We were lucky to catch up with Olivia Guenther recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Olivia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?

Watching the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes begin shortly after graduating from art school was daunting as someone who aims to enter an adjacent field of work, yet I was very inspired to see the picket lines held until negotiations for better working conditions were made. Artists deserve stable employment with living wages as compensation and it shouldn’t take a months-long fight for that to be recognized by some of the largest, wealthiest companies in the business. Big-name employers expect employees to churn out project after project in order to meet their unreasonable deadlines, to burn themselves out for an insignificant paycheck so that executives can make a profit. True artistry cannot be replaced with the poor imitations that are produced by AI because computerized generation will never equate to anything created with the essence of humanity, with care and passion. For there to be such discrepancies over wages, job security, AI usage, and so on shows that the battle for artists to be respected is one still being fought. Corporate America doesn’t realize attempts to disparage artists only turns away the people who possess the talents needed to produce everything that keeps their companies running, and that they are the ones who will struggle if creatives turn on them due to suboptimal treatment.

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

There’s never been a time that I haven’t been interested in art in some form or other. As soon as I learned to sit up, I scribbled with crayons gripped in each small hand and, thankfully, developed better motor skills as the years passed. Experimenting with different mediums was the best part of elementary-high school art classes—ceramics, papier-mâché, printmaking, paint, collage, I was excited to try them all. However, photography was an interest gained organically by stealing my mother’s digital camera at any chance I could. The beginning of my photo experience is probably on par with most other young photographers set loose with a camera: close-ups of random objects, crooked landscapes, pretty much anything that looked interesting. I kept at it and eventually began to understand what made a good photograph, but there was still much to learn.

I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I decided to pursue a degree in a creative field; I just knew that I wouldn’t be fulfilled doing something mundane and/or repetitive. Going to school for photography opened up opportunities that I had not previously considered possible before, and being around peers who shared similar goals made me feel less alone on my career path. I discovered that the studio is where I make some of the work that I’m most proud of, despite being intimidated by the equipment upon my initial touring. Enough confidence behind the camera was established to be experimental, rather than hiding in my comfort zone, which led to me realizing that portraiture is one of my favorite genres to explore. Photographing people became something to look forward to instead of avoiding. Even getting to assist during other’s sessions is enjoyable because adjusting clothing, suggesting poses, holding reflectors, and providing constructive criticism are all necessary parts of the process. While I love portraiture, I still hold fondness for the subjects that shaped the start of my photo career, as well as the desire to further delve into styles I haven’t practiced as frequently.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

To be a creative is to throw yourself into your career. Literally, you are turning yourself into the reason you make money. While of course every job requires you to put forth effort and new ideas, artists typically build careers out of interests they’ve transformed into talent from years of creating for fun or out of passion. Turning one of these interests into a job, despite real viability as a career path, is difficult because it becomes hard to separate the free-time enjoyment from the full-time job/schooling. Many artists develop a love-hate relationship with their medium of choice due to what started as a hobby becoming a source of income. The phrase “if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life,” is a commonly held misconception, especially when regarding creative fields. Being an artist isn’t a happy-go-lucky experience tantamount to doing arts & crafts all day. There comes a lot of questioning whether this was the right decision, or if a more practical, straightforward career choice would’ve better preserved the passion and ability to enjoy these interests outside of a work/school setting. There is financial instability, periods of creative stagnancy, market fluctuation, self-doubt, and so much more that leaves room for worries about the future. Despite this, the arts continue to flourish because so many individuals deem the risks worthy. Perhaps the phrase should be revised to “if you do what you love, the work is worthwhile.”

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I’m an extremely sentimental person. A box filled with metro cards, confetti, movie stubs, and concert tickets sits on my headboard; collected mementos from throughout my life. Photo albums have been a staple on my family’s bookshelves since before I was born and have heavily fueled my sentimentality. One of my favorite activities growing up was choosing which photographs to print out, then flipping through the albums from start to finish after I’d arranged them. Creating images that can be looked back upon years later is what I find to be the most rewarding part of being a photographer. Whether the genre be lifestyle, documentary, editorial and so on, being able to bring to life tangible memories of moments is something special.

In the same vein, helping others bring their ideas to life is also extremely gratifying—especially working to help other artists execute their visions. Some of the most fun I’ve had as a photographer has been working with models in the studio to create portfolio pieces: swapping outfits, testing lighting setups, trying new poses. An old project that I remain proud of is a collection of photographs taken to be used in a lookbook by a group of fashion students. I was given quite a lot of creative freedom, yet it was still a group effort to pull the project together. Collaborating can feel like speaking the same language, even if we work within different mediums. It’s rewarding to be around like-minded people you are able to bounce ideas off of without judgement or fear.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oliviaguenther.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviaguentherphoto/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/oliviaguenther
• Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Tate Thomas (for personal photo) Olivia Guenther (for additional photos)