We had an inspiring talk with San Francisco based photographer John Randolph Thatcher who´s images are the pure magic of freedom, youth, nature and wilderness.

When did you first pick up a camera?

I bought my first real camera about 6 years ago after a friend took pity on me and hired me to work at a clothing company she worked at. She ran the digital department and took me on to do random tasks, but after a while she had to teach me how to photoshop e-comm images and then eventually I had to learn to use studio flashes and a DSLR. After that I was hooked and bought a cheap canon camera and just went from there!

Describe your work in 5 words

Warm, nostalgic, melancholic, soft and Sunday afternoon-esque

Your images transmit so much freedom – What does freedom mean to you?

To me freedom means having the burdens of what you don’t want to do lifted from your shoulders. Freedom is a warm, summer afternoon and nothing but time on your hands.

Basically all your images show the good and beautiful times of life. Is there something that makes you sad sometimes?

A lot of things make me sad. It’s pretty much impossible to not feel the weight of sadness. It’s the human condition in all of its glory. If I could narrow it down though, I’m get really sad when I think of lost dogs.

“Freedom is a warm, summer afternoon and nothing but time on your hands.”

I also feel a lot of the theme “human–nature relationship” in your work. What is your connection with nature?

I don’t know what my connection is with nature. I grew up in the suburbs and away from the city. Seeing cows, wild turkeys, and trees was always normal to me. So when I go into the city (which is every day for work), I’m reminded how much I love being away from it. I have always felt like I was born into the wrong decade and wrong state. I’d would have loved to grow up in the rural south in the 1960s. Fields and dirt roads always seemed better than steel beams and concrete.

What are three things you value most about a person?

The three things I value most in a person are intelligence, honesty and a relaxed attitude. I always prefer to be the dumbest person in a room because that means I’m in the right place. I want to know that I’m making wise choices, so I like people that will tell it to me straight and I life is hard enough without being stressed all the time, so let’s take it easy!

What, besides photography draws your interest?

Other than photography, I’m really into music. I play guitar and sing. Played in an alt country band and as a singer songwriter for a long time. Photography started paying more, so I kind of put more of my effort into that. I still have dreams of stardom though.

“My work in 5 words? Warm, nostalgic, melancholic, soft and Sunday afternoon-esque”

What music could apply to your work?

I woud say if my photography had a sound track it would be sung by Elvis.

What is the best advice you ever received?

The best advice I’ve ever received was from my dad. “moderation in all things .” – Steve Thatcher. I have a hard time following it, but I always think of those words and it brings me back down to earth.

The most important thing in life?

The most Important thing in life is to find what makes you happy and do that more often than the rest of the stuff you have to do.

Where do you see yourself in around 10 years?

In ten years I see myself as a creative director at a fashion company or maybe a fashion magazine. I really love clothing trends and visual trends, so it makes sense. Plus that where all my job experience is leading me.