Jim Erickson Stocks Up On Creativity

As in any creative field, it can sometimes be difficult to maintain a passion and inspiration for your career as the years go by.  Photographer Jim Erickson will tell you that shooting stock is a rewarding, but often frustration process that can sap your creative potential.  Jim has a number of methods which he employs that help him retain a feeling of artistry and creativity while shooting and selling photos for stock.

The first thing that Jim does is indulge in what he refers to as “a regular diet of fine art and paintings.” The emotional impact and profound inspiration which comes from this refreshes one’s creativity and gives you something to draw on while shooting. 

Another surefire method is to “unhook your mind,” as Jim describes it.  If you find yourself in a creative rut, or simply not happy with what you are producing, the best thing is just to walk away for a while.  “I think we fall prey to getting wrapped up in what we’re doing – technique, equipment, client concerns, etc.).  Just divorce yourself from whatever you are working on for a little bit.”  Jim finds that controlled breathing works wonders for helping to “unhook.”  “I focus on my breathing and the sound of my breath.  This drives your concentration inward and detaches you from all of the stimulus around you.  Then, I go back to the set mentally refreshed and renewed.”

Jim is admittedly a bit whimsical about his process, but the quality of his work proves that his methods work.  There is a lot of creative potential within us that we need to figure out how to unleash.  To put it in Jim’s words: “Really powerful creative forces fly underneath the conscious mind.  We need to be strong enough to pull them out.”

For more of Jim’s phenomenal imagery, head to his FoundFolios portfolio.