Inspiration | Chase Jarvis

Oct 24

10 Things Every Creative Person (That’s YOU) Must Learn

Here is a list of 10 things I've learned the hard way that every photographer, designer, creative--hell, every creative person--should know. 1. Experts aren’t the answer. The blogs, the teachers, the mentors, the seminars aren’t the answer. They’re not there to tell you exactly what you need to know. If they’re good, then they are there to give you some ideas, some guidelines, or some rules to learn and subsequently break. This isn’t about the... read more ›

Sep 04

How to Create Consistently When Inspiration Runs Dry

Consistency is the heartbeat of mastery. As artists, our journey is not always filled with explosive moments of inspiration or epiphany. Nope, there are days—maybe even weeks—when ideas simply refuse to flow. It's like waiting for a bus that never seems to arrive, endlessly hoping for a glimpse of movement on the horizon. But guess what? It's during these challenging times that cultivating consistency matters the most. Why Consistency Matters in the Creative Process Why... read more ›

May 16

Beware of Inspiration

Mike Tyson once said, “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” What do you do when a brilliant idea hits you unexpectedly? We all know the feeling- that little creative jolt of inspiration… but it’s not always convenient to drop what you’re doing and immediately begin working on this fantastic new idea. And even if you could, would you want to rely... read more ›

Jan 10

The Power of the Blank Page with Margaret Atwood

Nothing intimidates a writer more than a blank page. Yet, the tranquillity in the white space is what stimulates thinking. As a communicator and storyteller, isn't creativity all about contemplating filling up those white spaces with words? Margaret Atwood is an award-winning author whose work has been published in more than forty-five countries in multiple forms of creative expression, including graphic novels, TV series and films. Her latest novel, The Testaments, sequel to her award-winning... read more ›

Jun 28

CEOs Wear Sneakers: A Conversation with KSWISS President Barney Waters

If maybe this is the first you've heard, I made a shoe. It's called The Creator and it's available in limited quantities now. The opportunity to collaborate with KSWISS was a dream come true. In this episode I talk with KSWISS President, Barney Waters, about the creative entrepreneur journey. I share a few insights including what it takes to build confidence, how we are curators and creators of our own lives, and the implications of... read more ›

Jun 01

Break Out of Creative Ruts

How do you break out of creative ruts? On today's episode I take a question from Aaron, who feels uninspired and unable to progress as a photographer. My answer, applicable to any problem or craft, comes in two separate parts. First, personal style: the number one challenge I see with portfolio reviews is a lack of a consistent theme and vision in the work. Developing a distinct personal style is the foundation of what this... read more ›

Apr 05

How to get hired with no experience

This is the age old question ... How do you get hired to do work that you've never been paid to do before because you need experience. But to get that experience, you need to do the work. Here are a three ways to overcome this chicken & egg situation: Listen to the Podcast Get Involved The fastest way to learn is to get involved in the community. It can lead to new partnerships, new opportunities, and... read more ›

Mar 29

What You Can’t See Matters

A talented photographer I know recently shared with me a blow-by-blow account of how tough he was with a client who was over-noodling his vision for an advertising shoot. “In the middle of the shoot I told them where to put it,” he said, proudly. “I’m an artist and they hired me for my vision, so that’s what I was giving them. Period.” Period? He was bragging. I didn’t get it. Seemed like he’d been... read more ›

Mar 22

Escaping Your Portfolio

As a professional creative--or even an aspiring amateur--it's standard protocol to have a portfolio. Whether it's posted online or neatly bound in a black leather book bearing your name, or both, the portfolio is meant to be a cohesive sample of your work. But why is the thing so damned precious? Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of having a portfolio. I understand it's a core convention of creative professions and that it... read more ›

Feb 24

Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable with Jamie Kern Lima

If you’ve ever doubted yourself or felt truly underestimated, this episode is for you. Jamie Kern Lima is a self-made entrepreneur, champion of women, philanthropist, keynote speaker and Co-founder of IT Cosmetics, a company she started in her living room and sold to L’Oreal for $1.2 Billion, becoming the first female CEO in L’Oreal’s 100+ year history. Her journey from growing her fledgling company from her living room to 1.2 Billion came with hard-won wisdom,... read more ›