Meet Justin Allen

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

Justin , so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

Creativity can be hard to come by at times, but the easiest way that I’ve found to spur mine into action is by emulation. I don’t mean straight up plagiarizing someone’s style, but if you take inspiration from multiple people, and apply that to your own endeavors, I think you can learn new things that you’ll be able to motivate you in your creative career. Learning and evolving are the only ways that I’ve found to stay motivated and creative. I feel stale if I’m always doing the same thing, like I’m spinning my wheels. I much rather prefer trying new things, and sometimes they’ll fail, but other times they teach you something that can take your work up another level.

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 photographer and videographer based in Michigan, and using my YouTube channel (@shotbyjallen) to help push that career even further along. I’m trying to put my own spin on travel photography, as well as discussing my thoughts and practices when it comes to the subject of photography in general. I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel, but maybe trying to change the rims a little bit now and then.
I think the most exciting part of what I do is seeing new places and meeting new people to work with. Every shoot is unique and presents its own set of unique challenges to overcome, and after the initial anxiety attack of impostor syndrome, finding the solutions is just as exciting as the finished product to me.
I think the most important part of my brand is that I don’t take myself too seriously, and I’m willing to make fun of myself and my process if something doesn’t work out the way I want it to. I’m willing to learn and take direction from those who know better than me, and you can see the development of my skills from episode to episode on my channel.

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?

Looking back, my years of knowledge in graphic design was a huge asset when I transitioned to photography, because a lot of the same principals still apply. The visual organization skills are transferable between the two and have been a huge advantage since I picked up a camera. It’s not exactly as easy as graphic design was, at least in my case, but it’s always something lurking in the back of my mind that makes finding the right composition come easier than it would to someone who had no experience in either field.
Thick skin is also a requirement when it comes to the creative arts. Not everyone will like what you do, and that’s okay. It’s hard to hear that someone doesn’t like your work, but I use that as fuel to create new things and attempt different endeavors. I don’t cater to those who don’t enjoy my work, but I might step outside of my comfort zone now and then to see if they may have a point. It’s a give and take relationship, just make sure they don’t take too much of you.
If there’s any quality that I feel really helped me along in my journey, it’s that I’m willing to learn. I know it sounds like I’m harping on this subject, but I feel like it’s the biggest trait that anyone can have that will get them further in anything that they want to do. Learning is such an important part of every day life, and anyone who believes that they know everything about a subject is just too proud to admit that there is more they can learn. If you’re in the early stages of any endeavor, that’s my best advice: Learn every day!

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

The biggest obstacle in my goals right now is the over-saturation of the photography market, even on YouTube. There are always new photographers and content creators popping up, and while I wish them the best at everything they’re doing, it does muddy the waters a bit when it comes to a clear path of creativity and profiting from it. Not everything creative has to make a profit either, but it certainly helps the process keep moving forward.
It’s challenging to justify the price of your work when there’s new photographers just as hungry and driven as you are who are under-pricing their work because they’re just trying to build their portfolio, or perhaps don’t value their work as much as they should be. Eventually they do learn, but everyone struggles with this when they first begin.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Aaron Lumsden

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Where does your self-discipline come from?

One of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. We asked some

Productivity
Tactics & Strategies for Keeping Your Creativity Strong

With the rapid improvements in AI, it’s more important than ever to keep your creativity

Productivity
Working hard in 2025: Keeping Work Ethic Alive

While the media might often make it seem like hard work is dead and that