Meet Erik Stone

We recently connected with Erik Stone and have shared our conversation below.

Erik, 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?
Having come from a family of creative types it became a natural thing to follow the same path. We have all heard of the writer who gets writers block. Creative powers stop. The big question is why and how to overcome it. This can happen in any form of creative expression. My creative interests include but not limited to, playing and creating music, drawing/ painting, photography, and writing. Do I get stuck at times? Most creative people will answer yes. The following steps may help.
1. Change your environment. Get out and take a visit to the beach or park and casually walk around or go on a hike or bike ride .It clears the mind. It is a reboot of sorts. Ideas start popping into the head.
2. Don’t worry about perfection. Creative people often are their own worst critics. This stops them from getting started. So, just get started without a plan. If you practice shooting basketball hoops at home without thinking about strategic moves one the court you have fun and your skill is honed. Similarly in art, or music or other creative pursuits just start. Don’t overthink it. Mistakes are part of the process.
3. Take breaks. It is not a speed contest. Work on something for a while. Take a short break. Call a friend. Enjoy the process.
4. Show interest in other’s creative work. See how they do it. We might get useful ideas on what they do or how they interpret their form of art.
5. Don’t be too rigid. Your way is not the only way. Experiment. Try new things.
6. Figure out your best creative times. Is it early in the morning? Or possibly late in the evening? Do it at those times. Set up a schedule to work on it.
7. Have all your materials/tools /equipment ready to go at all times. Use quality things.

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?
My focus is on my photography business. Photography was always fascinating to me since I was around nine years old. I could capture exciting moments in life and the beauty of creation. When I was 19 and 20 I took photo courses in college. I finally purchased a quality camera. My instructor entered one of my photos in an eleven statewide college contest, I won first place in the black and white division, I got side tracked and did not pursue it as a business for many decades. But I always would record important events by photos.
Then in 2009 I bought my first digital pro camera. It was amazing! Instead of the limits of film, the digital format meant that I could take thousands of pictures at a time and instantly see them. Then I could process them on the computer. I learned how to run many photo programs including Photoshop. I scanned hundreds of physical photos to digitize them. They were family photos. I wanted to make photo books so I started digitally cleaning up and enhancing all of them. I learned a new skill!
This made me think. I should fix, enhance or even restore photos for others as a business. I will also be selling prints of my better work. It is exciting because I love restoring things, I love photography. So it is doing things I love for a business.
I love music too. So I have come to know some bands and musicians. I take photos for a couple bands. This just expands my creative need.
A new opportunity just came up. There is a photo education page on Facebook that would have weekly photo challenges. Members submit their own photos. These would all be critiqued on a live stream. The page was going to be shut down by the owners so I offered to take it over. They said yes! I was having a little technical issue getting the live stream working so I called a popular tech show for advise. They featured me and had me give out the name of this page several times. That gave the page much exposure. Also I’m getting acquainted with many pro photographers. This is quite enjoyable as we exchange ideas and see each other’s work..
On the practical side I have done a lot of leg work for the business. This includes making a website, choosing a name for the business, having photo pages on social media, a business email, PayPal, and merchandise with my logo.
The business is a play on my last name: Etched in Stone Photography (https://erikstone.wixsite.com/etchedinstonephoto)

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Several things impact me in a good way on this journey. First of all I do not lose the excitement and love for what i do. It is a personal expression of my love for creativity. Secondly I keep learning and growing in my skills. So staying humble and learning from others is very important. Lastly, be tenacious, consistent, and don’t give up. The creative people I know are successful by lasting for years and not giving up when life throws them a curve. If you are starting out visualize where you will be in two years, five years, and so on. Make a plan and stick to it. But don’t be all business focused. Have a fun ride along the way. Bring others with you on the journey who will cheer you on.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
Both of my parents were creative in several ways. My father was a college music instructor and had some art skills. My mother was also quite musical and had a long list of artistic skills. I was constantly exposed to both forms of creativity. They were each very hard workers. I also was influenced by many of their friends who were also musical and artistic. It was literally in my blood to be the same way. My siblings have also have music and art interests.
So what they did for me is to be an example of living this love of creative things.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
All photos are mine

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