We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shan Benson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Shan, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I have been a full-time artist for the last eight years. Being a freelance photographer has not always been easy, I think our minds are trained to work M-F, 9-5pm, that it was difficult mentally when I got right into freelancing at first. I am learning that with great freedom of being a freelancer, I also have to nourish our creative soul by embracing the time off (or slow season), to recharge, and be re-inspired.

One of the many milestones was taking a leap and moving to LA without knowing anybody. The biggest blessing has been being able to start from the ground up and now have a community of friends with love and support.

I don’t wish to change or have sped up the process because I am exactly where I need to be now. You have to be content of where you are now, to be prepared for what is next for you.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am Shan, a commercial photographer and director living in Los Angeles. As artists, we are constantly changing and evolving, so even though I have narrowed down and mainly focused on beauty, skincare, and hair care for the work I’ve produced, I am working on new things and new categories to expand my knowledge and light more fire in my heart about commercial work.

I grew up in the States on my own as a foreign exchange student. Immigration only allowed 90 days after graduation to find a job to stay in the country, so naturally, I fought so hard to stay here to do what I love doing—photography. My resilience came from my life being on the line, whether it was to do my best in photography, or pack my bags and leave the country.

I was lucky enough to start as an assistant after graduating with a commercial photography degree and have met sweet and amazing artists/souls with love and support. I am proud to look back and see how far I have come because the photo industry is a difficult industry to stay in, especially as a freelancer. I love working with my crew collaboratively, meeting old and new clients, and connecting with them and executing their visions.

I am excited to continue my growth as an artist and meet more like-minded peers within this community!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Consistently posting is the key, but this also goes to being consistent in everything you do. Being consistent in the craft you create, I had to learn that each piece I made and put out is never “perfect”; there is always something to improve on, but if I don’t put it out there, then no one would ever see it. I also stopped putting much pressure on myself about social media; it can get dark quickly regarding how many likes on a photo…etc. I now, enjoy posting as a documentary for my own progress, seeing my art change over time, it reminds me how far I have come, and how much I have grown.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I read many self-help books and built a personal habit in my daily life. I have a consistent morning routine to start my day by waking up at 6 am, reading a page or two of my current book and journaling for however long I want, going for a walk with my dog, then 3x a week, I take time to go work out and yoga twice a week. This routine has given me time before I sit down and start working for the day.

Building a morning routine is the key to my success. Instead of just jumping right into work for the day, a routine can help my mental health and much more!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shanbensonstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanbensonstudio/