A UX specialist provides advice on things every creative person should know based on their experience, with concise tips in short paragraphs. Some of the key tips include focusing on delivering value over price, developing your aesthetic sensibilities, aiming to be different rather than just better, and pushing yourself with big creative challenges. Clients cannot define the solution, so creative works should add their own vision.
3. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
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 expert, it’s about you.
In creative pursuits especially…what’s going on inside you is where the
answers can be found. Hear what experts say, but don’t always listen to
them.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
4. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Clients cannot tell you what they need
Clients hire you because they have a problem. They need a great visual
representation of something, a solution. They think they know the best way
to photograph something, but they don’t really. That’s why they hire you.
Take their suggestions to heart, because they definitely know their brand,
product, their vision–perhaps even shoot a few versions of the images they
THINK they want to see first–but then go nuts with own vision. Add value.
Show them something they didn’t expect. Don’t be a monkey with a finger.
Remember why you got hired…that YOU are the badass image maker. If
you are good enough to get selected for the job, you should be good
enough to drive the photographic vision.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
5. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Don’t Aim For ‘Better’, Aim For ‘Different’
It’s funny how related “better” and “different” are. If you aim for ‘better’
that usually means you’re walking in the footsteps of someone else.
There will often be someone better than you, someone making those
footsteps you’re following… But if you target being different–thinking in
new ways, creating new things–then you are blazing your own trail. And
in blazing your own trail, making your own footprints, you are far more
likely to find yourself being ‘better’ without even trying. Better becomes
easy because it’s really just different. You can’t stand out from the
crowd by just being better. You have to be different.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
6. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Big challenges create the best work
If you get assignments that are pushing your vision, your skills, then
awesome. Kudos to you, keep getting those assignments. If you’re not
getting those assignments, then you need to be self-assigning that
challenging work. Give yourself tough deadlines and tougher creative
challenges. You do your best work where there is a challenge that is clearly
present and 10 feet taller than you think you can handle.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
7. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Aesthetic sensibilities actually matter
Go figure on this one… I’m constantly surprised as how much this is
overlooked. Read this and believe it: You must develop a keen
understanding of design, color, light, and composition. To just say “I know a
picture when I like it” isn’t going to get you anywhere. You need to know –
for your own sake as well as the sake of your clients who will ask you–
WHY a photo is a great photo. WHY is this one better than that one. If you
don’t have any visual vocabulary, opinion, or aesthetic sensibility you won’t
be able to explain these things. You won’t get the job. Or if you do get the
job, you won’t be able to explain why your designs are worth getting hired
again by the same client for the next campaign, story, or video. Trust me on
this. Develop a sense of visual taste.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
8. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Simple is good
Almost every photo that is bad has too much information. Outside of
technical basics, the number one reason that most photos fail is
because there is no clear subject. Often this is the case with design,
film, fashion, you name it. Remove clutter, remove distraction. Tell one
story, and tell it well.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
9. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Make mistakes, learn quickly
Simply put, you need to be able to learn from your mistakes. Avoiding
failure is not the goal. The goal is recovering from mistakes quickly. That
goes for ever element of your photography–creative, business, vision…you
name it. If you’re not willing to make mistakes, you’ll be paralyzed with
inaction. That is the devil. Get out there and do stuff. If it works, do more of
it. If it doesn’t work, change it. Quickly.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
10. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
“Value” is Different From “Price.”
Don’t compete on price alone. That is certain death in any
creative field. Focus on delivering value and price yourself
accordingly. If you deliver great value with your designs —
better than expected, and better than your competition– and
you can illustrate that through any means, then you should be
more expensive. And remember that value comes in many
forms.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
11. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Real artists create
Do you just sit around and think of stuff you could create, photograph,
build, ship, or design, but never output anything? Then you’re a
poser. Take a new approach and make stuff. Maybe what comes out
of your studio isn’t perfect, but there should always stuff leaving the
door and hitting the web, the page, the billboard, the gallery, or the
street. If you are for real, you’ll be pumping out work on the regular.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
12. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
You Are Not the First
There are very few ‘firsts’ these days. Countless others have started
studios,
Doing jobs, freelanced and requested internships. It can be done.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
13. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
There is always someone better
Regardless of how good you are, there will always be someone better.
It’s surprisingly easy to waste time worrying about this.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
14. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
You cannot score without a goal
If you don’t know what you want, then how can you pursue it?
Having a goal defines an end point, and subsequently, a place to start.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
15. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
The path to work is easier than you think
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To get into the industry you need just three things: great work,
energy and a nice personality. Many forget the last attribute.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
16. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Starting Anything Requires Energy
It takes more energy to start than it does to stop.
This is true for physics, your career, and that idea you need to work on.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
17. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Time is Precious, Get to the Point
Avoid plentiful humour or gimmicks when contacting studios for work,
they’ve seen it all before. Get to the point, they’ll be thankful.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
18. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Have a Positive Self-Image
Your self-perception is your most important asset.
See yourself as the person you want to be and others will see this too.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
19. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Create a Clean and Simple Website
An online portfolio is the alpha and omega of your career.
With a wealth of web services, there’s no excuse for not having a website.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
20. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Accurate your work
Never stop editing your portfolio. Three strong pieces are better
than ten weak ones – nobody looks for quantity, just quality.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
21. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Ask Questions
Assume nothing. Ask questions, even if you think you know the
answers.
You’ll be surprised at how little you know.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
22. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Listen to your instincts
If your work doesn’t excite you, then it won’t excite anyone else.
It’s hard to fake passion for mediocre work – scrap it.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
23. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Ask for opportunities
It will feel cheeky, but ask for things. Ask to be included in exhibitions,
magazines, pitches – if you don’t ask, you can’t get.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
24. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Seek Criticism, Not Praise
You learn nothing by being told how great you are.
Even if you think your work’s perfect – seek criticism, you can always
ignore it.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
25. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Make Friends, Not Enemies
The creative industry is a small world: it’s a network where everyone knows
everyone else. Remember this before pissing someone off.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
26. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Dress Smart, Look Business Like
Take your work seriously? Then take your appearance seriously.
Clients are more likely to deal with people who look like they care
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
27. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Never Work For Free
Working for free not only devalues the profession,
but it makes you look weak. Even a ‘nice’ client will take advantage of this.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
28. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
There’s No Such Thing as a Bad Job
Always push yourself to do your best. Logically,
there’s no way you can be dissatisfied with ‘having done your best’
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
29. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
The environment is not a limitation
The environmental impact of your work isn’t a fashionable consideration
— as a creative, it’s your most important consideration.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
30. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Boring problems lead to boring solutions
Always interrogate your brief: re-define the question.
No two briefs should be the same; a unique problem leads to a unique
solution.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
31. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
New Ideas Are Always ‘Stupid’
New ideas are conceived with no context and no measures of success –
this falsely makes them feel silly, awkward or even impossible.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
32. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Show Sketches, Not Polished Ideas
Clients often mistake ‘rough’ digital work for the final design.
Show sketches for as long as you can, it makes them feel involved.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
33. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Work With Clients, Not Against Them
You may think you’re right, but look at the client’s solution
along with yours. Occasionally you’ll be surprised.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
34. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Don’t Always Take No For an Answer
Fight for superior solutions. Demonstrate your thinking to your client,
take them through it – it’s hard to argue with logic.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
35. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Pick Your Battles
The creative industry is often irritating, but not every argument
is an argument that needs to be had. This takes time to learn.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
36. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Take Responsibility For Failure
If a job’s going wrong take responsibility. It feels counter-intuitive,
but responsibility means you can do something about it.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
37. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Share Your Ideas
You’ve nothing to gain from holding on to your ideas; they may feel
precious, but the more you share, the more new ideas you’ll have.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
38. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Get out of the studio
Good design is crafted from understanding the relationships between
things.
These connections can’t be found when locked in a studio.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
39. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Awards Are Nice, But Not Vital
Awards look good on the shelf, but clients seldom pick up
the phone because of them. Solid work encourages that.
Tanveer Alam | UX Specialist
40. Things Every Creative Person Should Know
Don’t take yourself too seriously
Take your work seriously, take the business of your craft seriously,
but don’t take yourself seriously. People who do are laughed at.
Tanveer Alam | Senior web designer