So how does that apply in practical terms? I try to create things that expressly carry my thumbprint, my creative DNA. I can’t say I took my cues from Steve, but in a world where creativity is rewarded, I’ve set my sights on being different not just “better”. Steve Jobs once said that listening to his instincts was his most powerful asset. What gets ME up in the morning.that’s where I find answers. Instead of aspiring to be recognized, I do everything in my power (and I’ll admit this is hard) to listen to my gut. I also intentionally push back against our natural human instincts to fit into a mold, a category, or an expectation. But to be clear - I don’t create art to get high dollar projects, I do high dollar projects so I can create more art. And my experience says that if you put out a lot of personal work that’s good, it tends to attract high dollar commercial work. The secret weapon - and my raison d’etre - is really creating personal work and sharing it. Of course you’ve got to be good at your craft - at the fundamentals of being a photographer - in order to become a professional, but that’s really where the technical stuff ends and the standing out begins. And my answer is a simple one: Personal Work. Jarvis: This might be the most popular question that I get asked. How do you think you've stood out among them and risen to the top?
Schawbel: There are a lot of photographers online trying to solicit business. This ‘aha’ moment suddenly helped me become aware and empowered. It felt like waking up from a sleep state. This perspective has been instrumental in my life ever since. It was when I finally quit that path and pursued my own calling to become a photographer and an entrepreneur that I really felt alive. I had an incredibly supportive family and yet I still spent years of my life and 10’s of thousands of dollars chasing everyone else’s dream for what I was supposed to become rather than chasing my own. Frankly, that whole narrative is total B.S. Namely, that degrees have become a metric for carrying “meaning” for our parents, earning “approval” of others. I also think my educational path points to an all-too-familiar pattern within our culture - one so widespread it’s become an epidemic.
It taught me to think critically about life, about art, about culture, and about the nature of happiness. On reflection, my background in philosophy actually helps me every day. To follow his updates, you can subscribe to his blog and follow him on Twitter the following interview, he talks about how he got started in his career, how he's stood out in the competitive world of photography, the inspiration behind his business, the technologies he's paying attention to right now and his best advice. Aside from taking pictures for fun, he has spoken in five continents, launched the very successful and hosts Chase Jarvis Live. Jarvis has created three books, including the more recent Seattle 100: Portrait of a City, and an iPhone application called "Best Camera", which was the first to allow users to share images through social networks using the app. Earlier in his career, as a filmmaker of short films, he worked with major brands such as Apple, Starbucks and Nike, as well as successful artists including Pearl Jam. I recently caught up with the talented Chase Jarvis, who is well known as a visionary photographer, director, and fine artist. Jarvis has won numerous awards from Prix de la Photographie de Paris, The Advertising Photographers of America, The International Photography Awards, and numerous photographic trade magazine throughout the world.