Former BC Plumber Gets Paid To Take Epic Photos Around The World & Here's How He Got Started
You might be tempted to quit your day job!
A lake and mountains at Banff National Park. Right: Someone lying down at Howe Sound.
Ben Prescott's job is to travel around the world taking breathtaking photos of his epic adventures. Sounds like the dream job, right?
The B.C. travel photographer actually went from a career as a plumber, to pursuing his creative dreams. He managed to pull it off, and now is a go-to account for any and all adventure inspiration.
Prescott sat down with Narcity for an interview and had some seriously helpful advice for any creative out there looking to grow a business.
His Instagram, @itsbigben, has over 414,000 followers and features stunning photos of massive mountains, bright blue lakes, and wild views.
He also has gained a following of 18,300 on TikTok, with his adventure content.
If you need any bucket list ideas — just go to his accounts.
@itsbigben Shoot breakdown! Moraine Lake #morainelake
If you're wondering how you can also make a living travelling the world, you're in luck.
How he started
Prescott grew up in Aldergrove, B.C. — exploring the beautiful backcountry areas.
"I spent many years skiing and mountain biking on the North Shore, as well as hiking in Chilliwack, before ever buying a camera," he said.
Then it all changed when he was 26 years old, and he borrowed a camera from his best friend.
"I was recovering from an injury and my doctor wanted me to walk a lot, so I brought the camera on all my walks. It was a Canon Rebel T1i, and I don't think I ever ended up returning it back to him," he added.
Adventure photography was a natural fit from there since Prescott grew up exploring B.C.'s unbelievable nature. He thus took his skills around the world, capturing every moment along the way.
It happened fast
Prescott managed to go from being a hobby photographer to making it a full-time gig in just over a year.
"I was actually a plumber for eight years before ever buying my first camera. There was a solid year where I was working on construction sites Monday to Friday, then road-tripping and shooting photos all weekend, which I posted on Instagram throughout the week," he said.
He kept on creating and soon was able to be a full-time travel photographer.
His advice
After seeing his accounts, who wouldn't want a career like Prescott?
"Sometimes people will talk themselves out of pursuing a career like mine for reasons of practicality. They think that there isn’t a lot of opportunity, and that they’ll spend years trying to 'make it' only to fail," said Prescott.
"The reality of it is there is no shortage of opportunity, with the type of technology (powerful smartphones) most aspiring photographers have. If you want to do the type of work I do, you just have to start somewhere," he added.
For travel photography specifically, he said to invest in an affordable trip, and focus on your work the whole time.
Whether you share his dream or are just looking for your next hiking spot — there is no doubt that Prescott is seriously inspirational.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.