We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alexander Wells. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alexander below.
Alexander , thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
By creating what I love. If I’m not 100% in love with a project, I put it down and get to work on something else. This attitude allows me the freedom to concentrate on what fuels my passion and avoid what doesn’t.
It also helps to not give myself deadlines. I create at my leisure, and that has allowed my imagination to thrive. If I was creating daily for the sake of content, I’d be burned out really quick.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m a photographer and indie filmmaker living in northeast Columbus. While I just recently started my filmmaking journey, I have years of experience being behind a camera with anything from capturing life’s little moments to taking photos out in nature, which has been a primary focus for the past few years. There’s just something uniquely wonderful about capturing the beauty of nature in whatever forms it might take.
Apart from photography, I also enjoy painting and have sold a few abstract pieces here and there.
It’s difficult to pick which pastime I enjoy more, but as I mentioned just now, there’s something uniquely wonderful about capturing the natural beauty of life through a camera lens.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think one of the most impactful things in my creative journey has been my ability to create without a plan. Much of my creative process hinges on, as the saying goes, “flying by the seat of my pants.” I rarely go into projects with an established plan and sometimes that process leads to a result that I couldn’t have anticipated. It helps keep creating fun and enjoyable.
Another impactful thing was having access to cameras from a young age. If I hadn’t been exposed to photography as a child, there’s no telling if it would have still become a passion of mine or if I’d be into something completely different.
Lastly, it really helped that the skill required to pursue this craft always came naturally to me. I’ve been told by quite a few over the years that I have a “good eye” for photography.
For those who are in the early days of their creative journeys, whether in photography or something else, I want them to recognize that what works for me might not be what will work for them – and that also goes for any creative veteran whom they might compare themselves to. Creation is a journey that is unique to each person. That said, it never hurts to listen to advice, and mine is to keep on creating. It takes 10,000 hours of work in order to be considered a master at a subject, and nobody ever achieved that overnight, so the best thing to do is to keep at it.
Hone your craft, whatever it may be, and listen to relevant advice from your creative peers and people with extra experience if you have the luxury to do so.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
The biggest obstacle currently in my way is finances. Being a visual artist, especially one trying to make a living out of it, isn’t easy or cheap. Unfortunately, being creative tends to be quite pricey.
To alleviate this issue, I started taking classes for specialized education in July of last year (2024), with the aim of attaining a higher paying job than what I had the credentials for at the time. My hope is to find a job that allows me to be creative at work and also allow me the freedom to continue to invest in my own creative journey.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weirdlystandard
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-gladwell-475797152
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@weirdlystandard
Image Credits
Alexander Wells
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