Renowned photographer and keynote speaker Paul Mobley shares his journey from capturing the essence of American farmers to inspiring audiences on stage. He discusses the power of connection, authenticity, and storytelling, through photography and speaking.
Paul Mobley is an acclaimed American photographer and keynote speaker known for his ability to capture the essence of his subjects, from celebrities to everyday heroes. With a background enriched by his work with Annie Leibovitz and a passion for exploring the human condition, Mobley's photographs transcend the visual, offering deep insights into the stories of those he portrays. His projects, including "American Farmer," "Everyday Heroes," and portraits of centenarians, reflect his commitment to showcasing the beauty and resilience of the human spirit. Through his keynote speeches, Mobley shares valuable lessons on connection, storytelling, and authenticity, drawing from his extensive experience behind the lens to captivate and inspire audiences.
Discovering the Soul of Your Subjects:
Paul dives into the importance of connecting with the individuals in front of the camera, a skill that is invaluable for speakers seeking to engage and resonate with their audience. He illustrates how genuine interactions can lead to capturing the essence of a subject's character, offering a lesson in authenticity and empathy.
The Impact of Storytelling Through Visuals:
We discuss how powerful narratives can be woven through imagery, paralleling the way speakers can use stories to captivate and move their audiences. Paul emphasizes the role of storytelling in creating memorable experiences and the importance of bringing stories to life, whether through photographs or words.
Embracing Challenges and Perseverance:
Reflecting on his journey and the obstacles he faced, Paul shares insights into the resilience required to succeed in the creative field. This section offers encouragement and motivation for speakers navigating their paths, highlighting the rewards of persistence and hard work.
Lessons Learned from Life Behind the Lens:
Mobley concludes with the broader lessons he has learned throughout his career, from the power of observation to the value of kindness. His experiences provide rich learning opportunities for speakers, underscoring the importance of staying true to one's values and the impact of small gestures.
Learn more about Paul Mobley:
Learn more about Josh Linkner:
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter its starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
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Josh Linkner — a New York Times bestselling author — is a rare blend of business, art, and science.
On the business front, he’s been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which created over 10,000 jobs and sold for a combined value of over $200 million. He’s the co-founder and Managing Partner of Muditā (moo-DEE-tah) Venture Partners - an early-stage venture capital firm investing in groundbreaking technologies. Over the last 30 years, he’s helped over 100 startups launch and scale, creating over $1 billion in investor returns. He’s twice been named the EY Entrepreneur of The Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
While proud of his business success, his roots are in the dangerous world of jazz music. Josh has been playing guitar in smoky jazz clubs for 40 years, studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, and has performed over 1000 concerts around the world. His experiences in both business and music led him to become one of the world’s foremost experts on innovation. Josh
is the co-founder and Chairman of Platypus Labs, a global research, training, and consulting firm. Today, he’s on a mission to help leaders Find A Way™ through creative problem-solving, inventive thinking, and ingenuity.
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Paul Mobley (00:00):
For me, I almost think of it as like a surgeon uses a scalpel. It's just a tool to do what's in my mind and in my heart.
Josh Linkner (00:18):
Hey friends, Josh Linkner here. Delighted to bring you season three of Mic Drop, the number one podcast for professional speakers and thought leaders on the show. We connect with experts at the top of the field unpacking their success to help each of us grow and thrive from elevating your artistry to booking more gigs. Mic Drop is designed to give you the tools and insights you need to reach the next level. Together we'll accelerate the path to growth, success, and most importantly, impact
Maria Cairo (00:51):
The best keynotes start movements and incite change, and when you couple an electrifying speech with a project that fuels audience engagement, the result is lightning in a bottle. What I’m talking about here is a book. That’s where our friends at Amplify Publishing Group come in. With twenty-plus years of experience and helmed by some of the industry’s most renowned veterans, including bestselling author and global superstar Mel Robbins, the team at Amplify knows not only how to produce a fantastic book, but how to leverage that book and make it work for you, your brand, and your business.I’m an author, and I didn’t know the power of having a book until I published one! One of the greatest delights is connecting with my audience about the principles in my books. And Amplify not only knows books, they know this business. They know the world of keynote speaking and thought leadership, and have published CEOs, executives, they take positioning—and how the book will work for you—into consideration at every step of the way. Whether you have a one-line concept or a comprehensive outline, Amplify is ready to work with you. To schedule an exploratory call, visit amplifypublishing.com/micdrop now. MicDrop listeners will also receive an exclusive editorial one-pager tailored to their concept after their call. That’s amplifypublishing.com/micdrop.
Josh Linkner (01:43):
Welcome to another episode of Mic Drop, where today we have the privilege of hosting an extraordinary guest. Paul Mobley is a celebrated photographer and keynote speaker, and he brings his unique perspective on capturing the essence of humanity through his lens and through his words. Paul's journey in photography is a testament to perseverance and passion. From his early days struggling in New York City to a life-changing opportunity, working with the iconic Annie Liebowitz, Paul's story is one of dedication and artistic evolution. His career is marked by a transition from the initial struggles of a starving artist to achieving success as one of the most notable and important photographers of our generation. As a portrait photographer, Paul focuses not just on the visual, but also on the essence of his subjects. His philosophy transcends the technical aspects of photography, delving into the importance of communication and deeper connection with subjects.
(02:39):
This approach has allowed him to capture soulful portraits of people from all walks of life, from farmers and centenarians to famous celebrities. Paul's work as a keynote speaker parallels his photographic ethos. He explores themes of basic human kindness, connection, and the importance of being present in the moment. His journey from capturing images to sharing insights on stage offers valuable lessons for leaders and creatives alike. In this episode, we explore Paul's artistic journey, his approach to both photography and speaking, and the wisdom he's gleaned from a lifetime behind the lens. Join us today for an inspiring conversation that delves into the art of capturing the soul, both through images and words. Paul Mobley, welcome to Mic Drop.
Paul Mobley (03:30):
How you doing, Josh? Great to be here.
Josh Linkner (03:32):
I'm so excited for our conversation today. I, I hold you in such high regard as a, as really a, a brilliant artist, even transcending, whether it's photography or, or keynote speaking, just, just a pure artist. But I wanna get back to the earlier parts of your, your photography career. Um, just like many speakers, I'm sure you're getting started and you're, you know, kind of starving artist, and then eventually you broke through to the point where you had a sustainable practice. Was there a tipping point or were there any sort of big milestones where you transcended from that sort of entry level starving artist vibe to a, to a more sustainable, uh, practice of success?
Paul Mobley (04:03):
You know, I was in New York, um, struggling like all artists and just kept grinding away, grinding away. And on one particular day I remember feeling like I was walking down fifth Avenue and there were a million people, and I thought, what am I doing here? And pretty much like a lot of other guys thought about giving up and maybe just taking a regular nine to five situation and got a phone call from Annie Liebowitz studio and went there the next day and everything changed.
Josh Linkner (04:38):
So when you, when you went there, what, what were you tasked to do? Did I, did you work alongside her or how, how did that unfold?
Paul Mobley (04:46):
Oh, no, I started, as you know, of course I wanted to work alongside with her, but I ended up being the fourth assistant, which was getting coffee, cleaning toilets, uh, running errands. And if I was lucky, getting a peak of her working. Uh, but just to be in that environment, um, I felt like that was the first bit of momentum that I had. And, you know, I got my degree in photography, but as, as you can imagine, learned so much in New York City that you can't learn in college. And I just felt like that was a day. Um, you know, there's been four or five, what I would call key moments in my life that I'll never forget, uh, especially career-wise. And that was one of many. But at that point I felt like, you know what? I may as well keep going and, and just keep plugging along.
Josh Linkner (05:38):
So you're, you're cranking along getting coffee and cleaning toilets and such. Um, but I'm sure that, that that was an incredible learning experience as, as speakers, you know, we're, I've learned so much from, from my mentors. What, what are some of the things that you learned from, from, you know, at least working in the same environment as Annie Lebowitz?
Paul Mobley (05:53):
You know, I, I think it was more about, uh, being a better communicator. I'm a portrait photographer, as you know, Josh, and, you know, people ask me all the time about the camera and what kind of camera do I use in equipment, and it's so irrelevant, uh, for me. I almost think of it as like a surgeon uses a scalpel. It's just a tool to do what's in my mind and in my heart. And I think what I learned working in New York City with a lot of different photographers was the communication skills and really the business of photography. You know, the businesses, I'd love to sit here and tell you that I spend 90% of my day behind the camera taking pictures, but it's about 10%. The other 90% is the business, chasing the jobs, dealing with the publicists, dealing with all of the, uh, the weeds that I would call, um, when you get that 30 or 60 or half a day and, you know, onset, that's the joy of it all. But it's really a small percentage of my day-to-day life.
Josh Linkner (06:57):
It's very similar to obviously, as, you know, keynote speakers who spend a small portion of their life on stage and a lot of their lives preparing to be on stage, whether it's the preparation of content or practicing, or of course the business of speaking. Um, what are some things that you think professional speakers can learn from professional photographers?
Paul Mobley (07:14):
Um, you know, it's the same kind of thing. Preparation, you know, I'm getting ready to leave to go to New York, and it's a lot of travel for the next two days to speak for one hour, right? Um, and all I'm thinking about right now is the preparation. You know, even though I've given this keynote quite a bit, I'm still wanting how can I make it better? Um, I, is there something in the audience that maybe I'm missing? Um, what's this group like? So for me, uh, when I'm doing a photo shoot of somebody famous or somebody important, or just a regular person, the more I know about them, the better I think I'm gonna do, uh, when it's time to, to do the work. And it's the same thing with a keynote. I wanna know about the room, I wanna know about the lighting, how many people are in the audience, is it mostly male? Is it, you know, husband and wives? And all of that for me, gives me just more preparation to do, to do the best I can. Um, when I'm on stage.
Josh Linkner (08:14):
I know that when you're working as a photographer, doing a portrait job, um, getting through to them can be difficult. Sometimes people put up a barrier, an emotional barrier, and I know you're very, very good at, I, I've witnessed it myself. Your ability to sort of break, break that down and, and ultimately really connect with your subjects. How, how have you broken down some of those emotional walls? And maybe what can speakers do in the same way? Because they're trying to break down emotional walls for those who may be resistant to their message, who are sitting in the audience in front of them.
Paul Mobley (08:42):
You know, whenever I, um, in, in photography, sometimes just like in, in a keynote, you get an hour, you get 45 minutes, you, you wanna stay on time. When you, uh, same thing in photography. I might get 15 minutes with somebody that's very famous. Uh, if I'm lucky, I get an hour. But I think about how do I wanna use that time, Josh, do I wanna, you know, approach somebody who may not want their picture taken and just put a camera right in their face before I even shake their hands? Probably not. But if I only have five minutes, do I gamble and say, you know what? I know that person likes to fly fish, so did my father. I'm gonna take three minutes and talk about fly fishing. It's only gonna gimme two minutes to take the picture, but may very well be the difference between a very stale, uh, soulless picture and something that really captures the spirit of who they are.
(09:36):
When I'm speaking, it's kind of the same way. I, I'm, I'm never not nervous when I walk on stage. Uh, you know, we all talk about this and I think another great speaker said, if you're not nervous before they announce your name, get out. You know, you've gotta have that fire. Uh, and, and there's not a time where just for that minute when they're doing my introduction, I'm sitting there fumbling, and as soon as I get on stage, but, but I, I just try to use the same move around the stage, know that these people are there to see you. I, I kind of remind myself that I have something to share and something to offer, and that I wanna share it with them. And so the audience is, is there to see me. And that's kind of like my mindset. And it, it, it gets me through rather than feeling like, oh my gosh, there's 500 people standing there criticizing or critiquing me, and they're looking at their phones and, you know,
Josh Linkner (10:37):
Well, you, you, of course, they're, they're there to see you. And, and you are very good at seeing them. I, you and I have talked quite at length about this notion of discovering the soul of your subjects. I know you do a beautiful job of that when you're doing portrait work and, and, and in keynotes as well. Can you unpack that for us a little bit? What do you mean by discovering the soul of your subjects? And, and how can we sort of apply some of those lessons as speakers?
Paul Mobley (10:57):
You know, Josh, whether you're taking a portrait, trying to sell, uh, trying to be a good salesman, just trying to make a good connection or, or even be a good person, a good friend. Um, you know, for me, I, I feel like everybody has something to offer, something to say, whether it's the janitor, whether it's the CEO. And, and for me, I've always tried to take a very humble approach with people, whether I'm photographing them, speaking to them, shaking their hand, and, and, and, and try to find who they are. 'cause I found some of the joys in life that I've had have been just the little moments that I've had with somebody on the street, or somebody that waited in line an hour and a half for me to sign their book and told me about their grandfather who was 106. And you know, how my keynote really touched, uh, and, and brought them right back to the times they spent their dad or their grandfather. Um, I think it's all about trying to be not only a good human being, but but, but show some care and kindness to your fellow human.
Josh Linkner (12:03):
Yeah. It's so good. I mean, and you, you've obviously been with such incredibly successful people, but you always exude humility, which I think is very, not only disarming, but but also very authentic to who you are. Um, I, I wanna say just for a moment on photography before we get into your speaking work, um, at a very tactical basis, sorry to ask such a tactical question, but as, as a, you know, one of the world's leading photographers, what should we speakers be thinking about our own portraits and our, our own photography and the using that as an asset to promote our speaking business? Any, any sort of insights that we, we speakers should understand from, from one of the world's best photographers?
Paul Mobley (12:35):
You know, I think that, um, there's a lot of photographers that will just, I, I say run around and snap the button, you know, that's not necessarily gonna get you the best, you know, unless you're a supermodel that does this every day. Somebody who is just running around pushing the button is probably gonna capture a great portrait of a, of a model who does that every day. But for folks that, that haven't had their picture taken much, don't like to have their picture taken, I think it's important to, you know, if, if you do hire a photographer or do get some pictures done, um, try to explain in detail what you're looking for, and that the, at the end of the day, the picture needs to look like Josh, or it's gotta look like Paul, or, you know, 'cause if it, if it, if it isn't our true self, you know, we know it and, and we can't share it and put it on our websites if it's not who we really are. So, you know, you, you've heard a million times be yourself, but kind of the same comes through when having a portrait taken is just be yourself. And hopefully the photographer will capture that. Um, and, and it'll, it'll help your brand when you're promoting your speaking.
Josh Linkner (13:50):
One of the things I love about your photography is that you really, you said be yourself. You really have have done a, an incredible job capturing capturing people's true essence, their souls. Uh, I've seen your work with celebrities, um, but, but equally impressive as your work with people that, that we've never heard of. You work with American farmers, you work with firefighters, the you work with, with centenarians. How did you start to choose those themes? I know you've written books on each of the ones I just mentioned, but how did you decide I'm gonna do a whole portrait book on, on, on, on farmers or on centenarians?
Paul Mobley (14:20):
Well, farmers, um, which is kind of the basis of my keynote was basically a, a summer that I was burned out. I was shooting, um, every day, two, three times a day and needed a break from commercial photography. So I decided to go up to my cabin in northern Michigan and, uh, not take a single picture. And on the second or third day that I was there, I walked into a coffee shop. I'd been going in there forever. And on that day, there were four farmers sitting there. And my wife looked at me and she goes, you're not gonna do it, are you? And I said, honey, look at the faces. And she goes, but what about taking the summer off? I said, oh, I just have to go. I just wanna go say hi to the guys. You know, they were all gruffy dirty.
(15:03):
I mean, portraits, like, you can't make up in your mind. And so what happened was, on that particular project, I asked the guys if I could photograph 'em. They said, you know, why, why would you wanna photograph us? But come on over. And that summer, Josh, instead of, you know, doing nothing for photographically, I feel like my career was reborn. 'cause I went out and photographed every farmer in that county and discovered the joy of photography. I mean, there was a time when I would get a call and have a high pressure shoot, and I would put the camera in my hands and literally start shaking. And so that project really, which was the start of all the books that I did, um, I think reminded me why I got into it in the first place. Um, and, and then each book kind of followed afterwards.
(15:52):
You know, I had photographed a lot of centenarians, a lot of, a lot of farmers lived to be over a hundred, and was obviously very tickled by not only what they looked like, but the stories they had to tell. So immediately I thought, this would be a great book. Let's do a book on a hundred year olds. Took it back to the same publisher. She said, that would be amazing. And that's how that book went. So, to answer your question, in, in short form, it's, I, I tend to like to photograph things that interest me, firemen. I mean, it just, those guys are, you know, the toughest guys. And so full of heart and soul and kindness and blood and sweat and tears. Um, hard to make a bad picture of those guys too.
Josh Linkner (16:36):
I feel like your ability to tell their stories is remarkable. And you're obviously adding to them and, and, and sharing their, their honor and respect. And at the same time, I think you're learning from that, and it's informing who you are as a, as an artist and as a person. Um, and just as you know, I gave a keynote this morning to a large company, and I hopefully shared some ideas with them, but I learned from them too. We're always learning and, and contributing at the same time. I remember, Paul, you told me a story of a woman, um, who you, you took a beautiful shot. I've seen the photo. Uh, there was some boots, there was a flag. Um, would you maybe share that story with us? Because I think it's instructive of how you're able to really connect with the soul of your subject, bringing their story to life, and also learning, and it's informing your, your own work as, as a human being and an artist.
Paul Mobley (17:16):
Well, my second book was called Everyday Heroes, where I went all over the country and photographed everyday people that pretty much Josh had given up their regular careers to help others. It was amazing people that had successful careers, doctors, business people that found something they were passionate about, quit it and went full force into their foundation or their charity work. And I had heard about a woman, uh, we had a list of subjects, and I heard about a, a, a young woman in Texas named Taryn Davis, and she had lost her husband in the war. So, um, she had, uh, to help her with grieving, she, uh, decided that there were many widows across the country that had the same issue. They had lost their husband and they couldn't grieve, uh, didn't know how to grieve, didn't know how to carry on. And what Taryn did was she decided that she would form a club, call it 10 women turned to 20 to 40 that could get together on the internet, have phone calls, and it was like a weekly game of cards where they would all sit on the phone or on the computer and talk about what they were dealing with.
(18:31):
And it helped them. And that grew from 10 to to 20 or 30,000 people. So when I went to photograph her, like I do with everybody, it, you know, I did a little research and I said to her, I said, you know, Taryn, if there's any props or anything that you wanna bring, uh, that remind you of Michael or anything, her husband, please bring them. So I remember, uh, pulling in down a dusty road to her ranch and pulling in and her getting out of an old pickup truck. I mean, it's, it's as visual as it could be right now, thinking about it. And, you know, she got out, really beautiful young woman. Um, you could see it in her eyes. There was a sadness there. But we talked, I went to, you know, position her and I found the right spot. Next thing you know, I said, did you bring anything?
(19:21):
And she said, yes, I did. We walked over to the truck and she had a pair of muddy boots, and she handed the boots to me and said, these were the boots Michael was in when he was killed. Um, I take them with me everywhere I go to remind me of him. I know he's always with me, Josh. I'm like, you know, pins and needles now. I, I'm like, I've got my picture in my mind. I've already got the sky, the windmill, the, the, the rickety fence, and now I'm just gonna have her hold the boots, so I'm good. I'm ready to go. And she said, oh, and one more thing. And I said, what's that? And she hands me a box and I opened the box up and it's a flag. And she said, and I brought the flag that they sent Michael back in, um, that they wrapped his casket with.
(20:12):
I'm like, so full of emotion at this point. I don't know if I can even make this picture, but I know I have to. So we started with the boots. Next thing you know, I took the flag and draped it over her. And, and I just said the sun was a certain way. And I said, Hey, Taryn, you know what? I think Michael's with us right now. Um, just look up to the sun. Look to the sky and think of him, and let's both, you know, let's just think of him right now. And, you know, they always say, Josh, it's in the eyes. The light hit her. And I snapped the picture, and it's, it's one of my favorite images. It's just, um, and it's not to me, when I think of it, I don't think, oh, I'm a great photographer. And that was a great image, I think of that moment that, you know, the two of us having that moment and me being able to do that for her and, and give her something, um, it was all about her in that moment.
Maria Cairo (21:18):
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(21:34):
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Josh Linkner (22:30):
That's an incredible example of, of true artistry, of capturing that moment, of bringing her soul to the surface of telling a story. Um, and, and also speaking of telling a story, you told that story beautifully. Um, and it's probably a good segue to understand how your work as a photographer has transitioned now to your work as a, as a professional speaker. I know that, um, someone had read your book and you started your, your book on farmers. You started speaking a lot to agricultural folks, and you've since expanded that. I'd love for you to help us understand like what drew you to speaking. What, what, what's calling you to continue to, to invest in, in that work, in addition to your photography? Um, how, how have you decided to have yet another lane to express your artistic, uh, ideas?
Paul Mobley (23:11):
You know, I had done that farmer book and, um, I was really proud of it, um, because of what it was, the people I met along the way. And as you said, how I was changed by, you know, going to over 400 farms across the country and listening to their lives and their stories, I started getting asked by farm bureaus, Hey, we saw those pictures. Would you be willing to come to our, uh, annual meeting and do a talk and show the pictures? I had never spoke. Uh, my dad was a great speaker. Uh, he was one of those guys that could, you know, make friends with anybody in a coffee shop at any time. But, so I basically just put together, um, call it a slideshow. It's grown to much bigger than that, but I chose 20 or 30 of my pictures, Josh, and turned it into me standing up on stage talking to farmers and telling the stories, which was really about a city boy who had never been on a farm, but this is what I learned from you.
(24:11):
And a speaker's agent happened to see me at one of those and said, I think we can do big things together. And we, we turned that into a, a big multimedia presentation with music. And obviously it's, it's evolved into what it is today, but I, I think I've given that speech over 175 times. And, um, it never gets old, Josh. It never gets old. I just felt like I needed to expand because there were other people saying, you know, what about the story about this person? And people always ask me about these pictures. So I thought, you know, the, the agricultural space is a wonderful space, but it's narrow. And I had thought about, um, just widening my reach and, and speaking less about me as a photographer, but what I could, what I've learned from being behind the lens 30 years and, and how any audience could benefit from it.
Josh Linkner (25:15):
And so now you've, as mentioned, expanded your reach beyond the farming community, agriculture to reach audiences and leaders of, of all shapes and sizes, and bringing this message of what you've learned from 30 years behind the lens. What are some of the key themes? We talked about discovering the soul of your subject and, and sort of disarming them with kindness. What are some of the other themes that you bring out that are not just an expression of, of how you shoot photography, but of what leaders can, can embrace to, to become better at their own craft?
Paul Mobley (25:40):
You know, there's a, a part I talk about, look up to see beyond, um, that, you know, there's a lot of in-between moments that happen, um, in life. Forget about photography. And I think you need to be aware of those things, whether it is entertaining a client trying to, to, to move up in your career, trying to be better at what you do. It's, it's the picture in between. The picture is what I kind of speak about. And it's, um, you have to know and be aware, but sometimes that's the key to, to success in any genre. I, I speak about that. I speak a lot about, um, being in a society, Josh, that is so full of electronics and phones and, and, and, and what about, let's slow it down. Let's go back a little bit to basic human kindness, A handshake. I remember a, a a farmer telling me, you know, we were, we were talking about something and I said, should we do a contract together? And he put his hand out and he said, my handshake is, is, is better than any contract you'll ever have. Um, and, and I think it's, it's all about in this fast-paced world, how can we bring a little more humanity and basic human kindness, um, to to, to our everyday lives?
Josh Linkner (27:06):
One of the stories you told me, and I'd love for you to share here, here today is, uh, was it was about that it was about real connection with somebody who was a little gruff. It was a, it was a, a, a farmer, i, I, I recall, and, and his sons and I, I know you mailed him something. Would you mind just sharing that beautiful story with us?
Paul Mobley (27:21):
So I, um, what I noticed a lot in farming was hard work. It's, it is a common theme. You don't go to a farm and see people on their phones and being lazy. The whole family's out there working. So I went to a farm to photograph dad. I always tell this story in my keynote, um, his name was Keith. And I got out there and saw Keith, and he, you know, met me in the driveway and said, great to meet you, Paul. And first thing I noticed was his three boys, three handsome boys, all in the flannel shirts, dirty, really working, carrying stuff, working together. And I said, I said, dad, you know, we we're only, uh, really supposed to only photograph you that was on my worksheet, but hey, I'd love to take a picture of you and your boys. And he said, oh, that would be amazing.
(28:11):
He said, I've never had a picture of me and my sons. And I said, really? Now these boys, Josh, are in their twenties. And I said, I'm curious, why not? And he says, we're always working. We don't have time. So I said, great. So I remember posing them, putting the dad in the back, and the three boys in the middle looking through the camera thinking he's gonna die when he sees this. There was such an honesty. Um, and, and, and they were all just peering right through the camera, right through the lens and into my soul. And I remember thinking, when he sees this, he's gonna be really happy. So I took the picture and was so captured by that moment, that engagement with that family, that when I got back to New York, I quickly had my assistant make a print. I love sending prints to people.
(29:01):
Um, it's kind of like the greatest gift you can give, right? If you're a photographer. So I sent the print off to him, and a couple of weeks later, I, I get a phone call from him, um, and he says, Hey, Paul, and this is Keith. And I said, hi, Keith. And you know, he basically said to me, you know, I walked down to my mailbox and opened my mailbox, saw a manila envelope with your name on it, he said, and I opened it up with my wife at the kitchen table, and I'm walking through the sequences like this in my keynote, because he said, and as soon as I opened the manila envelope, the phone went dead. And I thought, oh my gosh, I lost him. And it didn't go dead, Josh, he was sobbing, and I could hear him sobbing and him saying to me, I'm sorry to break down Paul, but, um, these boys mean so much to me. And to get this from you, um, means everything. We're gonna hang this above our, uh, fireplace, and I'll cherish it forever. And I kind of talk about the fact that as a photographer, it's a tough business. I'm in a very hard business, and very, very few of us succeed. But when you're able, whether you're a beginner, amateur, or a professional to, to move somebody to tears by just sending them a picture that you did, it's priceless, Josh. It's priceless. Hmm.
Josh Linkner (30:30):
When there's so many parallels to that type of work, your, your care for the craft, your service of others, your, your beautiful ability to tell a story, in this case with, with photography, uh, there's so many parallels to, to what we're doing in speaking. So I think that's such an illustrative example for us as speakers. Not, not only as, of course, uh, hearing what you did with the camera, um, you've, you've taken portraits of amazing people, famous, not famous. Is there a portrait that you're most proud of? But I know it's sort of like asking someone who's your favorite kid, you know, but like, is there one or two photos like that that you're just, you, you really feel that that's indicative of, of your calling and your work?
Paul Mobley (31:05):
Well, you know, doing this 30 years, that's a really hard question. A lot of times when a picture makes me smile that I've done Josh, it's not the technically best image. It didn't win any awards. It was that moment, that engagement with the subject. Um, you know, there's a picture that I took of Walter Jackson who's in my, um, farmer book, and he's 104 year old, uh, orange Farmer. And I remember he was one of the very first centenarians that I photographed, but he was just this little tiny little man. And, you know, uh, as soon as I saw him, I thought, every picture I take of this man is gonna be beautiful. He had just little white whiskers, and he was really an amazing guy. And, um, we were talking, and at the end, um, he was just so jovial and said, you know, I put four boys through college with this orange growing.
(32:01):
It's been a great career for me. Um, and I asked him, at the end, we're leaving, and I really didn't wanna leave. I was almost tearful getting ready to pack up and leave. 'cause I thought, Josh, he's 103, I'm probably not gonna see him again. But it was such a one of those guys, you just wanted a hug and say, you know, Walter, I love you. You're a beautiful spirit, you know? And I remember leaving and saying, Hey, Walter, you know, what's the key to long life? And he looked at me and said, be kind to your friends. Be kind to your neighbors, love your family. And he looked up in the sky and said, and the good lord's always been good to me. And, you know, it's just, that picture means a lot to me, just because of the expression on his face combined with that story. Um, there's so many, you know, there's so many. But I think when you really break it down, it's not the most famous person I photographed. It was that particular moment that I had during the session, you know,
Josh Linkner (33:06):
So just rounding it out on photography, and then we will have a couple closing thoughts. But, um, you, you've mentioned these incredible subjects and none of them are famous. And meanwhile, you've, you've, you've photographed, you know, done portraits of some of the most famous people in the world. You've shot Mike Tyson, Ringo Starr, Amy Schumer, Trevor Noah, Sammy Hagar, Tracy Morgan, and others. Um, are there any celebrities left on your sort of photographic bucket list?
Paul Mobley (33:30):
Oh, it never ends, you know, uh, yes, there's quite a few. I'm still chasing Dave Chappelle. Um, he's promised me, um, sometimes for me, it's not the most famous person. It's the one that I think I can make a great image of, you know, um, Jerry Seinfeld's on there. Um, there's so many Morgan Freeman, it's, it, it's people that I, I think I can do a great portrait of rather than, you know, I'm sitting here thinking, well, if I photograph Justin Bieber, I don't know what I'm gonna do with him. You know what I mean? Some, some people would, would, would love to photograph Justin Bieber. And, and of course I would too. But I feel like I'd probably do a better job with Morgan Freeman or Dave Chappelle, because, you know, I'm, I'm a little more into their craft. I'm, I'm, I'm, I love what they do. Uh, that's the same with musicians. A lot of times I photograph musicians that I just love the music. 'cause as, you know, being a musician, it, it speaks to me. And, um, I wanna see where that can go.
Josh Linkner (34:32):
We've done portraits of amazing people all over the world, and I hope that today we've done at least an audio portrait of you as, as an incredible artist, a speaker, a thought leader, a kind contributor, and, and someone that we can all admire. I wanted to leave you with one last question, Paul, in the same way that you asked the Orange Farmer, as you are parting, said, Hey, what's, what's the secret to a, to a good life? I'd love for you to just share any last wisdom for us as speakers, as thought leaders of those like you that wanna contribute and make the world a better place. Any, any final pieces of advice for us as we close out the portrait today on you?
Paul Mobley (35:03):
I have found, um, some of the most successful people that I've ever photographed have said, be nice, be nice to people. In the end, it will get you a long way. Um, and I, I, I'm so many times in a situation where there's a lot of egos, a lot of gatekeepers, nobody's nice. And to me, it's so great when somebody says, oh my gosh, you're so nice. And I'll say, yeah, I grew up in the Midwest. And they'll laugh. And, but for me, it's, it's not only basic human kindness. I, I, I have this theory about walking the earth lightly. And, you know, i, I kinda live by those rules is that if you're nice to people, do the best work you can. Try not to forget a hello or a goodbye or a handshake. Things usually work out in the end.
Josh Linkner (36:00):
Well, what a great way to end our conversation. You've walked the earth lightly, but left an incredible, um, fingerprint and, and, and a shadow, uh, of, of greatness. I, again, I have so much admiration for your work, and I know you'll continue to soar both in the world of photography and of course, the world of keynote speaking. Paul Mobley, thank you so much for being my guest today on Mic Drop.
Paul Mobley (36:18):
Thanks so much, Josh. Great to be here.
Josh Linkner (36:30):
This brings us to the end of today's episode with remarkable Paul Mobley. His journey from the intricate world of photography to the impactful realm of keynote speaking reminds us that artistry and storytelling are about more than just the tools we use. They're about the connections we make and the souls we touch.
(36:48):
Paul's insights into the essence of his subjects, whether captured through his camera or expressed in his speeches, reminds us of the power of authenticity, empathy, and human connection. His stories from capturing the fleeting moments on a farm to his profound encounters with centenarians teaches us that the value is to look beyond the surface and find the true spirit of our subjects. As we sign off today, let's take with us the lessons of kindness, humanity, and the art of genuine connection that Paul Mobley so beautifully embodies. Whether behind a lens or in front of an audience, the ability to capture and convey the soul's essence is a gift that resonates deeply and universally. Thanks for joining us on Mic Drop. Keep seeking those moments that connect us all in photographs, words, and life. Until next time, keep creating, keep connecting and keep sharing your stories. Thank thanks so much for joining me on another episode of Mic Drop. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows. If you love the show, please share it with your friends, and don't forget to give us a five star review. For show transcripts and show notes, visit mic drop podcast.com. I'm your host, Josh Linkner. Thanks so much for listening, and here's to your next mic drop moment.