Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Steven Piper. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Steven, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

There was a time in which I felt that I had discovered my love for photography too late in life. In hindsight, I realize now that I had plenty of time to develop my skills and learn more about the photography as an art form. It was senior year of high school and I was about to go on my first trip abroad to France for a student exchange program. My parents had gifted me a small and simple point and shoot digital camera. I had always loved to take pictures with my friends as to hold onto the moments I felt were precious to me, but something felt different while abroad. While seeing the world with eyes wide open, I was drawn to all the texture time had created on buildings, and to the cultural differences that were unfamiliar to me. In my experience there is no better way to process a new life changing experience than through the eye of a camera. Once that passion for photography sunk in I knew it was up to me to explore and teach myself those skills to improve my photography. It was while I was in college I started to take things more seriously, starting to build a portfolio and website. I had wanted to go to art school but I had already decided to enroll in business school in Milwaukee before I discovered my passion for photography. Through college I was fortunate enough to study abroad for a year in France and further submerse myself in the culture and develop my artistic sensibilities. Through the process of being self-taught I learned there is more than one way to get to your desired destination. While everyone’s journey may be different, it was important to establish my skills before seriously considering photography as a potential profession. There was a moment after college with such a pressure to get a job, and truly any job, that I could have ended up as a marketing strategist in another life if my first real job didn’t see my potential and offer me an internship. Through that internship at FCB Chicago I was determined because I finally had the opportunity to prove myself. Even after I received the official job offer in which I could begin creating imagery for big name brands, I knew I had a lot more to learn in order to be taken seriously as a professional photographer.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I balance my time as a freelance photographer/director between commercial and fine art photography. After 5 years working at an advertising agency as their in-house photographer, I saw an opportunity to pursue more of what I love on my own time and schedule.

I primarily focus on photographing commercial campaigns with an emphasis on lifestyle, portrait, product and fashion. While becoming freelance has allowed me to focus on work that prioritizes these genres of photography, one of my biggest strengths is range and versatility in style and subject matter. This includes years of practicing film photography. After years of working in advertising, I had to learn how to light and capture all different kinds of things. One of my most identifiable features of my work is my color palette and the way I light and edit by creating warm and nostalgic images.

When I am not working on commercial work I am creating for my own interests which includes candid street photography, nature, and storytelling through portraiture. My personal work is a buffer from creative burnout as I usually approach image making with finding a sort of beauty and peace in the process. I have created 6 photo exhibitions presenting my work to wide audiences in Chicago. I strive to make images that are timeless and hope to present them in museums one day.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Anytime you are presenting creative ideas you are sharing a part of yourself that is vulnerable to judgement. As an artist, your artwork is a true expression of your inner emotions, thoughts and even soul. Feedback and critique are difficult for almost anyone, but it is especially sensitive when it connects to who you are as a person. I remember when I was first discovering my creative side and expressing that in different ways, my high school peers began to spread rumors on my sexuality, as if that had any correlation. I remember being discouraged to continue to express myself but eventually found the confidence to believe in my work and in turn myself. It is very easy for those who aren’t making art to critique art. The ones who are actually making art are in some ways the only credible ones to speak on it because they know how personal it can be. As a creative in a professional setting there will always be a boss or client above you that can hire you or approve of your work that doesn’t understand what it took to get to where you are. Having to constantly prove yourself in that dynamic takes a lot of self confidence.

In art or creative fields there is such a pressure for what you make to be good, and once you reach a certain level of skill there becomes an expectation for you to achieve that quality every time. In the period of time where you are exploring your creative side you may be making a lot of bad work with poor skills. That type of failure is easy during the learning process because you have low expectations. Once you achieve a level where quality work is expected from you, it is difficult to go back into that space of exploration and failure. You then can get stuck into only creating a certain type of work because that is what is expected from you.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

One of the most rewarding things as an artist is being able to share your artwork with people in person. It takes a lot of time and preparation to get to the point of presenting your work to others, and especially with work where you have something to say. In our digital age where self-worth and gratification is seen through number of likes, you realize how much more meaningful an in-person conversation is when someone is praising your work.

I hosted 3 photo exhibitions for one project called Undertones, in which I took portraits and conducted interviews of 10 diverse individuals. The project gave the individuals a platform to share their life story and experiences in a unique and authentic manner. From countless hours of work and stress, I saw the difference it made for them to see their story highlighted in a way that uplifted them and was able to spread positivity beyond their usual reach. When you as an artist feel like you can help others see their own inner beauty, that to me is a form of love and can be one of the most rewarding experiences.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.prezpipe.com
• Instagram: @prezpipe or https://www.instagram.com/prezpipe/?hl=en

Image Credits
Photographer: Steven Piper, Rafael Avcioglu Model: Mia Ghogho