The MOOD Podcast

How One Mindset Shift Changed Everything - Cam Stables, EO87

• Matt Jacob

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"Nothing will come from doing nothing."

Cam Stables is a filmmaker and photographer whose journey spans theatre, television, and visual storytelling with a cinematic flair. From early iMovie edits to directing for major brands like Mercedes-Benz and Canon, Cam’s work is rooted in authenticity, emotional impact, and a love for travel. He joins me to unpack the highs and lows of a creative career—and why just starting is often the most important step.

What we discussed in this episode:

  • The transition from live TV and theatre into visual storytelling
  • How travel fuels creativity and self-awareness
  • Building a brand that attracts the right kind of work for you
  • Why consistency on social media beats virality
  • Dealing with burnout and staying grounded 
  • Balancing personal expression with commercial work
  • How to emotionally move people with photography and film
  • The rising role of AI in the creative space—and how to stay human
  • Advice for aspiring creators: gear, growth, and getting out there


Find Cam's work on his channels:
Website: www.camstables.com
Instagram: @cam_snaps
You Tube: @cam_snaps

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Thank you for listening and for being a part of this incredible community. You can also watch this episode on my YouTube channel (link below) where I also share insights, photography tips and behind-the-scenes content on my channel as well as my social media, so make sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Threads and TikTok or check out my website for my complete portfolio of work.

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Matt Jacob:

Welcome to the Mood Podcast. I'm covering the art of conversation through the lens of photography and creativity, one frame at a time. I'm your host, matt Jacob, and today I'm joined by a visual storyteller who blendspaced world of television and theatre, where he honed his skills as a director, camera operator and video editor. But it was his transition into photography that really solidified a reputation as a true pro of dynamic storytelling. His work, known for its adventurous spirit and cinematic quality, has led to collaborations with industry giants such as Canon and Mercedes-Benz. In my conversation with him, we dive into his unique approach to image making, the crossover between filmmaking and photography, and the realities of monetizing creativity in today's landscape. We also explore how AI is changing the industry, the role of mentorship in social media driven worlds, and whether great photography can really exist without understanding the whys behind it. So now I bring you Cam Stables. Cam Stables, how's it going? How you doing, mate? Good Welcome to the Mood Podcast. Thank you. Good to be here. Where have you?

Cam Stables:

just been and where are you going? Where am I going? I don't know, but I've basically past couple of weeks been shooting a bunch of projects on the go, most recent one here in Bali in Indonesia, with Contiki. We were shooting a big um campaign, which is really cool. Flew us over to bali to do photo and video work for the tour company. Uh, we went to a couple of places in bali and then komodo islands, which is really cool. Wanted to go there for a long time. So, yeah, no, really cool campaign. Like it's kind of living the dream a little bit. Like when I started this, I always wanted to just get paid to travel, take photos or videos. So when they rang me up, I was like, yep, let's do it. Didn't ask many questions, um, but yeah, that's been the past couple of weeks. Just finished yesterday, so good to be here keeping the energy, keeping the energy up. Yeah, there's good coffee here, so yeah that'll keep me going.

Matt Jacob:

Give us an overview of your business model essentially, what do you do? But really tell us why you do it. What is your background in terms of where that passion comes?

Cam Stables:

from. I mean, ever since I was little, I've always loved storytelling, filmmaking, whatever medium it was through, like art was just always a big part of my life. I love telling stories. I used to, you know, when I was a kid I used to just get a camera out and make little videos on iMovie or whatever, but that's always been something I'm passionate about. When I finished school, I got offered a job, uh, as a camera operator, which was like a big opportunity, did that for about five years. That was all like live studio stuff as well, um, but I did that for a while and then I kind of felt the creative. It was all indoors, um, like live television. So it was wasn't particularly creative, really good, like I built a lot of really important skills, but it wasn't kind of after about five years I felt like I just wanted to get outside.

Cam Stables:

I started backpacking. You know I think I turned like 18 and you know, as you do, you've you find the travel bug. I loved traveling and I was like, oh, I really want to combine both of these kind of aligned with COVID a little bit as well where I was like maybe I could put these two things together right, so bought a camera, wanted to travel more, couldn't travel because of because of the pandemic. So I basically explored every corner of new zealand I could with a camera. Um, built those skills, just worked on it, found the love for it. Um, as that grew, I kind of fell back into the filmmaking world and did more video stuff with, uh, just just just anything with a camera. Really, I I fell in love with, and I've been doing that for probably freelance now about sort of four or five years. Um, and, yeah, my goal at the start was just to find a way to travel, get paid to travel. I was like, oh, that would be cool.

Cam Stables:

But now it is like, well, how can I tell stories about this experience? Um, as you will probably know, a lot of travelers, it's a really, you know, it is a really exciting thing, and trying to convey that the, the stories of people around the world, the experience, all those things, um, I love to do that. I love to share that with people and hopefully inspire other people to do that themselves, and for me, it's through my art. So, photography, videography, posting Instagram stories whatever instagram stories, whatever but, um, yeah, that's kind of where I'm at now. I do a lot more video storytelling now. Uh, just that seems to be what's coming my way, which I enjoy. There's a lot more um to it. You know, a lot more skills that you have to put into practice when you're doing video work, video editing, color grading, working with music scripts, all those sorts of things which I really enjoy. I love all those aspects of it, um, so it's really cool to build all those skills. But, um, that's where I'm at. Um, who knows where I'll be in a year's time?

Matt Jacob:

but yeah sounds like you're in a in a really exciting place right now. Yeah, almost in a transition, but you kind of got the foundation down. I mean you obviously do you talk about inspiring people. You do like your your stuff place right now and you're almost in a transition, but you kind of got the foundation down. I mean you obviously do you talk about inspiring people. You do like your stuff is incredible and you definitely inspire thousands and thousands of people around the world, if not millions it was, yeah, like it took, it kind of is a slow process, like it took a while.

Cam Stables:

I had to put a lot of work in and not see a bit of time.

Matt Jacob:

Did you have a feeling like a lot of creators do I think they want to run before they can walk? Yeah, I'm glad I did now.

Cam Stables:

I definitely think it can be quite disheartening to put all these hours you have to put hours in, you have to put money in and you've got to love it and to do all that and kind of just be sitting there like, oh, this doesn't feel like it's going anywhere, but then one day it just something switches, I don't know. You reach a point where you, I don't know, gain a certain amount of skill, that just something flips, and then you find that one client that then, you know, it all kind of grows from there and if you can kind of keep that ball rolling, I don't know. Like I'm in a place now where it's, yeah, opportunities are coming more, which is cool because I, you know, put all those years of work in and now it's paying off, which I'm, but I'm glad I did it then for the passion of it, um, because now it's like I feel like I put in those hours, you know when you say put in the hours and the money, what do you mean specifically?

Cam Stables:

are you talking like social media and equipment, or are you talking like courses and all of it, like yeah, whatever it is.

Matt Jacob:

Someone asked the other day just think about how much money you've spent on courses. I don't know.

Cam Stables:

Well, photography is just an expensive hobby in general. Kind of say to people I'm like, if you don't love this, good luck, Because it's really expensive. But if you do love it, it kind of doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, you just, you know it's a tool to help you express what you need to express. But yeah, money travel, if you want to be a travel creator, it is really expensive, you know, and you can't just expect to make money out of it straight away. You've got to put a lot of that, you know, time and money into going and experiencing those things learning about the world, learning how to capture, learning how to tell stories in a unique and important way before you'll start getting client work and it'll kind of start rewarding you. But yeah, Does that make sense?

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, absolutely Hard work, essentially, and investment. People think about spending money, but it's actually investment in yourself. Right of this is investment in yourself, as long as you're patient enough to to put in those hours at the same time and just see. See where it goes.

Cam Stables:

Yeah and it is frustrating, like as a impatient person like you kind of. You know, every month you're like okay, is this going anywhere? Yeah but when do I give up? Yeah, exactly, and maybe some people give up. I don't. That opportunity might be just around the corner, but if you just stick at it and it will always come back to you, it will always reward you if you put in the hours.

Matt Jacob:

It's difficult for you to say no. I think that is a common problem with, certainly, travel photographers, filmmakers, because I feel like they're self-employed. For a start, you've got to say yes, put food on the table. You also don't know when the next paycheck is coming, unless you've got retainers and you've got things lined up for a year, which most people don't. But also and you quite rightly said, which I think is the the most important thing saying yes might open up more doors yeah, I it.

Cam Stables:

It is tricky. It's like it's really scary when something new comes around the corner that you maybe don't feel like you're. You know you have those skills in, but recently one of my goals has been to just like take that opportunity, because you always learn from something, from it right. Like, even if you're kind of comfortable in what you're doing, like you might gain a skill from, for instance, you know you might be a portrait photographer, but an opportunity comes around to work with sports cars or something like that, you might go oh, that's, that's not for me, but that will teach you a whole lot of probably teach you a lot about what you do, you know, um, which will then help you later in the future, which. So I've just, every opportunity comes now I just go, I'm just going to do it, like, even though this maybe doesn't fit what I want to be doing, it's just, it's all learning, it's all skills that will help with your product and what what you offer so then, how would you describe, how would you give your elevator pitch?

Matt Jacob:

you know, if someone says, oh, cam, what do you do?

Cam Stables:

oh, I don't really know. Like, I just take photos. How would you?

Matt Jacob:

pitch it to a client, then you, you, you, you tailor that pitch according to what you're pitching for, essentially, yeah I mean I kind of this.

Cam Stables:

I don't a lot.

Cam Stables:

A lot of it comes to me which is a nice place to be, yeah no, yeah, like I, I'm lucky in the sense that I kind of put a lot of that into the brand, that I put what I put out there. For me it's like, well, what videos you make, what photos you put on online on your website, all those sorts of things, that is my pitch deck, you know. Like people then see that and go. I want that. I put a lot of time into what goes out there and I found that it actually affects the work you get as well.

Cam Stables:

I kind of got into a rut the last couple of years where sometimes I was working a lot on certain types of projects and it was money and it was paying the bills, but I found that the only work that was then coming in return was that style of photography, and I was like I don't know if I want to be doing this, but if I keep doing it, that's all that's going to come, and so I had to put a lot of work into sort of shifting the brand to make sure that the right clients come my way and that I was getting the opportunities that I wanted to be getting.

Matt Jacob:

Um, when you say put your stuff out there, you're talking mostly social media, everywhere just yeah, social media, I think is really where does?

Cam Stables:

most of your probably yeah, probably social media. Um, it's I don't know. I I I like it. I think it's a really good tool. Um can be a really frustrating place as an artist because sometimes your work doesn't get seen. You know you're putting a lot into it and you're not getting views or whatever, but for me it's like that it's. It is a modern portfolio. You have to put your work out there like everyone. There's so many people looking at what you do um. You can't not post your work online and then kind of complain that nothing's coming from it. That's where people are right. You go on TikTok. How many billions of people are on TikTok every day? They're all clients. That's all potential opportunities and diversifying. If you're going to work with Instagram, tiktok, whatever it is, even if you don't like it, just get your work out there in those different spaces because someone will see it. And if you don't, then how do people know what you do?

Matt Jacob:

I love it. Back in the day, right before social media, people used to walk around with their portfolio, knock on doors, like actually knock on marketing agencies or travel agencies or whoever it might be. Can I work with you? Right, it's the same thing it is, but yeah.

Cam Stables:

But way more opportunity, way more exposure and yeah, like that isn't how it works anymore. And if you think it does, like it, just it's shifted. Whether you like it or not, you know that is how it's shifted. My point is, it's a tool, it's today's tool, that was yesterday's, and if you can learn to adapt with how that market shifts, then it's okay. But if you kind of put your foot down and go well, no, this is you know so tell us, how do we, how do we grow on as a filmmaker, as a photographer?

Matt Jacob:

how, how do we grow? It's probably one of the most difficult niches to grow in thirst traps? Probably would be the smartest thing about it thirst traps.

Cam Stables:

What are they like? I don't know my social media, but, yeah, I don't know um. But how do you grow? I'm not really sure. It's a weird space like it. It changes all the time. But for me it's a balance between being authentic and what you like, what your work is, and also understanding the audience that follows you and what they like to consume. You do have an audience there.

Cam Stables:

If you're growing something, they like certain things. How do you use that to grow, to build momentum which will then push your work out to more people? It's tricky, I don't know. Ask me, a year ago it'd be completely different to now. Right, like instagram, tiktok, youtube I don't really put much out on youtube, but same thing like um, it's, it's constantly shifting. Really, I don't. I'm not really sure. I don't have an answer, but for me, I just want to create work that I love. I put my heart and soul into it and if it works, it works. If it doesn't, it doesn't, but like, if you're creating stuff that's true to what you are, then eventually it'll work, right, you know, and if it's good enough. I feel like I'm rambling, I don't know.

Matt Jacob:

No, I think, I think I'm just thinking more technically that we can offer people who I mean I, I'm doing different stuff all the time, every month, and I think that's important is.

Matt Jacob:

You talked about the different platforms, but putting in the work to understand that, the, like you said, the algorithms change frequently, more frequently than ever before, probably. Youtube's no different to instagram's, no different to tiktok, no different to x or x is x is x, um, and I think it's important to, if you're going to decide to, to embrace and understand the fact that social media can be a good marketing tool, can be a good, like said today's portfolio, that you can market yourself through, then I think you've got to put the time in to understand the algorithms, right? Okay, well, how does this? Am I going to waste all my time if I make these, this stuff that I'm really proud of and I believe in, but five people are going to see it? Right? You still want to maximize the output, if you can, without sacrificing your own, your integrity, right? So how did you get, how do you think you got, to two over 200,000 followers?

Cam Stables:

I honestly have no idea. You gotta help us the internet is insane, Like I just. I just kept posting, for there was a period for about two years where I would post every two three days and I would just, oh wait, that was my goal.

Cam Stables:

I didn't have something to post. I needed to go out, take more photos. In the process, you learn things. I grew, I traveled to new places, saw things. You know, I would kind of go okay, I've taken lots of photos in this, I need to push myself and try new stuff.

Cam Stables:

When reels and tiktok really took off, it was like I think a lot of people went, oh, what is this? Like, I don't like it. But me as well. For a while I was like, oh, I don't really do this. But then kind of got to a point where it was like, well, this is what is happening.

Cam Stables:

So use, as someone who did a lot of video work as well, I'm like, oh well, that's a no brainer, why, why am I not using this? I chose to kind of take a style that was my own of video work and not make it too short form, in a sense, like I just tried to keep like that, my style of cinematic like work into my reels and I would just, yeah, post honestly every couple of days and I just did that consistently and it, yeah, it was like kind of putting the train tracks in front of you as you were going Like I was like, oh, I've got to go out and create some new stuff, um, and I just did that for ages. Now I'm a lot busier, so it's hard to maintain that. And in in return, I think, yeah, maybe my growth isn't as fast as it was when I was doing that, but yeah, like I could say, consistency is key, but it's also what that offers. Like if you are out there creating stuff all the time, you're just going to get better right.

Matt Jacob:

So both of those things in conjunction, yeah, absolutely you as an artist, then what do you think is your secret ingredient? Why do you think brands and companies who want to work with you? Why do you think they want to work with you? What is it about cam that?

Cam Stables:

I don't know. You need to ask them, I guess I I like I care a lot about this. Um, every piece of work that I do, I put all of my soul into it. Um, probably too much, like I'll sit on a photo and edit it for just way too long, but like I just want everything to be really, really great. Um, I, I do kind of see other people's work as well and take inspiration but also go okay, well, you know that's really good. Why is that really good? How can I kind of improve and work on things like that? Just yeah, I don't know. I'm a perfectionist, so I just work really really hard to make sure every photo I take, every video I make, is not only like the best it could be, but just the most authentic representation of what is what I can create. Um, and I don't yeah, I don't know what clients see, but they seem to like it so far.

Matt Jacob:

So I think that's a really good answer because I think a lot of a lot of beginners anyway think they've got to be the best technically that they can be. But actually brands and companies want to work with people that they, like you know that obviously they want a good.

Cam Stables:

They just want value for money, but they want a good human being that they that's going to, they know they're gonna put everything into it, that's passionate about it, that's likable, that's has integrity, etc yeah, and, like you were talking before about doing jobs that maybe you don't want to and stuff if you don't love that, that's going to reflect how you behave in that environment as well, which will so if you're doing what you love, which you know is.

Cam Stables:

For me is this I'm just having a great time when I'm shooting, like you know, whether the camera's out or not, like I'm just this is such a cool lifestyle to be in. You know, going to a different place all the time, um, I'm really lucky that I get to, you know, see a new part of the world every time I uh work on a shoot, um, and I love it, like I really, really grateful for it. I don't take it for granted and I try to always enjoy myself while I'm working and, in return, let that impact what I'm creating, because I just, if you know the love I try to how do I say it? Yeah, I want the love to come through my yeah and how I feel, to come through what I'm putting out there.

Matt Jacob:

Well, people must see it.

Cam Stables:

I hope so, otherwise they wouldn't work with you right. Yeah, I mean yeah.

Matt Jacob:

Hopefully, unless you're just the guy that says yes all the time. Tell us a little bit more. Let's dive into your background. I'm interested in your television and theater background and directing, video making, creative storytelling, camera operator. Can you give us a bit more details about that?

Cam Stables:

yeah, um I did, I was. I did a lot of theater when I was younger, um on stage what type of theater, uh, musical theater, normal, cool, normal theater.

Cam Stables:

Um, a lot of stage work, which taught me a lot about performance. Um, it's live. You know, when you with a theater production it runs from start to finish. You learn a lot about how to uh, how to build a relationship with an audience, how things flow, how stories flow. Um, that kind of taught me a lot. Uh, working the scenes as well. I worked backstage. I directed a couple of productions, theater productions, theater productions, yeah, and I really loved it. I got too busy. It was hard to juggle that and my work. But then, yeah, same with working in the television industry. That was again, that was live television. You kind of create like a thick skin working in live TV. You just have to do it. I worked through a couple of like emergency broadcasts as well, like natural disasters and things like that.

Cam Stables:

We basically go on air for 24 hours. Sometimes they walk into the studio, go like, oh, this volcano's erupted, you're not leaving this building for a whole day and you sit in there and you just shoot for, and you were shooting or you're in front of the camera yeah, there'll be a camera studio full of five or six people.

Cam Stables:

Sometimes you'll rotate. They bring in food as you're shooting, so, yeah, and you just kind of people will rotate out, and that was a really fun experience. Taught me you know how they bring in food as you're shooting, so, yeah, you just kind of people will rotate out, and that was a really fun experience. Taught me you know how to work in high pressure environments, you know, um, but, yeah, really cool, learned a lot from. There are a lot of, uh, really seasoned camera operators in that industry that work, you know, in the studios. I learned a lot from them as well. Um, lots of them really took me under their wing, taught me things about, yeah, um, taught me stuff about, yeah, obviously, how to operate cameras, those technical skills but, yeah, working in, yeah, live, a live environment, right, um, where you kind of can't make a mistake or, if you do, how do you adapt, how do you fix it really quickly, um, I've definitely carried a lot of that stuff into all of this, because there is always those really high pressure time crunch shoots that you're in and if you just you know, it's very easy to let it overwhelm you and just you know, get flustered but kind of I don't know, I like it, I like the pressure, but I like it when everyone's stressed and chaotic.

Cam Stables:

I kind of go into operation mode or I'm like right, let's do this. You know, um which I feel like I've gained from yeah, um, good apprenticeship in a way. Yeah, it was. It really was like. Yeah, uh, they, yeah, I learned a lot, but, um, what was it? What else did you ask me?

Matt Jacob:

no, I think that's it. I think that's um. It's important for some people to understand as well.

Cam Stables:

You can't just speaking from someone who you know sometimes, just all I think about is this this is my work, this is my passion. You need to do other things that build your character, teach you other aspects about life. All of this industry is, for us, it's about picking up a camera and shooting, but what the stories we're telling and what we're doing are about life and people, and if you don't understand those things, then that will affect what you're creating, um, and so, yeah, learning about people, developing hobbies, spending time with other creatives, spending time with other people, just learning you know how people feel, how to portray that, how to capture that, all of those sorts of things making yourself feel different emotions as well, learning things about yourself, um, all of that like will then come back, and so I don't know. I think that's something I've right now need to spend more time is doing stuff outside of this.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, well, I was gonna ask you give me an example.

Cam Stables:

Um, I I like to draw, you know, so picking up a pencil, drawing stuff like that, I love movies, kind of.

Matt Jacob:

I feel like that's part of the yeah this world, but I just love watching movies and yeah but for me that's a big thing.

Cam Stables:

I love just watching lots and lots and lots of movies and learning about again that's it still all kind of comes back to this. But, um, I like the outdoors as well. So more and more recently I've spent time just I'll leave the camera at home, go hiking, whatever, go, just find places in nature that kind of bring you down to earth a little bit, but just any of those things that will help you creatively but are different, you know.

Matt Jacob:

Staying healthy in a way that isn't conducive to burnout. Well, that is really important. Yeah.

Cam Stables:

You get burnout pretty quick doing this stuff when you're working long hours.

Matt Jacob:

How do you manage it? You're a busy man traveling a lot long flights. Not very well, not very well from.

Cam Stables:

New Zealand. I get burnout probably twice a year, pretty on the like. I kind of know when it's coming.

Matt Jacob:

What does that feel like? What happens when you get burnout?

Cam Stables:

Just to reach a point where you're like I'm not good at this anymore. Um, just all that pressure builds up and you just kind of go what am I doing? I don't, I don't want to do this anymore. I feel like what I'm making just isn't, this isn't building, this isn't getting better, and it just all kind of goes and I don't know. You need to take a break, um, and just stop, and then you'll find the rhythm again. But I don't know you need to take a break and just stop and then you'll find the rhythm again. But I don't know how to avoid it, because I haven't avoided it. I still get it all the time.

Cam Stables:

Creating for yourself, I guess, is really good. You work on too many commercial projects. You lose that self-expression, you're not making what you want to be making, which happens all the time. I'm always working on commercial projects, which is part of my vision, but mostly it's someone else's vision or what someone else wants right, and there's a little bit of it that isn't you, you know. And so, like taking time to go make something that isn't a true expression of what I feel, what I want to make. If I, I need to give myself time to do that more often, um, because it helps and you make something that's really good and it was completely your vision, that's really cool and inspiring, and you kind of get that back. You're like, okay, maybe I, maybe I do know what I'm doing or maybe I do know how to take a picture or whatever, but that is giving enough time to do that is really important, I think.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, I think this kind of relates to a quote I took off your website. Your primary objective is to invoke emotions, develop connection and educate audiences on the wider world around us through visual storytelling and powerful imagery. Sometimes it's easy for us to forget that advice for ourselves, right? Whereas we also need to take that time for ourselves to check in with our emotions, develop connections with people that isn't with a camera in hand right, and educate ourselves on you know what are we doing, what's going on? We need that break.

Cam Stables:

Yeah, and it is like you know. It goes back to what I was saying before, like going you learn how to. Yeah, it's all fun and games, making pretty stuff and having those technical skills, but if you don't know how to invoke something in someone, make them cry, make them laugh, you're not going to be a very good storyteller and you're not going to build that connection with an audience, which is what I always try to do.

Cam Stables:

My most satisfying projects is, yeah, the ones where you make people cry genuinely, not in a bad way, and, like you know, if you can make them really emotional with what you're doing. Yeah, terrible, please give me my money back. No, but how do you make people cry in life? Or just in my, in my videos? In the videos, yeah, in my videos, um, I don't know. Like again, it's like building those connections with people, learning how people respond to certain things. People respond to words, faces, music, visuals, sometimes, how that all comes together. It's kind of intricate, but yeah, I don't know. I just kind of will work at it and work at it and you can kind of, especially making a video, you can start to feel when it's like, oh, this has a rhythm, okay, and I can just sort of tell that this is going to start to affect people and getting to know the clients as well. I did a video last year, this year, last year, where it was a really important story. The client had a personal history and they wanted that told. It was through a commercial video, um, but always at the forefront was like, how do I make them feel like understand the history of this person's story and how does that then gonna make them kind of feel sad, not sad, but like emotional. Yep, and it did.

Cam Stables:

I kind of was there and I honestly didn't have to do much because it was just a really important day. It was this, the, the woman. It's kind of a complicated project, but it was a video about a, a tour guide. Her family had worked in the area that we were making the the video, um, so it was her mom's 90th birthday. She'd grown up there, her dad had built a lot of the infrastructure of this place and so it was her, about her reminiscing about her childhood, her family's legacy, um, and that was kind of where I. That was the story, and for me my just whole goal was like, okay, well, how can I make them? I didn't really care about anyone else I wanted them to just go.

Cam Stables:

Oh man, this is what a beautiful day. 90 is is old as well. So I was like really wanted this to be something special, like that they can remember her by as well. The personal connection, everything else, all the pretty visuals were just that was like icing on the cake. Icing on the cake, little cherry on top you.

Matt Jacob:

You have a knack for creative storytelling, you have a desire to travel the world and these kind of two beautiful passions kind of merged into one, ideally. Where do you think these two things come from? Is it childhood? Is it parents? Is it upbringing? Why do you want to tell?

Cam Stables:

stories. I don't know, I just always have liked it, maybe lots of like. Watching films is a big was something I've always loved doing. I don't know, I'm not sure, that's just something inside me that I have and I like to do it, and throughout my life I've been just constantly looking for different ways to express it through art, photography, filmmaking, whatever it is. Yeah, I don't know, it's just there. I love, I don't know.

Cam Stables:

This is all photography and all this stuff. It's kind of a time capsule of everything. Right, it's kind of the closest thing we'll have to time travel, especially the still frame. That's really cool. I love being able to look back on something that has already happened and watch it again. So maybe that capturing life and people's stories and history, and that, just there's something about that that's really interesting and exciting. Um, especially lately, I feel like life goes really fast and you kind of don't get to stop and enjoy it. So if I capture it, well, I can go and relive that. But, um, yeah, I don't know. Just, is there something there that I, I just love and I, if I stop doing it for a while, I just come back to it.

Matt Jacob:

I want to do you use it as a mode of self-expression or are you always looking at it from the viewers, through the view, totally?

Cam Stables:

yeah, I probably wouldn't say I'm a particularly confident person, relatively introverted, so you know, this is my way to put my personality out there. Personality out there kind of what I like, how I feel about something. Um, that's my way of doing it, um, and I hope that people can then put those two together or connect with it in a way, which is nice when people see that, when people come up to me and they're like, oh, this is what I felt, I'm like okay, cool, like that worked. Um, yeah, that's just, it is yeah, a way and I'm sure you'll see.

Matt Jacob:

I mean, I don't know, if you go back and look at videos you did three, four, even five years ago when you started, they're going to be different, right, and it's almost like your own timeline. When you look back at these things, go, oh, I was that kind of person. Most of the time you'll hate it, right, like oh shit, I'm so bad about that, but at least, like you can, it's almost like a visual diary.

Cam Stables:

Yeah, totally yeah, and I leave it all there so I can sometimes go, oh, that's what I was feeling or how I creatively worked then. But yeah, 100 percent. Um, and I you can like, if you look at a photo you took five years ago for for me I instantly can know exactly how I felt when I did it or a piece of work I just just straight away I'm back there again. Um, yeah, it is just my way of expressing life, I guess what about the travel side of things?

Matt Jacob:

and we all have different reasons to travel. At least, a lot of us have different reasons why we started traveling. What was, why is travel so interesting?

Cam Stables:

to you. I just loved it. As soon as I started, I basically, you know, had a backpack and I started photography on my phone, basically, where I just went, my backpack and my phone, with a mate, we just went traveling, and I just was like this is freedom, like this is so cool, you just every day it was like wake up and it was like let's do this, let's, you know, no plans really. You could just do it. Go see something new every day, go learn something new. If you wanted to, um, you know, go. Oh, this country I want to visit, you can do it, you know. Um, I don't know, it just worked. I loved it instantly, was like I never want to come home, but you know it's expensive, so you do have to come home, but I just really enjoyed it.

Cam Stables:

I found it a little bit frustrating that people didn't travel that much. I think it's really important for your personal development in the world we live in as well. I think people are really ignorant more and more lately and I think that's a result of people not understanding other cultures, other countries and the rest of the world we live in. And I find it frustrating when people don't leave their home and their circle, because there is so much you can learn from the way other countries do things different religions, different ways of life. That is all important for just the world and the way we all work together cohesively. But, as a human being, becoming more understanding of something that maybe you don't agree with, I wish it was compulsory to travel when you finish school, because I've learned so much, so much more than sitting in a classroom by talking to strangers from a completely different country that follow a completely different religion, that follow a completely different religion, live a completely different life. They have a different you know um, eat different food, live somewhere. You know it. All of that is so educational and I wish more people did it.

Cam Stables:

Maybe that's when I was traveling. I was just like I had friends that just would go to the same two countries and I was like, oh, just please go somewhere new, go somewhere that makes you feel uncomfortable, makes you feel kind of. You know you might be scared, because I promise you it will be so cool, you'll learn so much, and I maybe that's why I got into this, because it was like, oh, if I can create this, this artwork that inspires people to go and do that, then, in return, they'll learn something that maybe they didn't know in the process of going oh well, that looks pretty, I want to go to that beach but along the way they'll meet a whole bunch of different people that teach them something about themselves, about different cultures. I think yeah, I think it's really important. I wish more people did travel and kept traveling.

Cam Stables:

As you get older, I feel like you get more stubborn and complacent. You sit in the same place. Um, I don't want to do that. If I ever get to that point, I'm just going to make myself keep traveling because, yeah, you can never stop learning right from other cultures and different people.

Matt Jacob:

But yeah, mate, your passion for travel is coming through and I'm right with you. I I have exactly the same thoughts and passions behind it. That's why I've been traveling all my life and I, I truly believe, without being I don't. I usually come across quite pretentious when I talk about travel, like everyone should travel, and they're just fucking ignorant and stubborn and they don't know what's out there in the world. And if we all could understand cultures a little bit better firsthand, probably wouldn't be a world full of hate and bigotry and polarization as much.

Cam Stables:

Yeah, I think 100 would still have the tribals, the tribal nature that we we live in no, I, I totally think there would just be a much less, would have so much less conflict if people understood the other side. Um, and I also, yeah, I like you talk about it being pretentious, but people buy stuff, you know. I just travel doesn't have to be expensive. Yeah, you just work really hard and I'd never spent my money on anything else except camera gear, unfortunately now. But like that's what I saved all my money for, I wouldn't buy any anything else, really Clothes, all those sorts of things that you get tempted into buying. All my money was like okay, this is going to my next trip and you don't need to save that much. But if you can, if you are lucky enough to have that opportunity to save up a bit of money, I think it is your responsibility to travel. Again, not everyone is in that position, and that's you know, but if you do, yeah, yeah, I think.

Matt Jacob:

Most people can these days, and we're talking developed countries now more than developing countries who may not have any funds in order to travel. But it might just be to the next town, right, it might just be going for walks and meeting new people.

Cam Stables:

Visit your neighbors Rather than just scrolling on your fucking phone.

Matt Jacob:

More people have phones nowadays than are able to travel. So it's yeah, I get really where I get really frustrated, and you mentioned it is where people go to. Well, in the UK people will go to the south of.

Cam Stables:

Spain and just sit in a hotel by a pool right.

Matt Jacob:

It's like, okay, I get it, you want some sun. I'm with you on that, but maybe make a journey of it along the way. Maybe meet the people of Spain or of that area and actually learn something about yourself as much as them. Right, they'll guarantee they'll teach you something, not like education, but just interacting with people who are not from where you are. Like you said, it's a cliche when you say travel broadens the mind, but it's 100% true. You will never, ever learn as much as you will through a book, as you will traveling, or through Instagram or TikTok, as you will traveling. And most of the time as well, we seem to forget it these days. Most of the people you meet when you travel are really nice people we just get so wrapped up in the online world, like everyone's this and hate this and hate this.

Cam Stables:

Actually, most of the time, people, the humans around the world, are just genuinely good people yeah and yeah even that it's just a great way to make friends and like build connections with people like at home. I feel like I don't social, mostly because I'm stuck at the desk editing all the time. But like you don't get as I feel, like I, you don't get as many opportunities to make friends as when you're traveling. Everyone's there to connect with people, everyone has that similar goal or ambition and you just connect so easily with other people and everyone's from a different country, so I love being an expat in in a location because everyone, every other expat there is, there has come for similar reasons right.

Matt Jacob:

Or they've, more importantly, they've experienced very similar journeys and they are in that place in the same way that you are in that place.

Cam Stables:

The worst bit is is that you make all these friends because everyone lives in a different country.

Matt Jacob:

You don't see them for years and years, but yeah, do you feel like you know you talked about traveling for freedom initially. But yeah, do you feel like music you, you know you're talking about traveling for freedom initially? Was new zealand a big part of that desire to get freedom? Do you feel like it stifled you a bit?

Cam Stables:

yeah, it is. We are far away. We're a small country. Um. I love new zealand. I'm very proud to be a kiwi. Um, I think we're the best country in the world like goodness, I'll probably vote for that as well.

Cam Stables:

It's a beautiful place, but it is small and it is like you can get stuck if you don't, you know, take opportunities to get up. It's really expensive to leave because we're far away. Yeah, flights anywhere are just ridiculous. But, um, I, yeah, I love it. I, I love to go home and I'm always like you. You get home and you just kind of breathe a sigh of relief. You're like, oh yeah, it is nice here, but at the same time, it's small, it's far away. The industry is small as well, so you have to. You know, you'll hit different ceilings and yeah, it is good to get out and experience other things sometimes. But yeah, if you haven't been to New Zealand, you've got to go.

Matt Jacob:

It is other things sometimes but yeah if you haven't been to new zealand, you gotta go. It's. It is yeah incredible place and the people are fantastic. I'm not just saying that because you sat here, but, um, yeah, I've been back for a while, but, um, I'd be.

Cam Stables:

This is at the top of my list, for sure, that, and the likes of italy yeah, I feel like in in when we had the pandemic as well, I hadn't really experienced it properly and because we couldn't travel overseas, I was like, well, let's see this, let's explore my home. And I just learned a whole lot more about it. I saw a whole part of New Zealand that I didn't even know existed, and kind of fell in love with it a bit more and appreciate it more now, because I just I needed to. You know, know, I was wanting to improve my craft and in doing that I just would, I explored every corner I could and there was.

Matt Jacob:

I was like, oh, we're really lucky, this is a, this is a beautiful place um yeah, yeah, I love home yeah, um, I'm a bit of a home home bud myself now, but, um, tell it, tell us more about. I'm interested to kind of get into your. From someone who doesn't necessarily work with big brands as much as someone like you, I want to kind of dive into the whys and the hows and certainly for people watching who want to kind of make a career out of photography, filmmaking, talk to me about kind of some working with big brands, like what you've learned with working with someone like mercedes-benz. Um, do you feel like there's always a compromise that you have to give with these people?

Cam Stables:

100. That is probably one of the more challenging parts of working for a client is it's someone else's vision, um, and you have to kind of put enough of your I. I was talking before about how I put my soul into everything. Come up too much of your soul into it, because when it gets changed and stuff.

Cam Stables:

It's like oh that's. It's like is that mine anymore? Um right, finding a balance between understanding what they want and their product and giving enough of what you have and merging those things together to create something um so give us a run-through of, like a project we know, just an average kind of run through how it starts, what the concept is like and how it kind of progresses, just an email, usually going okay.

Cam Stables:

Well, you know, this is maybe an idea we have. Sometimes there is no idea. It's like this is we need to make a video, that's your job and I'm like okay, let me get back to you with a you know a bunch of ideas.

Cam Stables:

Sometimes I know exactly what they want. You know, um, bigger companies especially have done this a lot before um and can be easier to work for, I've noticed, because they just have a vision, they have their brand, they know how it works and they just need your talent bring to bring enough of something new. But, at the same time, they know what they works and they just need your talent bring to bring enough of something new, but, at the same time, they know what they want, which is actually really easy to work for. Um, when someone knows what they want, it's it's actually very good. Yeah, when people don't know what they want, or they they say they don't know what they want, and then you make something for them and all of a sudden, they're like no yeah, and it's like, okay, well, what yeah?

Matt Jacob:

it's like asking. It's like asking for a budget and they go we don't have a budget, and then you do something.

Cam Stables:

Oh, no, it's too expensive yeah it's like, okay, um, yeah, I I've, I don't know. I've worked with a variety of clients, some big brands, small brands um, I don't really look at the scale of the brand, it's just more like does that align with what I create? I don't want to work with what I create. I don't want to work with people that, or I don't want to create something for someone that doesn't fit with what I do, because I feel like I'm not offering the right service.

Matt Jacob:

So if I'm a brand and I'm wanting to like, make me a video, right, what are the key values that would have to align with you?

Cam Stables:

well, a sense of like with what I do is just that sense of adventure and, okay, I do always like to keep it within the travel space because that's what I love and do, so I can be passionate about it um, being like nice as well. Like you know, you kind of talk to clients and some of them are just like really cold and it's like I just don't think this is gonna work. But some people you just click huge right, yeah, it's, and and I I don't know, coming from new zealand, we're all very, we're just everyone's your best mate. And so we get an email that's like really long and professional. I'm like, oh, like just say hi. You know, and I always do that as well. I, when I jump on a call, I'm like you know, how's it going?

Cam Stables:

kind of just assume that we're mates and that's. I feel like that's a better place to to work. And, um, if everyone's too corporate, too professional, I'm like oh, that's not me, that's not, that's not how I work, you know like, yeah, just that's a new zealand thing.

Matt Jacob:

So travel nice. That's it kind of yeah, yeah, I don't, I'm not, I'm not even that fussy about the budget.

Cam Stables:

Really like I'll, I'll take anything if it fits, and I feel like it'll be enjoyable to make you know how do you see the?

Matt Jacob:

that kind of I guess I guess influence is the right word, but that kind of the, the way of doing business with influences or or beginner photographers, filmmakers, who want to get the work but don't necessarily feel like they want to charge for it, and so they're more appealing to brands and they do these free collabs right. Good or bad or somewhere in between.

Cam Stables:

I don't know, it is hard. I've been on both sides of it. I did plenty of free work when I was starting out, because you have to and it's a great way to build your portfolio. At the same time, yeah, it kind of disrupts the industry a little bit. I don't know, I don't have an answer for that, because it is I don't like as much, as this is a competitive industry. I think it's important that everyone has their shot at doing this. There are a lot of people who are really small, who are incredibly talented, yeah, and whatever opportunity they need to take to grow and to learn, then that's yeah, you get defensive right, like you're like oh, this is my space, but it's not, it's we're all sharing this, like you just kind of have to. Yeah, that is a tricky one, but again.

Matt Jacob:

I think people get wrapped up in the online side of it and they think, oh well, you know you're taking from me and you're taking from me and like, but actually when you get out there and you actually just start doing these and you've seen these people and working with these brands and traveling the world there's more than enough to go around for everyone absolutely.

Cam Stables:

And also it's good to work with other people, like if you just like you know, a lot of people are really competitive and it's like sometimes I'm like I don't, like I'm not here to steal your work, I just want to work with people and like collaborate, because we will learn from each other, right, I think they're thinking about the wrong way as well, like there should be no competition.

Matt Jacob:

Everyone is them themselves. That you know. An artist is essentially like a the one and only right you are. Only there's only one cam staples, right. It's like why are you being competitive?

Cam Stables:

yeah, exactly, and if you are competitive and then you competitive and then you are finding that what you're making is similar to others, then maybe that's what you need to work on is standing up more and making it more true to yourself, and maybe that answers one of your questions. Is it's like, yeah, being unique to who you are, because no one can replicate that right? Like your artistic vision, how you feel is singular to your own experience. So if you can create stuff that reflects that, no one else can copy it right?

Matt Jacob:

no one else can love it. Do you think ai is gonna have an effect on that? Do you think? Have you seen any? You know from someone who's out there all the time doing jobs and experiencing the world through a filmmaker's eyes, photographer's eyes? Do you see ai has had any impact on commercial work or anything like that? Yeah, I think it does.

Cam Stables:

With, like, technical, sides of things, um, which a lot of people work in a technical industry where it's about workload and skills and that stuff can be, I think, replicated. Unfortunately, I think right now it's not too disruptive. It is definitely I've met people who have lost their jobs from ai but it's definitely not to be like it could can easily be a problem down the line. I think it's to just be like no, no, it's going to be fine, it's don't know. Like have you seen how much the world has changed in the last 10 years?

Matt Jacob:

Like how do you?

Cam Stables:

know what this is going to do Like. Yeah, this technology works like this now, but who knows how clever it's going to be. I don't think, and what I was just saying, I don't think it could ever replicate the human soul of the human being. But so always, like with what I do, it's like about being true to yourself nothing, no technology, can replicate that. Um, no person can replicate what you do and what comes from your soul. So if you always keep that at the forefront, then maybe that you'll be safe.

Matt Jacob:

But I don't know, who knows what technology is going to do like well, and all of the other things, all of the other values that you've talked about as a person right being, being kind, being, you know, quick with good, with communication, having integrity. You know people want that, people wanting to, whether ai is there or not, people want to be and I think, as photographers talk about this all the time. I don't know about filmmaking as much, but photographers definitely, um, you know their authenticity talk about will be more value, more valuable than ever, because people will still want an authentic human photographer or the photographer's work. They want to see a photo that's being taken by a human. That's only going to make it more and more valuable as AI has a has a bigger impact, but I don't know, yeah, yeah, and this.

Cam Stables:

this is just another hurdle, like anyone who's worked in this industry for much longer than me will know that this just every couple of years there's a new obstacle that's thrown at you and, if you can, either you can adapt to it or you can put your head in the sand and be like oh, I don't like how this is changing. I can't do this. Goodbye. Like you know, you'll be stuck there forever. But if you can adapt and change and learn how to either overcome or use this technology to your advantage, then I think you'll be fine. Um, survival of the fittest, isn't it exactly? And it will teach you things like you'll learn from that.

Matt Jacob:

Ai is going to be a big hurdle but and just like the large, large language models, the chat, gpts and all, I mean it's every day there's a new advancement right on something new that I just come out. I haven't known how can I use? That I mean maybe your, maybe the long professional emails you get that's what I was gonna say.

Cam Stables:

Yeah, well, I kind of just wish I would just answer my emails for me. I can spend more time taking photos yeah, and um, yeah, that's what I need them to do, and like my washing and stuff. But yeah, right now.

Matt Jacob:

But maybe those emails that you don't like from brands are coming from.

Cam Stables:

AI. Yeah, sometimes Because they're not personal maybe. Oh yeah, there's definitely. Yeah, it's definitely out there, more than people think, for sure. Yeah, I meet people every day who are like, yeah, I wrote this completely with ChatGPT.

Matt Jacob:

I'm like damn, like, really like what? Why do you not enjoy the process? But I'll put it through chat gpt to just like correct or make it sound whatever tone I want. But yeah, I mean, we use it all the time. It's freaking great. Um, as long as it's still yeah and it's still if it's.

Cam Stables:

It's freeing up space for your creative capacity. That's fine if you're using it to replace a creative skill. I kind of just wonder why, like, do you don't do you enjoy this, or not, like, I don't make this, I don't do this to make money, I do it because I like doing it. So replacing it with a robot is I'm like okay, well, what that sounds boring, like yeah, why?

Matt Jacob:

yeah? Yeah, we're headed that way oh yeah. If, if you had to live without one of the following, which one would it be? Video or photo?

Cam Stables:

Oh, my children, I don't know. Maybe I don't know. I think I think I love taking photos, but it like there is so many different creating video and films has so many different avenues, and so maybe, oh, that's hard. I don't know, it depends. It depends what day it is, I don't know. I have different moods. Sometimes I'm like I don't want to edit another video, and then some some days I'm like this is great, I love this. So, yeah, depends on the day of the week, I think.

Matt Jacob:

Okay, let me ask you a different question, then. Maybe you can answer this one Would you rather have fingers as long as your legs or legs as short as your fingers?

Cam Stables:

Legs as short, hold on Legs as short as my fingers uh, legs are short. Hold on legs as short as my fingers, so you like walking around like this all right, come, yeah, and then your normal torso that's yeah, yeah, or really long fingers that would be quite hard to do stuff with yeah, you wouldn't be able to do.

Matt Jacob:

I feel like probably the legs, yeah, oh, I don't know. Yeah, no, probably the the legs.

Cam Stables:

Fingers. That would just get in the way You'd knock stuff over all the time.

Matt Jacob:

Well, you wouldn't be able to do photography and video?

Cam Stables:

Yeah, exactly, but then you can't walk really, or you can walk, but you wouldn't be very fast.

Matt Jacob:

So I don't know yeah.

Cam Stables:

I don't know. Yeah, I'll go with the fingers, fingers, no, sorry, sorry, let's hope it doesn't happen.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, even in the ai. Yeah, what?

Cam Stables:

do most people say to that?

Matt Jacob:

I'd never asked anyone that question before answering the comments yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe I'll ask the audience um, mate. Uh, it's been so great to have you. Thanks for finally. Um, not finally. I've been trying to. We've been missing, like passing ships in the night or missing each other travel-wise.

Cam Stables:

Yeah, and that is the nature of this. I feel like I have lots of friends and people I know through the internet that you'll keep in touch with all the time and you'll meet two years down the road, which is cool. Hopefully we'll do a job together one day.

Matt Jacob:

That'd be cool. Yeah, that'd be cool. What does the future look like for you over the next one, two, five years, maybe?

Cam Stables:

I don't know, just hope it keeps growing. I don't want to know, like that's, I just hope I'm doing something different. Like I don't want to be in the same place now that I am. You know, I just whatever, yeah, no plan. Like I just want something new to come, new opportunities ever get, like not worried.

Matt Jacob:

But do you ever think about legacy, like what you know, body of work that you want to leave behind? Is that, does that play?

Cam Stables:

into your mindset. 100. Um. That kind of motivates me a little bit. Um, all the time I'm kind of like what am I doing? Where is this going? So, yeah, for at the moment I feel like I'm in a place where I'm just trying to develop skills, right, build those skills so that one day I can make something that is maybe does leave a legacy, um, and I'm capable of doing it like it and it's good and it's I'm proud of it. Um, but right now I'm just building as much as I can, um and learning from all these experiences, um, learning from other people. You know other creatives, what they're, what they're doing, what they're doing differently. But yeah, I do think about that a lot, I think.

Matt Jacob:

Yeah, I think it's good. Some people disagree with the idea of a legacy, but I think you know, often many people's legacies are their children, right? But you know, in an artistic sense, I think it helps with progression, evolution, motivation. You know, in an artistic sense I think it's. It helps with progression, evolution, motivation and just like exactly how you described, just wanting to get up and go out and do something different or do something better, or continuously iterating on what you've done prior.

Cam Stables:

Yeah, and I mean like right now, even just in a small scale, if someone sees something that I do and it inspires them to maybe go somewhere they weren't going to go before or try something new, then that's like that's cool, that's leaving the world a better place than you found it right. Like if you could affect one person to pick up a camera or go to a country or go and be uncomfortable somewhere, then like that's really cool and and that does happen like I get messages of people like oh, I went here because of this video.

Matt Jacob:

Oh, that's great and I'm like cool, love it.

Cam Stables:

Yeah, that's stoked People kind of like, oh, I didn't know if it was safe or had the time of my life. Now I'm like, yeah, I'm happy, that's a tick for me, satisfied.

Matt Jacob:

Cool man, what is one thing that you would like to leave with the audience after today's conversation? What do you think there's something that people you feel people should know about?

Cam Stables:

just make stuff. Stop thinking about it. Stop talking about it, like, stop wondering what camera you need to buy or what. Just go do it. Like, pick up your phone and go and make stuff. Like, whatever it is, just express yourself, put it out there. Even if you don't want to be an artist, like, create something you know, express what's inside of you, I don't know just. And if you are an artist, like, stop sitting around going, oh, I'm not good enough, I don't know how to do this yet, doesn't matter. Like, just make stuff, you will get better. It only yeah, you only get better by doing this the more and more and post it. Put it out there because you know it. It doesn't matter if it's good or not. It's true to what you are and it will grow and it will. Something will come from it, but nothing will come from doing nothing. Right, like so, yeah, go go make art.

Matt Jacob:

Yes, maze um, congratulations on all of the success you've had so far and I'm really excited to see what comes from you over the next few years. I know it's going to be epic, so yeah, hopefully we'll get you back on, but don't be a stranger. When you're in Bali, come say hi yeah, it is.

Cam Stables:

I do like this spot so yeah definitely back. Thank you for having me. Thanks. Thanks so much. Appreciate it. Appreciate it.

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