We were lucky to catch up with William Drew recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, William thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I have always had a desire to do something creative for a living, Figuring out the how and why was never easy though. Back in the 90s, my main creative outlet was music. I was close to having a breakthrough there, but things fell apart just as it seemed like it was about to be a done deal. In the early 2000’s, I bought my first DSLR camera. I took a photography class in high school but then went 15 years without a camera. My first “camera”, so to speak, was when cell phones first had a camera. People asked if I sold my photos back then, and my only thought was ‘It’s a cell phone photo’. I received enough of those comments that I went out and bought a pocket camera. Once again, I kept getting the same questions about selling my photos. And, once again, my only thought was ‘It’s a pocket camera’. Once I had that first DSLR, I set up a small website and started selling my photos. At the time, my only goal was to make enough money to pay for my travel. That was the case for the next decade, and I did sell enough to pay for my travels through that time. Then in 2016, I had a medical emergency that kept me in the hospital for a couple of weeks. While there, I realized my job had stolen my time for a few decades, and I needed to start putting my focus on my photography. I loved my job, and I was really good at it, but the hours were ridiculous. So, it was there in the hospital that I made up my mind that I was going to pursue an artistic path professionally.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I should start this answer by saying William Drew isn’t exactly my name. William is my first name, though I go by Bill in real life. Although I don’t care if anyone calls me Billy, or William, or Billiam. It’s all good. Drew is my middle name. I simply thought William Drew sounded better and more unique than using my usual first and last name. I first got into the business of landscape photography after a medical emergency. I toyed with doing portraits, but that wasn’t for me. I could make more money going down that avenue, but portrait photography feels like work, and landscape photography is just me capturing a moment someplace where it’s just me, my camera, and a beautiful, colorful scene. It’s my heaven while out taking photographs. I sell my photos on a handful of different mediums. I have paper, canvas, metal, or acrylic prints in a variety of sizes. I also sell wall murals, where people can cover an entire wall with one of my photographs. Of course, I also have merchandise items such as tote bags, coffee mugs, and T-shirts too. What sets me apart from others is my vision. The question I receive the most these days is ‘How did I find that view’, or something similar. It is just a natural thing for me. I don’t purposely go out trying to find a unique view. For me, that question usually makes me think how others hadn’t seen it. I don’t feel like I am doing anything different, but getting those unique photographs is a big part of what makes me different. I am also attracted to colorful, vibrant scenes. They attract me like a moth to a flame. One thing that I would like potential clients to know about me is I am always open to answering questions or guiding you along the path of making a purchase. The job that stole all of my hours back in the day included a lot of customer service, and I loved that part of the job. It is the same with my photography business. I’d love to jump on a phone call, or a video call, and help answer questions and help guide someone so that they find that perfect print that they will love seeing on their walls for decades.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The biggest lesson I had to unlearn is that all I have to do is take amazing photos and I’ll be rich. There is nothing further from the truth. I know some average photographers who make 20-30 times more than I do through their photography. I also know some photographers who produce images that are way better than mine and they barely sell anything. It excites me to see how much some of those average photographers make as that tells me I still have work to do. The thing is, you have to become a business person if you want to turn your art into a career. The rub with that is nearly all artists have no business acumen. It’s that whole left-brain/right-brain thing. Since I decided to turn my art into a business, I have spent some time making sure that I keep getting better as an artist. But the time I spend on that is dwarfed by the time I’ve spent learning the business side of it. I love watching Marcus Lemonis and have learned tons from him. Even though I haven’t ever seen him work with an artist, he is always working with a business and what he teaches can be used no matter what business you are in. I’ve also had to learn how to become a marketing expert. Well, ok, I can’t say I’m an expert yet, but I certainly know so much more now than I did back in 2016. I also have to learn that I need to be in front of the camera more often than I am behind it. That has probably been the toughest task to learn and is the one I struggle with the most.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the best part of being an artist is seeing a person light up when they see one of your pieces. You can tell that it strikes home for them. It doesn’t always mean you will get a sale, but it means you did something that brought joy to another person. As with most entrepreneurs, being an artist comes with a ton of rejections. But those moments when you see someone’s soul come alive while looking at something that you created, I cherish moments like that.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.williamdrewphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williamdrewphotos/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamDrewPhotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-wensel-67b620191/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtyC-8ctFdjiHn3r80WHNCQ

Image Credits
William Drew Photography.