Meet Shannon Hudson | Photographer and Art Director

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

Hi Shannon, how do you think about risk?
I knew, early on, that I wanted to pursue a career in a creative field and entrepreneurship. As a young, experimental and creatively fearless teen, I couldn’t understand why choosing the path less travelled was risky, it just felt natural to me. At some point, when we become functioning adults in a working world, that perspective begins to shift, and the fear associated with risk-taking starts to cloud the dreams and passions that once drove us. Choosing the path of entrepreneurship, especially in a creative field, requires us to confront feelings of vulnerability and fear on a regular basis. From the moment that I decided to pursue a career in Photography, developing the courage to take risks has been an important, yet challenging, concept to lean into. Creativity and risk taking are almost synonymous in my mind. While some may not consider themselves to be inherently ‘creative,’ from my perspective pursuing a path in leadership, entrepreneurship, the sciences, art or any innovative field, is inherently creative and, in turn inherently risky. While we may all like the idea of taking creative risks, it involves exposing yourself to the possibility of failing, both in one’s own eyes and in the eyes of others. Cultivating creative courage and the confidence to pursue an original idea in the face of potential failure can, and has, produced some of the most innovative new ideas and impact-driven businesses in history. While I remind myself of this regularly, taking intellectual risks, especially with your career, is unpredictable and scary. Sometimes leaning into what we fear the most, can point us down a path that can bring us the most joy and fulfillment. Taking an objective look at where my fears are really stemming from, the majority the time it points toward something I am deeply passionate about, something that I hold so dear that the idea of exposing it to potential ridicule or rejection is painful. While, I don’t believe that we can fully disconnect emotionally from ideas we’re passionate about, taking a step back and engaging with an idea objectively can provide a new perspective. Finding a place of objectivity with your work will allow you to take constructive feedback and build something much greater. My intention, both in my career and on a personal level, is to let my purpose and inspiration drive me, not my fear. But, the path of creative risk-taking is not linear, failure is a necessary evil that we will have to confront on some level if we’re up to something big. If we reframe how we view fear and failure, not only does the idea of risk-taking becomes much less terrifying, but we can be better equipped and more resilient in the face of failure. Failure is an opportunity, to learn, gain perspective and move forward with more clarity. There is no success without failure, and no innovation without risk. The courage to let yourself be seen, truly and authentically is a risk, but the rewards far outweigh those risks- cultivating a sense of community, connection and self-actualization. Self expression and creativity is intelligence at play, maintaining a sense of playfulness and experimentation in your work will allow you remain open to new, creative ideas. All risk really is is exposing yourself to something new, unpredictable and potentially incredibly rewarding.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My career as an Artist and Photographer has been and ever-evolving narrative. As a young adult, I experimented with a number of different creative practices- sculpture, photography, illustration and music, but eventually found that through photography and art direction, not only was I able to express myself creatively but I could also see a viable and in-demand career path in this industry. As with many young adults in the media filed, I started out by working as a production assistant, studio manager and second-shooting for more experienced photographers, producers and directors. While, I’d say that getting your foot in the door in this industry can be challenging, it is all about making connections and networking. If you are eager and driven, with a self-starter attitude, people are happy to give you opportunities and will be more than willing to pass your name along to colleagues. After a number of years working alongside my mentors and practicing professionals in the field, I started to develop my own creative perspective and confidence in my own skills. Even though I’ve been shooting professionally for over eight years now, I am still constantly learning and growing both personally and creatively. My creative interests and sources of inspiration have evolved alongside my career, and one thing that I’ve allowed myself is the ability to dive into new concepts and ideas without hesitation. My personal career has taken many divergent paths over the years, and I haven’t hesitated to explore new ideas, mediums and concepts within the realm of photography, video and art direction. Keeping an open mind will allow unexpected opportunities to arise and will allow you to gain a broader perspective within your career, and eventually more clarity of purpose. This brings several important question for us to ponder in any career- Do I have to clearly define myself and my work and must that stay consistent over time? Is it best to “niche down” and portray one clear perspective? Or is it okay to evolve over time? The answer isn’t quite so black and white and may not be the same in every scenario- but clarity of vision and your niche will reveal itself through experimentation and yes, sometimes failure. I think we must allow ourselves to experiment with different mediums, ideas and subjects in order to gain clarity in our career path, especially early on. In the world we live in now, where multi-hyphenates are in and cross-functionality is almost required in many positions, being multi-passionate and flexible in the face of change is a really strong attribute to have.

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.
To my best friend coming to visit me in beautiful, sunny Colorado- Upon your arrival into Denver, I will whisk you away to one of my favorite brunch spots Bacon Social House, for a delicious morning pick me up of shrimp and grits and pickle bloody mary’s. After breakfast, we will head over to Alchemy Face Bar where I have booked us two luxurious facials, we will relax and let ourselves be pampered. After leaving Alchemy looking gorgeous and radiant, we will head over to the Museum of Contemporary Art to check out their most current exhibit and let ourselves get inspired. We will finish the day by heading to Adrift Tiki bar, one of my absolute favorite cocktail bars in Denver. We will indulge in their famous Mai Thai cocktails and grab some delicious bites for dinner. On Day two, we will drive up into the mountains and make our way over to Steamboat Springs, where I have booked several nights at Strawberry Hot Springs. Nestled up in the mountain, this setting will be the ultimate spot to get away and relax. After a few nights in Steamboat, we gear up for a little road trip up to Telluride, one of my favorite mountain towns. Once in Telluride, we will grab some lunch from Brown Dog Pizza to fuel our next adventure… an exhilarating climb on the local via ferrata with a tour guide! Upon returning to Denver, we will round out our trip by preparing ourselves for a fun night at Red Rocks, one of the most unique music venues in the world.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Cultivating a community that encourages creative thinking and personal growth, has been so important to me in my life and career. There are a few key mentors and inspirational figures that have had a huge impact on my life, I express overwhelming gratitude especially to the inspirational women that have encouraged and challenged me throughout my career. Several key mentors that I’d like to recognize are: Ashley Davis Tilly, Peggy Dyer, Liz Caruana, Melanie Walker and Kate Maloney- Thank you for challenging me creatively and pushing me to learn and grow in my career. I’d also like to recognize several close friends that have always encouraged me in my career and creative work: Samantha Bruce, Cally Chapman and of course my partner Seth Crane and my mother, Cynthia Hudson. I’d also like to give a should out to my Burning Man community- for encouraging creativity, innovation and radical inclusion.

Website: www.shannonhudsonphoto.com

Instagram: @shannonhudsoncreative

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonhudsoncreative/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShannonHPhotography

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=wVyaKfDO9jpbx_EyYI5snw