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

Elliot, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Currently, I am a full-time Photographer/Videographer. Been this way since 2021. Prior I was the guy who used to tell people to circle back around the airport and was stopping fights in the terminals. While I miss the people I used to work with, I would not want to “circle back around” to the airport. I love what I am doing now. I get to help creative people be creative. Creating images and visuals that they thought they could only imagine.

If I could have a conversation with me 15 years ago I would tell myself to always have faith in my abilities and to not allow others thoughts and fears to get me off track.

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

I was always finding ways to be creative. Even as a child I would draw and illustrate images that I could put colors to. drawing turned into painting, and painting turned into me learning how to use MS Paint to create images there. Plus it was much cheaper. It was something that I would spend hours upon hours on. Then I was introduced to the Adobe suite. That was like stepping into a room full of everything I ever wanted. At the time I was working at Comp USA, a computer store that was located across from the Galleria in Houston, TX. I was able to get the cracked versions from work and when I would go home I would spend hours learning it, just creating things. At the same time, my big cousin David Anderson had moved to Houston and was making his presence felt in the club promotion scene. and would come to me for flyer designs. This is where I learned I had MUCH more learning to do. I would see the flyers he was getting made from other people and feel like, “I know I can make this!” At the time, I didn’t take into consideration the amount of schooling these graphic designers were doing. I learned what I learned just from experimenting on my own. However, I wasn’t so self-centered that I didn’t think that I could be better at my work. I would ask myself “how could I make what they were doing better?” I could take my own pictures and add them to my graphics! I changed my Major from Communications, Radio/Broadcasting to television and Film Production. Thankfully I needed a camera for that class and I was able to buy one from work! I bought my first camera back in 2004 and took my cousin James (@hellounclejumbo) on an adventure through downtown as he was the subject for my finial. I was hooked. I couldn’t put the camera down. It was the right amount of instant gratification and affirmation that I needed. I took that same camera to the clubs and met a gentleman by the name of Quest. Yes he is a Quest love fan.

Quest took the time to show me exactly how to use my camera. He showed me what was the difference between shooting with a low shutter and high shutter speeds. When to have my F-stop open and my ISO turned up. I was like watching my cousin show me how to make his Starscream transform. Confusing and intriguing. I was used to leaving it in Auto and figuring out life from there, but Quest on those nights was the professor I needed.

Fast forward to 2009 I started an online magazine called Houston TREND. The mission behind Houston TREND was to put a spotlight on artist here in the city that I believed wasn’t getting the love from the major outlets like the radio station. Artist like Doughbeezy, Killa Kyleon, Trae, Delorean, LE$, and so many more that I would see walk though the Candy lounge. I was taking pictures there and I would see real talent come to that club and kill it! How could I not want to figure out how I could spotlight them? In 2014 we went print! We released issues for the next four years after that. It’s not cheap to say the least. I ran up my credit cards and danced around overdraft fees like I was my uncle George Daniels with a few cups of the loose juice in my system. So I had to figure something out. I also was trying to pay bills so keeping a job was a must.

In October 2020 I lost my mom to her battle with lung cancer. She was my everything. I am as creative as I am because of her and the space that she allowed me to be creative. During her time period after she learned about her having cancer she continued to live life to the fullest and enjoying everyday as it came. Watching this from her taught me how strong she truly was. That even in the face of what you know is around the corner you approach each and everyday to make an impact. So here I am, at the age of 41 I am always looking to make an impact with everyone that God has in my circle.

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

I would say the most rewarding part of being a creative is finding yourself in the same space with people who once seemed impossible to be in the same room with and learning from them.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

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Contact Info:

• Website: https://ElliotGuidry.com
• Instagram: @ElliotGuidry
• Facebook: @ElliotGuidry
• Linkedin: @ElliotGuidry
• Twitter: @ElliotGuidry
• Youtube: @ElliotGuidry

Image Credits

1st Photo: J. Vince
2nd Photo: Q.Guyton