Meet Ben Everden | Photographer & Head Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ben Everden and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ben, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Architectural model maker, internationally acclaimed jeweler, global marketing manager for major surf and auto companies, as well as, a content creator for a new generation. Through the many careers I’ve had, it feels like I’ve lived different lives. Not one of my many careers came easily, and I don’t think I would have been as good at each if it hadn’t been for the ones I’d previously had.
To me, taking risks is the difference between staying with something you find mundane or something that doesn’t give you the opportunities you want and being able to move forward creatively and have a sense of self-achievement and self-worth.
I’m not naturally spontaneous so looking back at the risks I’ve taken to end up where I am today, they seem so trivial, but at the time they were major life decisions. The largest risk I took would have had to be moving from Australia to NYC back in 2013. I was in a cool job working for one of Australia’s most iconic brands chasing and shooting surfers, models, and actors around the globe and I was very aware of how lucky I was to have built this incredible role for myself. I wasn’t looking for more at the time and an opportunity landed in my lap that turned my world into a spin. I was offered the role of rebranding Volvo Cars.
I took it and ran and it would have to be the best thing I ever did. NYC is a very challenging city and creatively it’s where the greatest minds meet to both battle and collaborate.
Nine years on, I can’t say at all that I beat NYC, but I started companies, worked with great people, and got paid to travel and photograph the world, creating and shooting campaigns for Fashion Weeks Globally, Etihad Airways, Formula 1, and Abu Dhabi Tourism.
Today, after taking my most recent risk, I own a marketing and content creation company in Miami, FL called TRVE Creative. We offer photo, video, and design services to companies of all sizes and we can proudly say our client family includes Moet Hennesy, Shutterstock Customs, BMW, and many more. It was a huge gamble to move somewhere where I have no industry peers, but two years in, after sticking to my creative principles, we can finally say it’s a success.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
For me everything starts with a picture. With a picture you can sell a product, tell a story, make people want to laugh, cry, travel, eat and even feel ill.

Before each shoot I get very little sleep, I will lay awake in trepidation, excitement and anxiety on delivering the absolute best possible set of images. I can and honestly say I wouldn’t have it any other way. The day I don’t feel like that is the day I’ll pass the torch down to the next generation.

I have worked for agency’s (and I now own one), but my passion is brands and people. I get so excited about the opportunity to make pictures that actually help and I think that is our defining point here at TRVE Creative. I have so much experience on the brand side and I remember how frustrating it can be getting your message out via agencies and creatives that I have an empathy that really allows me to listen to what is needed and what is missing.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m relatively new to Miami and I moved here during a pandemic so I won’t have the recommendations of a hardened Miamian but the beach here year round is amazing and I love the heat. Being an Aussie, I’ve sniffed out the great little Aussie spots in the city, and that always starts with coffee. Inside the Lincoln Eatery there’s an Aussie owned cafe called XO Espresso Bar, you gotta try their Macadamia Milk Latte. Moving over to the Gables, there’s an Aussie owned brewery called Bay 13. They have great beers brewed in-house with imported hops and delicious food inspired by modern Australian cuisine. Last but not least there’s a pizza place over on Key Biscayne that isn’t Australian but it is a true Miami staple, Sir Pizza. My go-to pizza order is pepperoni, pineapple and, from the secret menu, french fries.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I used to run all my ideas by my grandfather, even though he came from a generation where you started and retired at one company, working your way from the bottom to the top. He always did his absolute best to support me even if he didn’t totally understand. Also speaking of risk, there are a lot of people who took a risk by employing this wild Australian and entrusting their brands to him. I would not be where I am today without all of them and I think about that all the time. I also have to shout out my partner for coming on this ride with me. She does her best to support every idea I have, no matter how crazy they are.

Website: https://trvecreative.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trvecreative/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/nomadeffect