In the dynamic world of photography, where creativity meets business, Kevin Sikorski, originally from Connecticut, stands out for his unique journey and passion for capturing moments. In an exclusive interview, we delve into the life and experiences of a freelance photographer who has carved a niche for himself in the industry. From borrowing his mom’s camera in high school to shooting iconic artists like Taylor Swift and Kesha, his story is a captivating blend of dedication, creativity, and the pursuit of dreams.
Embarking on a thrilling journey at the age of 18, our storyteller found himself in the heart of the bustling metropolis that is New York City. Enrolled at Parsons School of Design, Kevin decided to take a strategic approach to school, cleverly condensed his classes into two or three intensive days, leaving the remaining time open for the captivating allure of the city. New York, with its iconic streets and ceaseless energy, became the backdrop for their freelance endeavors and spontaneous photoshoots.
In 2021, the photographer makes a bold move to the vibrant city of Miami. This marks the official beginning of their full-time freelancing journey. The switch to a freelance lifestyle brought a sense of liberation, allowing him to fully immerse themselves in the dynamic world of creative autonomy.
Starting from the ground up, Kevin has been on a journey exploring the world of music photography. He looks back with fondness, reminiscing about his first dive into this exciting realm.
“I always grew up going to concerts ever since I was a little kid. I love live music. It’s one of my favorite things. Concerts are the one thing that I always will spend whatever on because I loved the experience. I always grew up around music, going to live shows it would always be cool to see different photographers capturing that. I never really knew how to get into it. So, I would just sneak in little film cameras to shows I was going to and just push my way up to the front to try and take some photos. It started just for fun.
“I think one of the first memories I have was earlier on. I snuck into a Harry Styles show, and I was right in the front row. I shot some cool film photos with it. It was literally just a point-and-shoot $100 Canon 35mm film camera, and I loved the shots; they came out so good. From there, I kind of would just build up a little bit of a portfolio and just faked it until I made it because in those situations, it’s not like I had photo passes or was working for anyone.
“So, I built a little bit of a portfolio and started pitching different magazines and went from there. I have a good friend of mine; her name is Sophie. She runs a magazine called The Luna Collective. It’s an all-film-based music magazine, and I got connected with her early on. She was always down to help me connect with any artist management or teams or any show that I wanted to shoot. She would always help me submit for it, and that’s kind of how I got started.”
The photographer revels in collaborating with fellow creatives. For him, an ideal shooting day is more than work – it’s a playful exploration in unique locations like old houses or abandoned farms. Kevin crafts his vision meticulously, deeply involved in every aspect of the shoot. What makes it special? The team he works with.
“A lot of those people are people that I’m working with on a very consistent basis and have become good friends of mine. To me, getting to hire my team of people to work on a full day doesn’t even feel like work. It’s just getting to hang out and play with my friends.”
In the realm of this industry, Kevin’s connections go beyond the workplace. The friends he’s made have become a wellspring of inspiration for his art. The photographer dives into where he draws that creative energy.
“I definitely get inspired by friends of mine who are in the industry. I have a lot of female photographer friends who are always doing really cool projects and are coming to me with really cool ideas. I feel very lucky to have people who are very close to me that also work as photographers and creatives and that help me kind of execute my vision, and I’ll help them execute theirs. People that just kind of get it, and I think that really inspires me.
“Yeah, it’s interesting because I think there’s so much that inspires. It’s not really one thing. It could be life moments. It could be music. It could be experiences I have with other people. It could be other photographers’ works I’ve seen … It’s hard to describe where inspiration comes from because I feel that sometimes I’m not even looking for it, and it will just come from the most random things.”
In the world of music, photographers often find themselves presented with opportunities to engage with the artists they admire. Kevin had a memorable encounter with Ke$ha that perfectly embodies this captivating experience.
“So, I had a cool experience the other day that is something that I never take for granted, and I definitely want to keep doing. Right before Thanksgiving, I got to shoot Ke$ha at one of her shows, and we got to hang out backstage and do some portraits with her before the show and shoot the show in its entirety, which is really great. I had this kind of cool full-circle moment where it’s like I grew up listening to that music, and then all of a sudden, the artist that I grew up listening to is standing right in front of me and was hiring me to take photos of them. I love having those full-circle moments, and it never gets old for me because it’s crazy, you know, like I grew up listening to that, and here we are getting to work together.”
In a similar vein, Kevin opens up about his time photographing the reemergence of pop sensation Taylor Swift and gives us a glimpse into the artists he aspires to capture through his lens in the future.
“See, that’s what’s funny is that she was always the person (Taylor Swift). I said that once I shoot her, I can retire, which is just funny because I know that I will literally never retire. I will die with the camera in my hand. I’m just someone who likes to work.
“She has always been at the top of my list, and she’s still someone that I know I’m going to work one-on-one with for maybe a magazine cover or album cover or something. Just because she’s always been an artist that I grew up listening. That was another really weird full circle experience. It’s like going from a kid not being able to afford tickets to go to her show when I was younger to literally signing the contract with her team to get to go to her concert to photograph her. It was crazy, and that was definitely a really cool experience.
“In terms of other artists, it’s random because there’s certain artists like Harry Styles I’d love to shoot or Post Malone because he has a lot of nostalgic music to me growing up. I think he has such an interesting face that he would just look so cool to photograph portraits of. It’s like sometimes I’ll be interested in bigger people like that or like the 1975. Then I also love smaller artists. There’s this one queer artist, her name is Fletcher, and I’ve been a huge fan of her music for a long, long time. I’d love to be able to get connected with her team, and I’m trying to work on a few upcoming projects. It’s cool when you’re a fan of the artist and then you want to work with them. Because as a fan, you know what you want to see from the artist and then as a creative, I tap into that. I’m like, “Okay, what would her audience want to see?” and come up with ideas from there.”
Impostor syndrome emerges as a theme in the discussion, shedding light on the universal challenge creatives face when collaborating with those they admire. The photographer delves into this concept, revealing that the pursuit of constant improvement is a perpetual goal for him. The refusal to settle for satisfaction becomes a driving force, fostering an environment that keeps his creativity flowing.
“It feels kind of normal when I’m working with someone that I admire because I’m more in work mode, but then after the fact, I sit back and think, “Wow, that just happened.” That’s just crazy. And it’s also funny because I think a lot of creators suffer from this kind of imposter syndrome, where it’s not until I’m actually sitting down and talking about the work that I’ve done that I feel like I haven’t done enough.
“I’m definitely someone who, I don’t want to say I’m never satisfied, but even if I’m doing something big, in my mind, I’m thinking about what the next projects are coming up. Only because I love to keep pushing myself and keep going, and there are so many things that I want to do. I feel that I’ve done a pretty good amount for my age, but also sometimes I’m like, “Wait, but I guess I could be doing even more.” It’s kind of like this internal battle. It kind of gets to the point where I have to be happy about the stuff that I created and then also get excited for the stuff that is coming. That’s my thing though, I’m just never satisfied, which I think kind of works well as an artist. Constantly wanting to keep getting better and doing more and more.
“So, I would say that it never really gets normal to me, but I’m definitely someone who also reflects a lot, and I try to write things down. Especially this year, I’m trying to get better with writing a little journal and documenting moments because I’ve had some really big events happen to me this year that I wanted to document. I’m trying to slow down and really take a moment of gratitude to think. Because it’s kind of crazy to think about how I started and then how things are actually going.”
Navigating through production, photography, and creative endeavors, the artist has cultivated a diverse skill set. As a self-made creative professional, he shares insightful tips drawn from his extensive journey, offering valuable guidance for individuals looking to pursue a career in photography or any creative field.
“My biggest tip that I always tell everyone is to just keep shooting. I think that’s the most important thing to do in any regard. Even if you’re making work that you don’t like, you learn from that. That’s what I learned in college the most. I was just going out and shooting as much as I could, and it’s not necessarily bad. It’s not really my style anymore, and I wouldn’t really use any of that stuff mostly today. I think during that time of being calm and freelance, I really was experimenting with so many different things and connecting with so many different people. I think the more that you do something, the better you get at it. It’s just like with a sport or anything like that. The more you train, the better you’re going to get. In any ways that you can work with other creatives and connect with them and just do what you need to do.”
“That’s another thing too. Say you’re pitching to shoot a magazine cover for someone, but you haven’t shot any stuff that matches the editorial style or haven’t shot any covers. You’re not going to get hired because you don’t have that work. Being conscious of the work that you’re making and what work you want to make and just going out of your way to do that is important.
“Also, social media is one of the best resources out there. When I first started posting stuff on Instagram, that’s how I built a little bit of a community. Then it became inspiring to me because I see these other artists creating work and I want to be like them or they want to be like me.”
“In today’s day and age, it can kind of feel a bit overwhelming because the industry is saturated. I think it’s a lot more saturated than it has been because things are more easily accessible online. That shouldn’t scare people, intimidate people. They should own that and see how they can turn that into something else.”
“I’m always DMing random people that I find. If I see work that just speaks to me, why not? And some of the most random DM’s have led to work. I always say that you get what you ask for. You’re never going to get what you don’t ask for. Even if you have an idea for something and you’re like, “Oh, that’s a big artist, or that’s too big of a job. They’ll never want to work with me, I’m not big enough yet”. If you have that mentality, it’s never going to work. I’m really big on manifesting. I am writing things down and what I want to do in the future. Especially the Taylor Swift thing is a perfect example. I’ve been trying to do that for years and talking it into existence. It always works out when you’re supposed to. Being aware of what you want and really speaking it into existence. And just asking the universe for things will always come back in your favor.”
Kevin Sikorski’s valuable advice for emerging creatives highlights his unwavering commitment to his craft. His journey unfolds as a testament to the transformative power of passion and perseverance. Emphasizing the pivotal role of community and maintaining meaningful relationships, Sikorski positions them as foundational keys to success in this demanding and competitive industry. With a wealth of experience and a sincere willingness to support fellow creatives, he sets a commendable example for anyone navigating their way through this remarkable yet challenging realm.
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