Meet Yeager Anderson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Yeager Anderson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Yeager, so happy to have you with us today. You are such a creative person, but have you ever head any sort of creativity block along the way? If so, can you talk to us about how you overcame or beat it?

No matter where you are in your creative journey, you’re bound to face creative blocks repeatedly. While many people have different approaches to dealing with these blocks, I want to share some of my personal strategies that have helped me move past my own creative obstacles.

One of my favorite techniques for getting out of a creative rut is to seek inspiration outside of my own niche or artistic discipline.

For example, I do a lot of gelled portraits, which require specific techniques to execute properly. However, I might introduce those same techniques when doing a product photo shoot.

Another example would be incorporating posing techniques from a boudoir photo shoot into a wedding photo shoot.

I also seek inspiration outside of my discipline altogether. You can gain a lot of insights from classical artists, especially when it comes to photography.

Any photographer who has studied lighting understands the significance of Rembrandt. Rembrandt lighting is often the go-to technique for photographing portraits.

Another strategy I use to break free from creative blocks is to limit the number of tools or resources I allow myself to use. Creative people, especially those using specialized equipment, can fall into the trap of having too many options, leading to decision fatigue and undermining their ability to produce anything.

A third technique I use to keep my creative juices flowing is having personal projects to turn to when I’m unable to focus on a work project. For example, I am currently working on a project where I photograph boring objects in interesting ways. This project doesn’t bring me any income and is done purely for my own enjoyment and the challenge of pursuing something creative.

While there are many other techniques discussed on the internet, these are some of the unconventional strategies I use to move past my creative blocks. Hopefully, they will serve you well as you pursue your own creative career.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a professional marketer during the day and a photographer on the side. I think it’s important to make this distinction because many people idealize breaking out of the 9-to-5 and pursuing a full-time creative career. While I admire those who do this successfully, I see nothing wrong with having a traditional job and building your dream on the side.

The skills I develop as a digital marketer benefit my photography business, and the tools and techniques I gain as a photographer enhance the quality of my marketing work. There’s a symbiotic relationship between these two disciplines, and I am fortunate to pursue both simultaneously. This dual path allows me to express my individuality as a business owner while enjoying the security of a steady income.

While pursuing a full-time career as a photographer may be a long-term goal, I find great value in my current situation.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

First, it’s extremely important to have mentors as part of your entrepreneurial journey. Mentors are invaluable because they offer knowledge and experience that you don’t have. By having a relationship with these individuals, you can avoid their mistakes and increase the odds of your success at a faster pace.

So, the next question might be: who should you choose as your mentor?

For me, the qualities I look for in a mentor are intelligence and technical knowledge of the craft I’m pursuing (for me, that would be photography). I also want someone who will be both kind and critical when giving me feedback. I don’t want to work with someone who is mean, but I also don’t want someone who undermines my success by simply telling me what I want to hear and placating my ego.

Questions you might ask yourself when choosing a mentor include:

– Do I want to have a long-term relationship with this person?
– Does this person have a track record of success?
– Does this person manage their finances well?
– Does this person express an interest in and willingness to learn and grow?

Once you identify someone to be your mentor, it’s crucial to ensure that you improve the quality of their life because they are taking time out of theirs for you. However, once you do, it can be a wonderful relationship that can last a lifetime.

The second thing that has greatly helped me and my business is my dedication to learning and growing. It’s essential to constantly learn from others who are better than you in your current craft or discipline and strive to be better.

Finally, it’s extremely important to know how to market your business. If you don’t know how or don’t have the time, outsource your marketing to someone who does. It’s a sad fact that simply being good at your craft is not enough to become a successful business owner. The truth is, the only thing that really matters is your marketing and branding.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am looking for individuals to collaborate with, specifically photographers from around the country interested in exchanging blog posts.

Backlinks—links on websites other than your own that point to your website—are essential for improving your search engine optimization (SEO). I would love to exchange blog posts with photographers who understand the importance of digital marketing and have active blogs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yeagerandersonphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeagerphoto/

Image Credits

Yeager Anderson