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Luke Stackpoole — how to stay authentic with over 1 million followers
Luke Stackpoole is a renowned travel and lifestyle photographer and a long-time Pixieset user. Having worked with leading global brands and reached over a million followers on Instagram, Luke has managed to preserve an authenticity and a down-to-earth approach that many people resonate with and admire.
“I continue to this day to read every comment, reply to about 20-30% of these, as well as read and respond to every direct message and email I receive. It might seem like a small gesture but it helps to retain a sense that I’m a real person, and I can give back to the community that supports my work. I also think it’s important to maintain my identity as a regular person, my life hasn’t changed a lot and I’m not overly ostentatious when showcasing my day to day in stories.”
Read the entire conversation to discover how Luke approaches social media and builds connections while fortifying a brand known by millions worldwide.
You have a cinematic and immersive style. What emotions are you hoping to evoke in viewers when they encounter your work?
Great question! I really want to evoke a feeling of mystery, drama and awe for nature’s beauty when my viewer sees it for the first time. As well as this, a sense of scale, a sense of being present there in the image and able to feel what I felt when I witnessed this place. Hopefully through my dramatic and moody editing style I can help to evoke these feelings in the viewer.
Your photography often focuses on nature rather than human subjects. What narratives do you find within natural landscapes?
I definitely prefer the natural landscape than human. I find exploring regions that have not been seen so much on social media to really excite me. Photographing places such as the deserts of Namibia, Antarctica, Greenlandic icebergs and jungles of Indonesia is really rewarding, as these locations are lesser known in the world of photography. It almost feels like I’m an explorer, able to show people the world in a new light, the sheer variety and beauty of the landscapes that people have yet to see.
What are the main differences between Luke the photographer and the day to day Luke?
I think due to the amount of travel and time I am on-the-go, my downtime is very different to my day to day life as a photographer. I absolutely love to take it easy, a little bit of a homebody almost. I read a lot, cook most days, play video games and try to disengage as much as I can from the world of social media. It really helps me to stay focussed and enjoy the work when I do head out on a trip. However that being said I also work most days, whether it’s emails or editing, so I delicately balance my lifestyle so that it doesn’t become a burden.
Which Pixieset tools do you currently use, and how do they impact the experience you offer?
The main Pixieset tool I use is the gallery. I need to produce high quality image galleries for clients weekly, and by using Pixieset I’m able to arrange my images in a custom designed gallery and format that best displays my work how I want it. The colours, fonts and flexibility allows the images to speak for themselves, and when sending it to clients it really stands out. The client is also then able to make selects using the favourite feature which directly links into my Lightroom workflow, enabling me to sort by selects and edit for final sharing to the client. The client can also download directly through a passworded link which I find super useful.
What type of clients a photographer who works in this niche can attract, and what are the main challenges?
My main clients are usually outdoor gear brands, tourism operators and tourism boards for countries, as well as lifestyle and automotive brands. The main challenge I would say is having the audience size to “be noticed”. It’s going to be a lot easier to get the necessary credentials to receive work from these brands if you have the social media following to back it up, that’s just reality. However, a focus on quality of work, portfolio and interpersonal skills can often overcome this barrier, and if you stand out enough in your work you can often find jobs without the need for a big following.
Millions of people follow your social media. As your audience keeps growing, how do you stay grounded and maintain a sense of authenticity in your work?
I would say it’s important to still maintain a community and a connection to my followers. I continue to this day to read every comment, reply to about 20-30% of these, as well as read and respond to every direct message and email I receive. It might seem like a small gesture but it helps to retain a sense that I’m a real person, and I can give back to the community that supports my work. I also think it’s important to maintain my identity as a regular person, my life hasn’t changed a lot and I’m not overly ostentatious when showcasing my day to day in stories.
In times of instant gratification and fast fads, how do you think your photography contributes to slowing down? What do people need to start doing to find more connection with nature?
I find this difficult in my own work as well. Often when I’m on a trip I skip the need for a tripod and try to run around a location snapping as many different angles and compositions as I can. I really want to maximise the amount of content I’m getting from an area. However, this doesn’t help me to enjoy the place I’m in, and being more present, shooting with intent, perhaps getting a tripod out and really appreciating the beautiful place I’m in, would help. I also think it would help to just set down the camera entirely, sit and look out over the beauty.
One key lesson that photographing nature has taught you?
A key lesson has been that the world is very diverse, it’s bigger than we could ever imagine and the variety and beauty of nature is outstanding. Every time I travel to somewhere new there is always something to surprise me, whether it’s the natural landscape or the wildlife that I’ve never seen before! It has also taught me patience, as conditions are not always perfect and sometimes you just have to wait it out or miss a hoped-for shot entirely!
What role do photographers play in raising awareness about environmental and climate change issues?
I would argue that it’s a very important topic for photographers especially those with large social media followings. Through my work I aim to promote the beauty of nature, and hopefully this resonates with people enough to want to protect and nurture our beautiful world. Whilst I don’t push political narratives on my channel it’s an important point and something perhaps I should address more frequently. The main issue I find myself in is the amount of flying I need to do to continue my work. I don’t really take many personal flights anymore, and try to link my work with personal trips so I reduce my air travel.
What advice would you give to your 10 years old self?
Interesting question! I would say life changes a lot, so don’t focus on something too much and keep your interests, hobbies and learning very broad. Make life-long friends, eat healthy, but most importantly, enjoy your childhood — it’s the best years! If I could predict the future I’d probably have said skip university and just start Instagram and Youtube a few years earlier and be the first on the platforms! Hindsight is 2020.
In a world where many use shortcuts to quickly gain digital recognition, it's refreshing to see someone like Luke nurturing authentic relationships. Online influence can't be rushed or won overnight. Those who are consistent and patient in building a healthy community will ultimately lead the industry and make their voices heard. With millions following his work, Luke proves that taking the challenging, yet authentic route leads to lasting success.
