Meet Eric Smith | Photographer and Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eric Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eric, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
The concept of work ethic has always been a very strange idea to me. I view all work as a trade in time for a wage or other compensation, and all play or downtime as a trade in time for memories or rejuvenation. When you enter the workplace, you are expected to give 100% of your efforts at all times, regardless of circumstances or influence; given that we all have off days, it is inevitable that every person will occasionally fall short of this expectation, and it proves to be quite unattainable. However, if you give only eighty or ninety percent of your best effort on a consistent basis, and you step it up to your absolute best when circumstances demand it, you never appear to fall short of your goals, and you’ve met the expectations of those holding your paycheck ransom. When you start out as an independent contractor or business owner, the situation is ENTIRELY different: you literally have to give it your all, at all times, no matter what, because failure is looming right around every corner. You become accustomed to longer hours, less sleep, more time committed to your goals and meeting deadlines than ever before, as your literal livelihood depends on it. Now, if you were to give eighty or ninety percent of your efforts, there is a direct and apparent correlation in your income, and even more so your expenses.

When you are working for an employer, there is this concept of weekends or time off, perhaps even vacation, that seems a welcome respite from the day to day. But when your time is what you rely on to maintain income, those same concepts suddenly become expenses; it actually costs you money to not work, rather than just the idea that you aren’t earning.

As I’ve gotten older and become more experienced, the most valuable lesson I’ve learned is to make sure that what I’m doing for work is equally if not MORE enjoyable than any weekend around the campfire or getaway to the beach. In fact, if I want to travel, I add that into my agenda for a given time period and find a way to create work opportunities so that I can not only afford to go to a location I want to visit, I actually get paid to go there. And I get to meet new and interesting people with EVERY work experience, so that I am routinely learning new things and testing new techniques with whole new sets of colleagues and making friends in the process. Often enough, I even find a way to bring along friends or family so that they get to experience these events alongside me without having to go out of their own pockets unnecessarily.

Yes, there are the days where all I do is spreadsheets and scheduling, or profit and loss and expense reports. But for every day doing that, there is a day in a new place, with a new person, Be it close to home or across the globe, those moments allow for a sense of balance that I can’t see very many places outside of the art community.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I honestly wanted to be a photojournalist growing up, until about the moment I realized the internet was going to completely change the scope of how we receive information. I just happened to get truly lucky and land a couple photo contracts while I was still in school that provided me with a decent beginning to a portfolio. I studied and practiced my varying art interests over and over, but I never fully committed to being a full-time designer or photographer (or anything else artistically) until I was left with almost no choice: my daughter needed at-home attention and care that I simply couldn’t provide working any standardized job. I embraced and intertwined my varying skills and interests, and began to produce music, clothing, design pieces, and photo work as often and as consistently as my calendar allowed. Fifteen years later, I’ve managed to build an enormous portfolio of work that stretches across several artistic genres, created dozens of musical arrangements and albums, released my own clothing designs along with those of several friends and colleagues, created networks that I’d never dream were possible, and done it all with an honestly very small social media following.

Oh, and I get to podcast about it all, too.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Unfair question: this is Colorado. You can literally experience all four seasons in every major climate zone every single day of the year. Food is art in this state, as well as brewing and distilling. Live music, art shows, street art, architecture, it all varies according to region as well as era, as this state has some of the most diverse history of any in the West. Besides, all my friends want to move here after a few days anyway.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wouldn’t be anyone without the models and subjects I work with, the people in my life who inspire and drive me, or the people who provide the opportunities I’ve been lucky enough to jump at. Every person I’ve come across in life has the chance to change my entire existence, and I will forever be grateful to people I’ve encountered who may not even have the slightest idea of the impact they’ve had on my career and vision.

Website: www.PsykoCosm.com

Instagram: ig.com/PsikotykPhotography

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psikotyk-smith-64b32049

Twitter: twitter.com/psikotyk

Facebook: fb.com/psikotykphotography

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcOdorfCNslhDXfLsaN0F1w

Other: Basically, just look up Psikotyk. The odds are pretty good that’s me.

Image Credits
Brooke Billingsley Dahlia Ray Emmaleah Anne Leah Burnett Maddy Paradise Shelly D’Inferno Tashiena Lynn Taylor Brynne