Profile – Robert Christopher Woolley – Photographer

Submitted photo

Robert Christopher Woolley is embarking upon his junior year at Ball State University. While most students his age are just emerging from the undecided realm, Woolley, 20, has a recklessly beautiful future. 

Robert is one of those kids who seems to love just everything. He bikes, he volleys, he Frisbees, and yet his biggest vice is that, throughout all of this, he cannot bring himself to put down his camera. “As a child, I would incessantly draw on sketchpads while lying in the center of my room,” he says. “Eventually photography became something that allowed me to more quickly express any artistic urge.” What began as a hobby of his brother’s quickly evolved into his passion, and eventually he got a camera with the capacity to keep up. “Like any art or design, photography offers people a lot to consider very quickly,” he says. His Canon Powershot S1IS opened his eyes to different photographic perspectives and introduced him to manual photography, which he continues to use. 

His decision to pursue photojournalism came when the director of his high school yearbook, Jim Lang, suggested he spend the week at the Indiana High School Press Association’s journalism immersion workshop at Indiana University. 

Woolley’s style is typically more intimate than most photojournalism — a little more selfish and opinionated. “I would describe myself as a photographer who is willing to shoot for himself first,” he says, although he recognizes that gigs like shooting weddings may factor in to his life-after-college plan. “Interestingly enough, the plan for the meantime is to take my Spanish language and photojournalism degrees to Santiago, Chile, and work freelance for newswire photography agencies and destination weddings.” 

Keep up with Woolley at www.rcwoolley.com. —Jess Mahanes