An interview with traveling videographer, Bronson Allison James
Interview by Jeremy Lux, article written by Eric Gasa
If you’ve read our last feature on Bronson James, “Fear and Loathing in Indonesia” then you have all the backstory you need on one guy’s crazy journey from being a bank consultant to getting blitzed on Bali moonshine somewhere in the south pacific and almost dying in a high speed moped crash. For the uninitiated though, if the last sentence wasn’t already enough of an introduction, James is a globetrotting videographer and brand ambassador for Illumine Collect, who one day at his menial job at a bank, got fed up, quit and took a hail Mary offer to fly down to Bali to shoot some skim boarding videos. It was a bit of a Secret Life of Walter Mitty moment that quickly unraveled into a disaster movie experience ala The Hangover. We’ll just say that nothing went according to plan.
Long story short, despite multiple scooter crashes, getting robbed, being detained by corrupt cops, and almost losing a toe, James’ chaotic adventure in Bali changed the course of his life forever. After living within the confines of pedestrian life he suddenly wanted more. Almost getting killed in Bali was a bit of a miracle for him; James had begun living for the first time.
For his second episode on the Life in Motion podcast, Jeremy Lux and Bronson James chat once again to discuss life after Bali, James’ ongoing travels, and how he’s building a brand about simply living more.
“So yeah, I used to work at a bank,” says James, “I always wanted to be this like business guy then I quickly realized how boring that and then I didn’t want to do it anymore. So I started making videos for companies and now I do it every day.”
So far, James’ videography has taken him to Hawaii, Indonesia, Malaysia, Italy, France, and most recently Germany. If there is anything James has learned from traveling the globe it’s that sometimes the best plan is no plan. When it comes to his endeavors he often let’s life take him wherever fate and opportunity arises. So far things have worked out pretty well for him.
James takes his latest trip to Germany for instance. Just like his fateful Bali trip, he received an email out of blue from a company needing a photographer to fly out and take photos of a new book bag.
In James’ words he sat there for a second and thought, “Well, I’ve always thought about going to Germany,” booked his ticket in that moment and was scheduled to fly out in a few days. Just like that. When life gives you an opportunity you seize it. And for James he’s noticed the more open he is to life’s whims the more often do they find him.
“The more I do this the more opportunities start coming up just everywhere I go,” he shrugs.
Fate seems to shine on the brave and spontaneous.
“I just remember at the bank sitting there and thinking, ‘I don’t want to be doing this anymore.’ And I’m seeing people around me who have been doing this same job for 40 years and then they retire,” James recalls.
“What kind of life is that?”
For James, his lifestyle is one of self-determinacy. He explains how most people just assume the notion that they should work an office job with a good 401K, only go on vacation when their boss says, keep working, then retire. James rejects this lifestyle with the alternative that people must truly take control of their lives if they want to do what they want.
This mantra of free living is what has inspired James’ #livemore brand which he launched last year. If you visit his Instagram you’ll find pics of all of the destinations James has visited, each on tagged with #livemore. With this hashtag James hopes to inspire other people to do the same and expect more from life.
“I’ve had a couple people message me and say, ‘You know what, I see you taking a risk and putting yourself out there and you're doing this with like no experience and well, you’ve inspired me. I'm going to go make this move to a different state and follow this career that I've been wanting to do,’” says James.
Little messages like that reminds James that he must be doing something right with the life that he’s chosen. And for those seeking to take a trip on the wild side, whether that’s booking a plane ticket to god knows where or maybe just taking a chance on that job you’ve always wanted, James can only give a resounding ‘yes.’
“It’s all life experience,” he says, “especially if you’re young. You’ve got a whole life in front of you to take chances and experience different things. Nothing is going to happen unless you just go do it.”
If there is anything to learn from James’ story it’s that life certainly doesn’t wait for the timid.
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You can connect with Bronson James on his Instagram @bronsonjamesallison, or Snapchat BronsonAllison, and check out his gear at www.livemoreshop.com To hear more about Bronson James’ travels and adventures, like the 200 man four wheeler race he went on the other week or his trip to Germany, listen to his full interview with Jeremy Lux on the Life in Motion podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Play.