Meet Luke George

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Luke George. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Luke George below.

Luke George, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

Creativity is something that I always strive to keep present in my work. Whether I am shooting for a client or simply for myself, I aim to keep the same level of constant creativity and curiosity alive. If I’m not harnessing my full creativity for a client, then I’m selling myself short and wasting both of our times. When I first started with photography, I had no idea where I was going and would often pressure myself into getting more followers on social media, finding people to take photos for, and to ‘be a better photographer’ overall. That mindset did not foster a sense of creativity at all. I was running with blinders on; just hyper focusing on things that really didn’t matter that much. Time went on, and I’d like to think that I’ve matured as a photographer. Instead of focusing on pumping out Instagram content and finding as many clients as possible, I’m more focused on the art that I’m creating. I sat back and realized that there’s really not that much pressure when it comes to being a creative. We’ve fashioned businesses around our creativity, which I think can develop a lot of stress and anxieties for us to constantly get out new content. But I’ve come to know that if I slow down and really show passion and creativity in my work, the business will follow. I see it like this; creativity without business is a passion, and business without creativity is just a waste.

So how do I constantly keep this creativity alive? I envision myself as my own creative director; not following any specific set of rules but rather using my own creativity and imagination to create the best work that I can. There is often pressure to fit your work into a specific mold or niche, which I think kills creative ideas. The best ideas don’t have an end goal right from the start; they’re simply sparks, or starting points that we dive into and explore. Today’s greatest entrepreneurs probably never envisioned their business being the way it is today back when they were starting out. Removing the pressure of creating that ‘perfect end product’ allows us to really harness full creativity and come up with something great.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am an aspiring freelance photographer who hasn’t really settled down onto a specific niche. The main thing that I’m usually shooting is sports, I’m currently interning with the Batavia Muckdogs, a summer collegiate baseball team. Prior to that, my love for sports photography started in high school when I would photograph track and field. Since then, I’ve expanded to other sports and continue to work on my craft every chance that I get. In a perfect world, my end goal would be to shoot for a professional team or university.

Aside from that, I also enjoy landscape photography which I turn into prints and cards. I’ve also started to get into portrait and event photography; an area that needs practice but I would like to develop.

I enjoy where I’m at with photography because I get to create in a variety of niches. One day I’ll be shooting at a baseball game, the next I’ll be at a car meet, and the next I’ll be taking photos on a hike or on a scenic drive. I live to create, and although this isn’t my full time job (yet?), I enjoy taking photos whenever I can and making people happy with the work that I’m putting out.

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

I think that there are many skills and qualities that I’ve picked up along the way, but here are three that I think any creative should focus on developing.

First off, saying “no” is crucial. Even if you’re not a full time photographer, people will see your camera and assume that you’re free whenever to take photos. I’ve been caught in this situation many times, and it’s often difficult to actually say no. I sometimes see it as free experience, and I really enjoy photography, so I’ll often crack and say yes. But it’s perfectly acceptable and almost better sometimes to say no. I have a lot going on outside of photography; I’m a full time college student, I play a sport, and I have family and friends that I strive to remain close with. Extra work is the last thing that I want sometimes, so I’ve been developing the skills to say “no”. Finish what’s on your plate before going to get seconds.

Another skill that has been very important in my journey is stepping outside of my comfort zone. Unfortunately, I’m an introvert who picked a career path that is PERFECT for extroverts. Talking to clients, networking, and promoting yourself aren’t really that cool for the shy type. But living in your comfort zone won’t help anything. Photography has led me to make more connections than pretty much anything else, all because I’ve stepped out of my shell to talk to people about my work or their work.

Lastly, I think that patience is key in this journey. I think that my generation of creatives often want results right away. Just look at what social media has done to our attention spans; we want things to happen quickly. But in this industry, I don’t think that rushing it is worth it. It’s important to stay focused on your goals regardless of what’s going on around you. Not everything will happen when you want, but things will fall into place just at the right time.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin

This book is written by one of my favorite creatives of all time. Rick Rubin is a legendary music producer who works with artists on such a deep level which often results in work unlike anything that the artist has ever put out before.

The book is written in short sections, almost like creative proverbs for us to learn from. He wants his readers to slow down a bit and really focus on what they’re creating. By looking at our work as more of a pure art form, we can create great things. A favorite quote of mine that he shared in the book goes, “All that matters is that you are making something you love, to the best of your ability, here and now”.

Contact Info:

• Website: coming soon!
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shotbylukeg
• Facebook: n/a
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukegeorge04
• Twitter: n/a
• Youtube: n/a
• Yelp: n/a
• Soundcloud: n/a

Image Credits

Luke George