We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Justin Henkelman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Justin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us 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?
Unfortunately, I currently do not make a living off of my hobby. That is most certainly a goal and probably more of a pipe dream. I really do the best with what I have. I am always learning and my page/photos are always evolving. One of the important lessons I have learned is you have to make your own mark and put you own stamp on your work. Figure photography would be pretty boring if everyone’s work looked the same.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Over two years ago when the world was shutdown because of Covid-19, I was stuck at home for 6 months with not much going on besides cleaning the house. One day I came across an individual’s twitter page for action figure photography and was immediately intrigued. After diving in more to what this community was all about, and all the creative artists involved, I was motivated to try it myself. I have no background, or education, in photography. It has been a learning process these last two years, but I feel like it is all starting to come together for me.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect, besides expressing my creativity and seeing ideas come to fruition, is the effect it has on other people who either follow my work or are new to it. My page is a dedication to professional wrestling. The fans of professional wrestling are some of the most passionate fans in the world. It is fun to recreate an image from the past in wrestling and let everyone react with a sense of nostalgia.
: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Initially my goal was to find a hobby during COVID, but my journey is beginning to evolve. My creativity has truly been unleashed, and people are really starting to enjoy my work. It is not every day an Olympic gold medalist, and WWE Hall of Famer, uses your picture to promote his return to WWE Monday Night Raw.
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