Ep. 318: How to Travel Sustainably and Create Income As A Creative with Sara Lindström
In this episode, I speak with Sara who is a photographer and community leader, her intense curiosity and wanderlust brought her to start roaming the globe at the tender age of 19.
Somewhere in South Africa she picked up her first DSLR camera and it was love at first sight.
So she kept following her excitement and traveled the world and soon found herself living her dream as an adventure photographer.
60 countries and 6 continents later, she still captures beauty and charm for a living while also helping others grow more confident behind their cameras and embrace a life of adventure and passion.
So, listen on to find out how Sara has been able to sustainably travel and create income as a creative.
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Transcription:
Debbie:
Hey everyone, thank you so much for being here.
I am here with Sara.
Hi Sara, how are you?
Sara:
Hi, I’m good, thanks.
How are you?
Debbie:
I’m wonderful. Thank you so much for speaking with us today.
Before we get to your full journey, can you tell us about you and why you live an offbeat life?
Sara:
I realized from an early age that I wanted more out of life than most of my friends and people around me. Like I had such an intense curiosity about the world and yeah, just remember in high school I was sitting there daydreaming about places I wanted to go as soon as I graduated. And yeah, that’s what I eventually did when I was, when I was done with high school. And I basically haven’t stopped since. Like, I tried, but that’s not been possible.
So today I work as a photographer, do travel and destination, a lot of adventure, outdoor lifestyle and yeah, traveled the world doing that.
Debbie:
So there’s a lot of things that you could have gone into after high school because, you know, you’re like me. We have wanderlust and especially when you’re young, you just want to explore everything, see everything. How did you become a photographer instead of other creative projects that you could have done with your life?
Sara:
I always had a camera when I traveled and it was always an interest for me. I loved that, but it wasn’t until, I guess during my university year, so I traveled quite a few years before I even knew what I wanted to study in University. And then I just felt like, “Okay, now it’s time to grow up and get serious”, and, you know, all that pressure from around you that you should be normal. So I developed that for quite some time. But then I sort of compromised with myself cause when I had graduated from university, I had this serious job for a little while, but just felt like I needed more or I was going to sort of try to wash the nomad out of my system by taking one more year to just travel and like without much of a plan.
And then I had picked up my first DSLR camera when I was doing an exchange semester in South Africa. Cause I travel a lot during my studies as well, which was yeah, great. Studied geography, so it was perfect for me and yeah, that was sort of the idea that I was going to do something in the geography field. But as I went on the strip with my camera, I just stopped at one moment, like a few months in cause the idea was always that I was going to go back home after this year and just get serious and grow up and, you know, get a house and the job. But I was so incredibly happy. I realized a few months in because I was basically just traveling, meeting amazing people. I was mainly in Latin America and just travel all the way up to Canada for those 12 months.
And yeah, I just felt so incredibly alive and happy doing that, like taking photos. So there was this one moment when I stopped and realized how happy I was and I was like, “What am I doing? Why am I still trying to force myself into this tiny little box?”, when I knew I wanted to be so much more, I wanted to do so much more and photography made me incredibly happy. So I decided in that moment that I was going to do this for a living somehow. Like not just any kind of photography, but travel and adventure and somehow make that work. And I had no idea how in that moment, but the beautiful thing when you are brave and like when you’re just going for something, I feel like you get this incredible support from something much bigger. So it was like doors started to open and within a year from coming back home, I was offered my dream job as a – to go shoot this beautiful destination in Northern Greece. And that’s how my career started with photography.
Debbie:
And this is really interesting because one of the things that you mentioned, you felt the pressure of being normal to start growing up because a lot of people think when you go into anything that’s creative, you’re just a dreamer, you’re never going to make any income from that and to kind of like stay in that lane of having a grownup job, which which is so interesting nowadays because I see so many people creating income as creatives, whether it’s in photography, it’s in graphic design, really there’s so much more now. I believe so much more opportunities for artists and creatives to create income than any other time, you know, in our, you know, in our lives, in our lifetime or even before us. So that’s so interesting, that it’s still thought of that way, but I guess it’s still a new thing, you know, for creatives to create income and it’s sustainable in that sense.
Sara:
Mm-hmm, yeah, well back then I didn’t think I could be a photographer. I really thought I would have to be so much better and, you know, all that negative sub talk, that I wasn’t good enough. But yeah, I just knew I had to, to go after it and make it work. And I mean, I didn’t go to school for it, so I didn’t really know how, as I said, but it, it really just worked out, cause you get creative when you really want something. I I think.
Debbie:
Yeah, and that’s true. And also when, when we’re younger, there’s really nothing to lose. You know, you don’t have huge responsibilities yet. You don’t have any children, you don’t have a spouse usually. And there’s just so much more opportunities and you could fail hard a lot of times and you could just get back up. Not to say you can’t do that when you’re older, but I guess there’s a lot more pressure on your shoulders, especially if there’s other people counting on you. So there, there’s definitely that advantage, when you’re just getting out of school and you have all of those opportunities, which I find really incredible. And the way you travel is so different as well. Now you did mention that you were able to travel, just to try to get the nomad, out of your system. How were you able to afford that? Were you working in between, did you have any savings? How were you able to do that sustainably before you can, you know, go back to school or, and before you found your dream job?
Sara:
Right. So before this big trip that led me into a career with photography, I was just like in and out of Sweden, where I’m from. So I went back for, you know, seasonal jobs. I just worked for a couple of months here and there and then like as soon as I saved up enough and we just bounce out again and travel wherever my heart desire. And, uh, yeah, but also mixed with, you know, working holiday visas. I’ve basically used all the working holiday visas in the world, that I’m allowed to, so that you could work from, from there as well. So yeah, a mix of, of things like lots of restaurants and yeah. Picking fruits and you know, any, anything that could keep me going.
Debbie:
Yeah, I I think once you have a passion for something and you know you want it, you just have to do whatever you can to get it right. I, I remember too, like when I was in college and I wanted to travel during the summers or during vacations, I would work like two to three jobs while I was going to school for full-time. And people are like, you’re crazy. I’m like, but it’s worth it. I swear all the hard work
Sara:
Yeah.
Debbie:
Is worth it. And for, you know, when, when, you know, when I was in college I was like, this is not hard. Now I’m like in my thirties and I’m like, oh my god, how was I able to do do all of that stuff? I’m like, yeah, yeah,
Sara:
But there’s also like so much about priorities, right? Because I remember I had friends asking me like, how are you doing it? Like, are you robbing banks? And I’m just like, , no, but I’m, I’m just like, I’m not buying new clothes all the time. I don’t have like an expensive TV and a car and like fancy things. I really just prioritized these experiences.
Debbie:
Yeah, that’s so true. You know, a lot of people it’s, it’s different your priorities, whether it’s traveling, sometimes people like fashion and they like to buy handbags and clothing and that’s so true. Like you don’t realize how much money you spend on things until you actually stop and you’re like, okay, I have something to save for. And I’m like, oh my gosh, you actually could save a lot of money if you’re just not spending things, you’re not spending on things, on material things that you don’t need. So that’s such a good way to do that as well. Yeah,
Sara:
And also the idea that travel has to be so expensive, which is not true. Like there’s so many ways to get around that and stretch your dollars like couch surfing and you know, staying in hostels and like eating street food and yeah, you, you really get creative there as well when you don’t have a lot of money . So that’s, uh, yeah, there are definitely ways.
Debbie:
Yeah. And if you are more adventurous and risk taking it in a lot of ways it, but you know what, it’s more interesting that way. ,
Sara:
I think. So .
Debbie:
Now you also mentioned Sara about working visas. Can you tell us a little bit about that for people who don’t know exactly what that is and how they can apply to it? How they can do something similar? Alright,
Sara:
Yeah, so that depends on, I guess where you’re from. I know that most European countries, so yeah, I’m from Sweden. We have agreements with at least, uh, New Zealand, Australia, Canada. And uh, I mean obviously we can work anywhere in Europe pretty much, cause we’re part of that agreement. But yeah, it’s usually for, well younger people, so up to 30 or 35. This also depends on the country and uh, it’s quite simple and straightforward to apply for, for those visas and doesn’t take a a lot of time and effort. And then you are allowed to go to this country and work for up to a year normally pretty much any kind of job. And that could also be a great opportunity in some countries if you do realize you want to stay there longer to maybe apply for permanent residency and like make those connections and and so on.
Debbie:
So when you talk about actually working in the country, do they find the jobs for you or do you have to find the job first and then apply for a working holiday visa? You
Sara:
Could do it either way around. Like, I, I never applied for a job beforehand. I just got the visa, uh, went there and found a job, uh, on the spot. But of course you can save yourself some time by having the, the work lined up when you get there so that you don’t have to waste time or whatever, to look if you really want to go straight into working. But for me, that was never really a priority. It was just a means of being able to keep traveling. Like I didn’t travel to go and work, I I did it to be able to keep sustaining myself.
Debbie:
That’s, that’s a good option. Definitely. So, that’s a good thing to look into if you are still in that age bracket that, that they have that for you. So now let’s talk about your work as a photographer because you went from, you know, thinking you had to do like the normal nine to five normal grownup job to going completely the opposite and you’re creating income from something that you’re passionate about. How did you first of all get that dream job that you got? Especially when most people think that, oh my gosh, you need like a ton of experience, you need to go to school for X, y, and Z but you didn’t do that. You found your, your dream job by just doing what you are passionate about.
Sara:
So yeah, I guess you could say it started when I, when I went on that trip to Latin America, like just beforehand and here, I think this is a big advantage of me not going to school for photography because I was quite naive and I didn’t know like the rules and I would probably not have done this if I had gone through, you know, three years of photography education, like, but I just basically emailed the three biggest travel companies in Sweden, just as like, “Hi, I am Sara and I like to take pictures. If you ever need some pictures, let me know.”, like super, yeah, simple like that. And one of them actually got back to me and this was when my, I think today like my, uh, portfolio was so weak, but they just saw something in me and then I went on this trip and, yeah, shortly after and just realized this is really what I want to do.
So I stayed in touch with Ara company and uh, yeah, they didn’t really need any, any photos at that time, but, fast forward like a year and I was in Italy back in Europe, traveling southern Europe. I reached out to them when I was in, in Italy in Venice and they said like, oh yeah, we could actually need some, some photos from, from Venice. So like, yeah, I mean if you, we can guarantee anything, but if you have something to show us, then go ahead. So I spent this one day running around in Venice, like shooting like crazy, taking all the pictures and uh, ended up sending them and they were like, oh yeah, we could buy a few of them. And I remember thinking I wasn’t really happy with the deal. I’m like, this is a huge travel company, and they’re like basically not paying any money.
So I’m like, okay, whatever. But then they told me, well, whenever you’re in Stockholm again, like, just come by the, the main office and we can talk about bigger assignments. So it took me another six months before I was back in Sweden and I didn’t have very high hopes, but I went there and uh, they, uh, yeah, basically told me straight away like, or asked me like, would you like to go to Greece in a couple of months? All expenses paid and we’re going to pay you this amount. And I was just like, not believing what they said because it was more money than I had ever seen , my poor backpacker life. So I didn’t believe them until a couple months later when the contract was signed and I was actually in northern Greece and just like, holy, this is happening. And yeah, they loved what I did, so they kept working with me. And then that really just built my confidence and obviously I’ve been having a lot more clients since. But yeah, that’s, that’s how it all started for me.
Debbie:
Well that seems like such a, I mean obviously you shortened it. I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more work that goes into this, you know, and it seemed like such a dream to, to be able to do that. And I can’t even imagine what you must have felt when finally you were like, oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’m creating money from this. And it’s fun. And obviously there’s challenging moments to it too, but there’s, I feel like there’s nothing more fulfilling when it’s kind of like a validation that you’re doing something right, you know, after so many, so much time doubting yourself and I don’t know if you’ve felt this Sara, ’cause that’s definitely me. You work so hard for something and then finally someone’s paying you for it. It’s like a validation in a way. Like, oh, okay, well I could make this sustainable. Before it was just a hobby and now it’s like, income generating projects that I’m doing, it’s no longer a hobby, right? Because that’s mo what most people say. Well, it’s just a hobby, you know, you’ll grow out of it. Or you know, after a year or two you’ll find something better. But then when you make it to that point where, “Okay, I could actually make this into a career.”, that must have felt really, that must have felt really good.
Sara:
That was absolutely incredible. Like I could not believe it really had to pinch my arm multiple times. And yeah, it just allowed me at that time, the perfect balance because I, I worked on a couple of months every year and the rest of the time I was out traveling. ’cause my lifestyle was cheap and I mean, it, it paid really good. So like I could just be out traveling and playing and, uh, yeah, it, it was the ultimate dream at that time in my life.
Debbie:
So now after you had that first big assignment, how do you continuously create income from photography? Do you mostly go to the different companies? Do you pitch them your work? Do they come to you? I’m sure it’s a lot different from when you started to now when you have a roster of clients.
Sara:
Well, I mean, I was really lucky. I, had these two main clients both in the travel industry, which gave me enough work up until the pandemic, that I didn’t have to look elsewhere. That, that was more than enough for me. So, uh, yeah, but obviously that changed in 2020 because the whole travel industry, as we all know, , things happened there. So I was basically, overnight work just disappeared. So that has been quite the climb since then and, uh, I’ve learned so much over the past three years.
Debbie:
So how did you pivot your business, your work when the pandemic started? Because obviously, like you had mentioned, the travel industry just took a halt. Like there was nothing, you know, there or not that much, content really. You could, you you could shoot and it was pretty difficult to travel during that time.
Sara:
Mm-hmm. Yeah, it’s been a, a pretty beautiful journey in a way. Cause to me like the pandemic couldn’t have been better timed in a way, because I was starting to feel like what I was doing wasn’t really what I wanted to do. Like I love photography, but I just felt like maybe the companies I worked for wasn’t fully aligned after a while and not challenging enough for, for me. Like I’d done the same thing over and over and I just wanted to do something different and, uh, I wasn’t sure what that could be. But then when the pandemic happened, I was actually in Spain and had just finished a job and was going to stick around for a while and then returned to my skis, which I had left in, in France in Shani, the Alps. But obviously that didn’t happen. I just had to like bounce straight back to Sweden.
And that was the first time in my adult life that I, I was forced back to Sweden and I didn’t know really for how long that was going to be. Like obviously no one knew at that time. But then like the craziest thing happened ’cause I thought I was going to panic and just start climbing on the walls and like, just not knowing what to do with myself because I wanted to travel again, but instead I just felt so extremely calm and content and like, it was literally like it wasn’t the best place in the world. ’cause in Sweden and especially up in the north where I’m from, we’re just like so much nature and not many people, like we were still free to, to be outside and like a lot more freedom than in other parts of the world. And uh, that’s when I realized how much I’d been sort of driven by fomo.
Cause I had so many friends all over the world and they were really like adventurous and just always posting pictures, like better places you could be. But suddenly I didn’t have any option and it was like, okay, I’m going to take this time now and get to know my home country that I neglected when I was like 19 basically. ’cause in between I would always just go home for, you know, a couple of months and then leave again. And I would not travel, I would just stay put and like work focused on saving up money. But then suddenly, yeah, I started traveling around and discovered how incredibly beautiful it is and got to know people and especially in sort of the nature tourism sector and, really just fell in love. And uh, I moved out into the woods in this cabin and uh, yeah, the silence out here is incredible and has been so great for my inspiration.
And, but anyway, so I had this urge to teach and uh, I started doing that but just like really basic, uh, courses for small groups. And then that was great. But then I realized like, why, why don’t I just combine that with what I love, like this arctic lifestyle and being in nature. ’cause I’m all about, you know, being in nature and the elements and typical things we do up here, like the sauna and the ice plunge and uh, dog sledding and uh, watching the northern lights and bonfires and the crazy night skies. And uh, yeah. So I did that shortly after and uh, basically combining teaching photography with these experiences out in nature up here in this place I, I know love so much. And that was mind blowing. Like it was so rewarding because of the, the, uh, reactions I got back from these women. Like I’ve only been doing sort of, uh, women’s groups and, yeah, they’re actually retreats more retreat style workshops and uh, yeah, I really felt there that I found my new niche and like what I want to do. Like I still do photography assignments but more focused on nature tourism, like locally around here and well also in the world. But yeah, that’s basically where I am today.
Debbie:
Well that’s a really interesting journey and I think exactly what you needed at the time, you know, sometimes like things happen in our life and I feel like it’s destiny in a way. And obviously C O V I D was horrible for, for everybody, but it’s really what you do with that time because it was a very long time. It wasn’t just like a few months, it was years Yeah. Of, of that. And it’s also interesting, I think a lot of ways when we leave our home, when we’re there, obviously we don’t see what we have, we don’t appreciate what we’re surrounded by. I mean, I’m listening to you talk about your your country and I’m like, oh my gosh, that sounds amazing. That sounds incredible. And then, and you know, when, when you’re at that moment where you just trying to focus on something else, it doesn’t seem like that. And then it gave you back what you didn’t realize you had, which I think is pretty incredible. And now it’s what’s leading the next chapter in your life, which is pretty beautiful. And I think living in a little cabin in, in the woods in the wilderness, I think it’s so romantic. Mm-hmm. in in a lot of ways, .
Sara:
Yeah.
Debbie:
We’re like a fairytale type thing. And I think that’s so interesting and I think it’s beautiful for you to experience that now. And you know, I think there’s different stages in our life that we go through and this is one of them for you and yeah,
Sara:
No, absolutely.
Debbie:
And I also definitely feel like the FOMO thing, you know, when, when we all feel that, when we see our friends, family travel, but in a lot of ways I think there’s something about peacefulness and being really present with where you are that I think at some point in our life at least, we experience it once where we’re just like, this is where I need to be. I don’t need to be anywhere else and I’m content and happy with, with this point. And it’s much more peaceful .
Sara:
Yeah, yeah. No, it’s so beautiful to lean into those changes in your life and just let it happen and, and unfold and see where it’s going to take you.
Debbie:
Yeah, and it’s like, I mean, your aura, you’re very like calm it, it seems like it, I mean I’ve never met you Sara, in person, but like right now I could feel, I’m like, she has a very calming like, you know, like aura about her, like her feeling even the way you talk. I’m like, oh, I could probably listen to like Sara talk and she’s going to have like, maybe sounds from like out the outdoors while she tells me like a story . Yeah. That’s so funny. So Sara, let’s move forward to maybe 30 to 40 years from now. And you’re looking back in your life, what legacy would you like to leave and what do you want to be remembered for?
Sara:
I would love to be remembered for someone who followed her heart and inspire others to do the same and like make the world a better place in that little way of, uh, yeah, inspiring others to go after and find their passions and just, uh, become alive or, ’cause I think, I think if there’s anything the world needs, it’s more people who feel fully alive. That’s
Debbie:
A good legacy. ’cause I I also think, you know, if this is the only one we have, you may as well experience as much as you can. And you know, that’s why someone like you, Sara, really truly inspires me because you are going out of your comfort zone. You are willing to, to take a risk on, on a lot of things with life. And I think, I mean that’s one of the things I definitely saw from being in the pandemic. It’s like, oh my gosh, like life. There’s so much more. And I think it allows you to feel so much more connected with nature, with the people you love. I don’t know, I, I felt like that whole time I was like, like introspect, like, oh my gosh, what have I been doing? Like who have I spending my time with? Like where have I been going? .
Sara:
Yeah. Really made you think, eh?
Debbie:
Yeah, absolutely. And yeah, I think that’s such a beautiful legacy that you’re going to have and you’re, you know, you’re doing it right now and you’re going to be continuing it and I can’t wait to see where your next journey is going to lead you because this is just a start of it. But thank you so much Sara for sharing your, your exploration of the world, being a part of this journey with you in a little way. You know, you sharing that to us is pretty incredible. So if our listeners want to learn more about you work and they find you,
Sara:
So the simplest would be to just swing by my website. So it’s Sara Lindstrom Photography.com and yeah, there you find all my social channels and well, I’m the same on Instagram, Sara Lindström Photography, so it’s quite simple.
Debbie:
Perfect. Thank you so much Sara. We really appreciate you.
Sara:
Thank you.
Listen to Sara’s extended interview where she talks about traveling to remote parts of Sweden.
What You’ll Find:
In this extended interview, Sara gives us a local’s point of view of when the best time to travel to and where exactly to go when traveling to Sweden.
