“Actually choosing to try to be an artist as a terrible idea. Nobody should do it.

It’s really fucking stupid. It’s like one of the stupidest things you could do with your life.

And it’s really hard. And you’re an idiot if you think it’s a good idea, or that it’s going to be easy.”

Well, I guess it’s kind of sad that my friend Daniel decided to ruin his life through art.

You’ve probably seen Daniel’s photographs, although you may not realize it. He’s done plenty of high profile journalistic and commercial work – most notably photographing Barack Obama for Fast Company.

And – although many people would kill to have the types of job offers that Daniel regularly gets, he turns most of them down to focus on his artistic practice.

Why does he choose to turn down lucrative photo shoots that will be seen by millions of people? To make a photography book that will only have 1000 copies printed, of course.

Check out this conversation to learn:

  • How to face the embarrassment and fear that comes when you create something – and how to put it out into the world anyway.
  • How Daniel chooses to balance commercial photography with his artistic practice – and what skills and frameworks are universal across the different modalities
  • How to justify “selling out” to your younger, punker self
  • How to balance the tension between having free, unstructured “creative time” with the demands to meet deadlines, respond to emails, and have a schedule

Listen Here

Check out more from Daniel and get a copy of 43-15 10th Street

Show Notes

  • [2:34] Embarrassment over being confronted with “the early work” and relics from the past due to having to clean out old stuff from your parents’ house
  • [8:55] Feeling awkward and hating your work – and putting it out into the world anyway
  • [16:39] So, what was the most embarrassing art from your past?
  • [20:17] What is the tension between having an artistic, a journalistic, and a commercial photography practice?
  • [26:03] How would you justify selling out” and “commercialism” to your younger self?
  • [43:34] Do you have any practices relative to improving your skill as an artist?
  • [49:07] How do you collect and curate images for a cohesive work – specifically relative to 43-35 10th street?
  • [01:02:06] The ineffectiveness of art as a medium for communicating a specific message
  • [01:11:54] The influence of punk and DIY principles on later entrepreneurship and creative behavior – and disastrous early touring experiences
  • [01:17:42] The tension between being creative – and actually having to follow-up with people, meet deadlines, and have to-do lists

Resources and Individuals Mentioned