making photographs that really matter.

Mike Kelley

You can view more of Mike’s work at his website.

Common Questions About Mike Kelley Photography

Who is Mike Kelley? An LA-based photographer who shoots architecture and aviation. PHLEARN spoke with him in October 2017 for a series that asks photographers about their creative process. You can see more of his work on his website, linked at the end of the interview.

What is Mike Kelley’s favorite photo? Wake Turbulence. He calls it the simplest, easiest answer, and he points to the doors the photo has opened, how much it has been seen and used, the money he has made from it and what it represents about his background. He says making it was probably the second best decision of his career, after picking up a camera in the first place.

How does he start a new project? For personal work, he books a plane ticket to a place he wants to photograph, and everything else works itself out around that. Once the ticket is paid for, the trip is happening. For commissioned work, his habit is less exciting but, as he puts it, absolutely necessary: a good night of sleep. When he hits a wall, he admits he procrastinates. He walks away, watches Netflix for an hour, and the urge to work comes back.

What book does Mike Kelley recommend? Libyan Sugar by Michael Christopher Brown. He says it puts your problems in perspective and reminds you to focus on making photographs that really matter, something he still struggles with every day.