We love contrarians. We love hearing unique view points and so one of our favorite things to ask folks is for them to tell us something they believe that most people in their industry disagree with. Check out some of those responses below.
Rosy Cortez

I think the stereotype of the “starving artist” has plagued artist for over 100 years. This feel like a hard one to breakthrough because it’s embedded in us not only as the artist but among the general public as well. There’s a romanticized idea of the artist creating for passion only. Feels like you are either considered the saintly artist who is humble and paints for the right reasons OR a greedy one that sells out who’s art looses authenticity. I like to think I can remain passionate and still make a living from my art. Read more>>
Zuleka Kaysan

The innovation industry is dominated by a fixation on technology and a narrow view of innovation as a one-off exercise; my stance is different. I firmly believe in democratising innovation. My belief was born from observing the limitations of viewing innovation as solely a product or technology-driven endeavour, often restricted to certain teams (such as R&D) or external consultants. My approach centres on the idea that every individual in an organisation has the capacity to innovate. Read more>>
Jack Westerheide

Working in the outdoor media and marketing world, there’s a trend for brands (especially new brands and up and coming agencies) to get caught up in the total size of the market, throwing around billion-dollar spending figures and chasing broad demographics like “people who like to be outside.” I’m a firm believer that building a marketing strategy that tries to go after the masses will always miss the mark when it comes to truly providing value to the passionate individuals who actually fuel the industry. Read more>>
Valentina Perez

In my industry we see a lot of overly produced backgrounds and setups for the photos. I think most people believe that more means better or more professional. However, I personally believe the opposite. When I photograph newborns, babies and toddlers I love to show who they are, what they look like; my main focus is always them not the actual background. Of course, to grow and get noticed I have had to adjust my work to also create what the client needs, but step by step, slowly I’m focusing my work to be simple and clean, to focus mainly on their little faces and expressions and to leave aside all the decoration and extras that one day will become outdated. My goal is to create timeless memories that will last forever. Read more>>
Jordan Hefler

When I studied Photography in college, I primarily focused my work through the lens of a fine art approach due to the nature of the program’s curriculum. Doing client work for money (instead of focusing efforts on creating “meaningful” or conceptual work) was somewhat taboo amongst the other art students, and the few who did dabble in work outside of the fine art realm were overwhelmingly focused on shooting weddings. Read more>>
Carla Bisong

Unfortunately, the general public often underestimates the importance of visual arts, relegating them to mere aesthetic pleasures rather than recognizing their profound impact on culture, cognition, and societal development. Through paintings, sculptures, and other visual forms, artists encapsulate the essence of their cultures, providing a visual archive that transcends time. From ancient cave paintings to contemporary art, visual arts foster a collective memory that connects past, present, and future generations. Read more>>