We recently connected with Daniel Meigs and have shared our conversation below.
Daniel, 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?
Earning a living with photography has been a long and winding road. The biggest challenge is finding clients to hire you, and that’s hard when you are introverted and don’t love talking to strangers. I think what I lacked in social energy was balanced by how stubborn and determined I can be. After years of assisting other photographers and meeting people in the area, I started to get work.
Daniel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a commercial photographer based in Nashville, TN. I moved to Nashville in 2006 after studying photography at a trade school in Western Massachusetts. I’m often hired to capture portraits, food and beverage, and lifestyle images for small to medium sized companies. My work is influenced in part by films that I’ve seen over the years. I love trying to use light and shadow to make people look more interesting. It’s also important for me to tell visual stories with a series of images, often pairing portraits with details or landscapes.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I think the most rewarding aspect is having new clients find me. I rely mostly on word of mouth for new business, and it’s nice to see that work well. It’s also great when clients reference work I’ve done in the past when communicating the type of photography they want to end up with.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I think a major goal for my career is to work with people in a collaborative way, with mutual respect. If I can enjoy the time I spend with clients, and we both end up being happy with the work at the end of the day, that’s a win!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.danielmeigs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielmeigs
