The Folks | Corey Favino
Ben Ashby
How has digital technology impacted your work both positively and negatively? Digital technology has allowed me to view life from a different perspective, it has allowed for me to gain a greater appreciation for the beauty of this planet because with digital technology and my camera I’ve been able to capture things I would have never of had the opportunity to actually see (i.e. the milky way). Digital technology has also affected the way I enjoy life. I love to share the things I’m doing and adventures I’m on through social media so I feel as though I’m always posting something or uploading something and it seems to be taking away from the actual enjoyment of the adventure itself. Something I’ve been trying to balance lately.
When you think about your favorite work, what makes it stand out from the rest? When I think about my favorite work, I think about the journey it took to get there. My favorite work is some of my milky way shots and the reason they’re my favorite is because of the tiresome and long journey it took to get those shots, behind the scenes stuff that most people will never know about, but because of what I went through to get them, they’re my favorite pieces.
How and when did you realize that photography was your passion? After I dropped my marine biology major my freshman year of college, I was sitting in a mobil gas station parking lot with my best friend explaining to him the dilemma I was having with choosing what I want to do with my life, and he said to me, “your always taking pictures when we go exploring dude, and they’re good. Pursue that.” And the rest is history!
If you weren't a photographer what would you pursue? If I wasn’t a photographer I would definitely try and pursue some sort of involvement with different charities and devote my life to that for a few years to get the opportunity to travel and help people along the way.
Has any one person or one location stood out amongst the rest when you think about your past work? The Point Judith Lighthouse in Narragansett, Rhode Island has always held a special spot in my heart. It was the first place I ever captured a picture of the milky way after trying for months and months, it was 10pm, late September, and I don’t think I’ve ever screamed louder when I saw what I had just captured on my LCD screen.
What is the biggest challenge you face when shooting a new subject? The biggest challenge I face when shooting a new subject is finding the vibe. I tackle each shoot with different vibes and I don’t usually ever determine that vibe until I’m there, so finding that vibe is usually the toughest part, but once its established, the shots just flow!
What message do you want people to receive when they look at your photographs? The message I want my photos to read is to adventure. To take what life has given you, wether it be your current life situation, your environment, your job, anything, and make an adventure out of it. I try and inspire people to not just sit at home waiting for the next season of your favorite Netflix show to be released, but to go and watch a sunrise, go star gaze, get lost and find your way back home, enjoy your life while you’re here, and always remain happy. Life’s too short to be anything but happy.
What essentials do you pack when traveling? When I travel, I tend to pack my hammock, my tripod, an excessive amount of camera batteries, and a blanket! I always end up using and needing my blanket so i never travel without at least one!
What motivates you to keep taking photographs of the world around you? The thing that motivates me to keep taking photos is the feedback I get. Hearing someone say “your photos have inspired me to go watch a sunrise” or “your photos inspired me to go star gazing!” or even “your photos have inspired me to start taking photos again myself” stuff like that is what keeps me doing it. Knowing I can be an inspiration to people, wether it’s just little things like going to watch a sunrise, those are big things to me.
If you could go back 10 years, what would you tell yourself? If I could go back 10 years, I would tell myself is no matter how unrealistic they sound, always follow your dreams. I didn’t realize that until I was 19 years old. If I had known that when i was 10, I would've pursued photography from the get go, I never saw it as a profession, just a fun activity, but now that I’ve discovered its my passion, I haven’t looked back.
What is your favorite breakfast cereal? Favorite breakfast cereal is 150% cocoa puffs.
What is your favorite view? Favorite view would easily be the night sky. Something about a sky full of stars makes me feel like a little kid. I could never get tired of it.
Road trips or flights? Definitely more of a fan of road trips, because along with the excitement of having an awesome destination or end goal in mind, you get this awesome adventure along the way of seeing new things and exploring new places.
Do you prefer the heat or the cold? Definitely more of a heat fan, big ocean lover and dedicated surfer so the cold doesn’t allow me to really enjoy either of those things, but I can still enjoy a nice winters day!
Where are you based? I’m based right now in Rhode Island! Going into my senior year at the University of Rhode Island with definite plans of packing up and heading out soon after graduation this May!
Give us one piece of advice. One piece of advice is: don’t have a plan B. Having a plan B is indirectly doubting your plan A. Find your passion, set your goal, and give 110% to that and only that.
I currently use a Sony a7 full frame mirrorless camera! Cheapest full frame mirrorless I could afford on a college budget, and my dream camera is the newly released Sony a9!
