Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elliot Andre. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Elliot with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic took some time to develop to what it is today. And till this day, I am trying to better my work ethic. Not sure you can be completely finished developing your work ethic in my opinion.
A big factor that got me to where I am today was seeing other photographers out there working and posting on social media. “Comparison is the thief of joy”. I know, I get it. In this case I think it benefitted me to see others outworking me. This made me shift gears and try to outdo them. I quickly learned the better thing to do was to outdo myself. Continue to work and continue to do better for yourself, not others.
I stress to any creative who wants their work to get noticed, you have to continue working. Regardless if clientele is slow, not enough eyes on your art, whatever it is. Outdo your past self and prove to yourself that you deserve what your working for.
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 name is Elliot Andre and I am photographer based out of San Antonio, TX. I started not knowing a thing about photography to now, working with various clients and businesses, in various cities and even different countries. The most exciting thing about my work is telling a story from a single image. Creating my clients vision perfectly and seeing them happy is what I strive for.
I specialize in street photography, however I shoot portraits, fashion, weddings, parties/events and pretty much anything else. I enjoy branching out and challenging myself to try new forms of photography.
A few goals I want to accomplish in the near future is creating a photography lookbook and having my own art show at a local gallery in San Antonio. If you’re reading this, definitely hold me to this. This will happen!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three best things that helped me to get where I am today is consistency, paying attention to detail and continuing to strive to better myself.
Without consistency, nobody will see my work. Nobody will bother to keep checking in and see what I got coming up next. Consistency should be important for any artist. I have a problem (if you want to call it that) with never being satisfied with my work. It has it’s up’s and down’s but being consistent is a great thing for artists to strive for.
Paying attention to detail goes hand in hand with consistency. I can’t keep putting out work and not paying attention to detail. This is what makes or breaks an artist’s work in my opinion. If you aren’t paying attention, I promise, your client or viewer of your work will.
The two qualities I mentioned lead me to striving to better myself. I don’t think any artist is finished bettering themselves. I am far from where I want to be and I am ready to put in the work to get to the next level of my artistic journey.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Taking on the amount of work I do, it is easy to get overwhelmed. I have no shame in expressing myself or doing what I need to feel better, to get back on track, etc. For me, that’s talking/chillin with friends or sometimes it’s taking a photowalk in whatever city I might be in.
If you’re reading this and find yourself overwhelmed at times, it’s best to do what you like to do. Even if that is something completely different than what you do for work. Go take a walk, hang with friends/family, listen to music, whatever it is that will get you centered.
It wont last forever. It’s important to take your time and pace yourself. Take care of yourself mentally, physically and creatively, your work will speak for itself.
Image Credits
Elliot Andre Photography
