We were lucky to catch up with Landen Buckson recently and have shared our conversation below:

Landen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

A message my parents emphasized to me growing up, especially when it came to school, was to do my best and to be happy with the results, recognizing my actions are the only things in my control. This message wasn’t only about being content with my actions; it was also how they communicated to me that I should always put 100% effort into everything that I do. My ambition is rooted in this belief, and my ambition is what empowers me to go the extra mile in my creative process. As a result of this core belief my parents instilled in me, I’ve reached goals I had never envisioned before, and I’ve been in spaces I never thought I would be in. If I had the chance to speak to myself even 5 years ago, my younger self would be shocked. My creative talent, paired with my drive to always do my best, has empowered me to visually capture the stories and emotions of so many people, film over 75 musical artists in their element, and share unique concepts that carry messages I want to convey to the world.

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

I’m a visual artist and business owner who focuses on photography, videography, and directing. In terms of my business, it was something that stemmed from a curiosity I had about how to fill my time after my undergraduate college years. I’ve always had a love for the arts, and I actually took a 2D Design course as a senior in high school focused on photography. In college however, school became a priority while my creativity unfortunately became an afterthought. Once I prioritized my creativity again in the summer of 2021, I quickly saw my potential and decided to concentrate my energy and time into photo and video work. After about a year and a half, I decided to do some research, and eventually I completed my filing for my LLC in February of 2023 to formally launch my business, Landen Creates LLC. In terms of what I pride myself in and what sets me apart, I have two core pillars of wanting to tell a compelling story and seeking to evoke emotion from my audience through my work. Those pillars are non-negotiables for me as I create. Those pillars are what drew me to art in the first place…walking through museums and seeing paintings, drawings, photographs, and videos that would catch my attention because of the stories they told and the ways they would make me feel. Landen Creates is a direct extension of those pillars. For every client, whether it’s to document a milestone, capture the energy of an event, tell the story of an award honoree, or even generate excitement for a new product or service, the business maintains those pillars, in collaboration with a client’s vision, to ultimately drive the best results. My clients can expect the best quality work from me regardless of the scale of the project, and that has shown time and time again based on the positive feedback and gratitude I receive from my clients.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

My initial start up funding was a mixture of personal funding and crowdsource funding from people who believed in my vision as well. However, rather than simply asking folks for donations, I decided to put a creative spin on things. I decided to have rounds of funding where I set a monetary goal, and I promised each of my investors a specific monetary return beyond their initial investment within a specific time period. I treated it like a business venture for individuals to invest in, but without the implied ownership that typically comes as a result of that funding method. I crafted a vision for people to buy into, and I primarily did this through social media and personal outreach. I invited anyone to invest in my business and become a part of what I called my “village.” There wasn’t much I could offer to them at the time, but through the title, I wanted to recognize that these people were really the community that helped me catapult my business forward to take things seriously. I was able to successfully provide the return on investment I promised, and I still remember each person who invested to this day and appreciate them so much.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I know every photographer and videographer can agree that there aren’t many aspects that are more rewarding than when you nail a shot as you envisioned it, especially when your client feels the same way. That is most rewarding to me. It’s an assurance of both my creative vision along with my technical execution expertise. It feels like the greatest pat on the back a creative person can be given, and it’s a feeling that makes all the hard work worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://landencreates.com
• Instagram: @landen.creates
• Linkedin: Landen Buckson

Image Credits

Cover photo: Unique VZN
Portfolio Photos: Landen Buckson
Behind the Scenes Photos: Kaylen C.