Meet Taylor Miller | Freelance Digital Artist | Media Producer and River Guide

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

Hi Taylor, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I took a huge risk in leaving my career as a teacher three years ago to pursue being a full time artist and river guide. Ever since taking that leap, risk has not gone away, in fact it has increased in my day to day life. Things are always changing. At this time in my life I am most grateful for my riskiest decisions. I’m so grateful that I get to create, explore, and share stories for a living. I would not be able to do these things comfortably without the kindness and support of my community (who are also a bunch of risk takers).

I have had to practice my approach to risk taking and embrace that change does not have to always feel chaotic. Rather, risk taking can serve as a great balance for my life, I can try the things I have always wanted to try and give myself the recognition that “at least I honored myself in trying” if I fail.

I find that the most comfortable way to take a risk is to see the outcome from all angles and accept that life is not a binary of good and bad, rather a mess of experiences that build on one another to make you the beautiful human that you are. Also a network of supportive friends, family and community makes risk taking A LOT more palatable.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a digital artist, media producer, and photographer. I was introduced to my camera while I was in the journalism program at NAU and my work has always had a heavy storytelling/photojournalism influence. I have always loved the magic of capturing the realness of a moment.

I work with all things digital and creative. I go on expeditions as a photographer, make hand drawn logos in pro create, design websites, conduct documentary interviews, collect b roll for films, sell prints of my Grand Canyon imagery and even make the occasional environmental advocacy sticker design.

I specialize in storytelling/branding digitally and I love creating work that reflects my passion for wild places.

I ended up where I am by trying new and hard things. I said yes to some pretty difficult outdoor adventures, I started teaching right out of college, I invested in continuing to learn outside of a university setting and I always took on new and challenging things in my life without letting go of a central focus of building community.

I think the most challenging thing I have faced as a creative professional is imposter syndrome, the self doubt that can be corrosive to the bigger picture of why I’m trying to do what I am doing. I’m so grateful to have diversified my interests and I love getting to work on a variety of projects. I’m at the point in my career where I view what I do as a tool to uplift others and that feels like a creative propeller.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The best time ever… I believe in quality, not quantity so we’d have to spend a couple nights in Grand Canyon…

Arrival Day 1: We’d take it easy, maybe go for a sunset walk around Buffalo Park. Read some Mary Oliver and then head downtown for Thai dinner at Dara Thai and then cocktails at the Annex.

Day 2: We’d prepare ourselves for a little adventure in Grand Canyon: packing, food gathering, gear sifting and then pick up some Taco Los Altos burritos to-go and sleep in the back of my truck at the rim for a sunrise start the next day!

Day 3: The start of a three day loop around Horseshoe Mesa! We’d start walking with the sun and jaunt down to Cotton Wood creek to bask beneath the trees and listen to the creek well before dark. Hopefully enjoy some delicious backcountry charcuterie and read some Terry Tempest Williams aloud for the canyon wrens to enjoy.

Day 4: We’d sleep in a little bit (8 am) and then head out for the Tonto Trail traveling East to some lovely views of the Colorado River and the Gorge. I’d probably practice my interp about John Hance and hopefully we’d encounter a bighorn or two. After lunch we’d step on the gas and ascend back up to the mesa to make our last day hiking out of the canyon a little easier on our legs.

Day 5: Waking up early to enjoy a canyon sunrise and begin the saunter up the walls of Coconino, Toroweap, and finally Kaibab to get to the top of the Rim, today’s the day for summiting the Grand View Trail. Once we top out we’ll sit and admire our bodies for taking us through the time warp that Grand Canyon is, and marvel at how far we walked. Then we’ll limp to the truck and head straight to town for a well earned meal at Diablo Burger and beers and the world famous Pay n’ Take.

Day 6: It’s a rest day, we’re sleeping in and enjoying coffee on the porch. We could drive up the back side of the peaks easy to access by car (we want limited movement, our bodies hurt) to locket meadow, where we’ll set up hammocks and take a lovely nap under the aspen trees and have lunch. When we’re ready we can head back to town to grab ingredients for a family style dinner where river friends will be in attendance and live music will be played and stories will be shared about the trips they just got off of.

Day 7: It’s time to head home but before you go we should pay tribute to the magnificent San Fransisco peaks. Depending on your energy level and determination we can admire them from afar or we can walk up to the tip top of them via the Humphreys trail.

This is my ideal itinerary for showing a friend my favorite things about where I live.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to dedicate my shoutout to my mentors and close friends who introduced me to the world of multi media storytelling, Grand Canyon, boating, and environmentalism/social justice work.

Alicyn Gitlin took me on my first backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon as her Sierra Club intern and that trip opened my heart to a place that I now consider my creative muse. My love for the canyon was influenced by her passion for protecting it and I deeply respect her continued efforts to advocate for Grand Canyon and the Colorado Plateau. Alicyn is a one woman army and I admire her passion for protecting wild places..

Amy Martin is an amazing photographer, storyteller, outdoor professional, mentor, and friend. I look up to her in every way and I am so honored to still work with her on creative projects. She is focused on uplifting the identity of those who’s stories are often not heard, her social justice oriented lens and admiration of the natural world has shaped me as an artist and I would not be were I am without her.

Rachel Cox is a professor of mine from Northern Arizona University and a very special friend. Rachel taught me all about place based storytelling and education. She has a magnificent story of her own and she made me feel so seen during the brightest and darkest days of my early 20’s. I attribute a lot of my style of storytelling and ability to connect to the greater community from what I learned from Rachel in and outside of the classroom.

Bec Kates, Amy Cricket Rust, and Margeaux Bestard have been the best supports one could ask for in entering the wild world of Grand Canyon boating. These three humans have held space for me in failing, celebrated my achievements, and taught me a whole heck of a lot about a world I am so grateful to be a part of. They are passionate people in and out of the canyon and give so much to their community. I admire the passions that they pour themselves into.

Website: taylormillerphoto.com

Instagram: tayymill

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayymill/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tayymillphoto

Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/taymill

Image Credits
Taylor Miller Photo LLC