We were lucky to catch up with Craig Stidham recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Craig , thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I started photography and Art in High school like most. I went to collage and received a degree in Art/ Photography. while I was finishing college I interned for a brilliant fashion photographer who gave me a difficult time. This was a GREAT thing because I was taught that the details are everything. I did a bunch of practice shoots to help me see light, and put my knowledge to the test. Now I recommend that you should do personal projects as much as possible to challenge yourself and lean new things.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Craig Stidham is a professional fashion and portrait photographer based in Texas. Craig was photographically born into the fashion world in October 1994 after receiving a formal education in photography. He has been published in fifty-one fashion and photography magazines, as well as billboards across the country. After teaching at the college level
 for more than seven years, it was time to become more creative and break out. In 2010, Craig began teaching workshops, touring the US as a speaker for industry conferences, and published his first book, “Fashion Seniors.” Two years later, his second book, “Dynamic Posing Guide,” sold over 10,000 copies on Amazon in three days, placing it on the retailing giant’s Top 100 Photography Books list. In 2014, Craig was the lead photographer for “Green Bay: A City and Its Team,” a book written by Jim Hurley and commissioned by the NFL Hall of Fame to document and highlight the rich history of the Green Bay Packers. His hard work and signature style have always shown him to be a risk-taker, catching the eye of social media pages Instafashion and Vogue Venezuela, as well as Dish Network’s Fashion TV whose spotlight on both him and his images on display in London thrust him onto the international fashion stage. Craig has an “open house” attitude, always willing to take time for others
 and answer questions for those who call.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Currently in society for photography, The value of beautiful images has been de-valued to less than 12hrs. on someone’s social media post. The Craft / Time / skills of any photographer are no longer a high value skill. The selfish pull of society to just get a (New) image or “Content” up on social media to show the would that your not a looser and actually have a life is the death virus to photography as an industry.

Photographers as a cure to this virus needs to be harsh, fast and direct. WE ALL Photographers need to stop giving clients “previews” or low res images to post. We All need to make 100% sure our images/ time/ talents have been paid for the value of the work being produced. Society needs to be told NO!

The idea that giving images for so called advertisement has fueled the growth of this virus. Society needs to be told NO. No you may not have digital images. No you may not have images back in 10 seconds. NO. I will process and work on my art in the time it takes me. My Art is my work. Deal with it.

I wish new or starting photographers would learn this lesson when starting out. It’s not a good idea to rush your craft to just turnaround and give for free your client 2-3 images that they can post on social media. They are not advertising for you. They are starting the growth of a virus that will rapidly kill your value and your income.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being me. I control what I want to due and how I charge for it.
ONE Example. My give back to life. I have had over my 30 years. Enough moms of troubled kids how for what ever reason have zero self confidence, whether it be bulling ion school, a weird birth mark, Just being awkward. There child (normally 13-18 years old) needs some help. So kinda like therapy, I ask my creative team to come in and make over the struggling soul. We will spend the day photographing and showing the mom and child that they are a beautiful soul. There’s nothing like watching this flower bloom from a troubled soul.

I have even been asked to go School shopping for a few souls just to give there closet a new makeover.
God has blessed me with the creative talents, Hopefully in His eyes I am using His talents to shine on His children when they are asking for help.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.craigstidham.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craigstidham/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CraigStidham
• Other: https://www.Amarillomodels.com