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

Hi Stephen, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
Some things come to their natural conclusion. For an artist, it’s a fine line to straddle between repeating oneself and starting something completely new. There’s always a safe choice but the excitement of something fresh is irresistible.

I’ve had at least five monumental changes within my career as a photographer. Each new path was informed by the previous one.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My current project of documenting artists at work in their studios is approaching the halfway point. I started in June of 2021 with the goal of photographing 100 artists in all 50 US states. Currently, I’ve done 56 sessions in 25 states. By the end of 2023 it should be complete.

I came of age professionally in moment in time that was very favorable to a budding photographer with refined craft skills. It wasn’t easy but I acknowledge that it would be much harder today do to a much lower barrier of entry.

The biggest lesson I learned was that debt can pose an existential threat to the creation of art. It doesn’t matter if it’s commissioned work or the pure pursuit in one’s medium. My default position is that creatives need to avoid this trap. That goes for student loans too, especially for art school. Being unbounded by debt is the best catalyst for creativity.

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.
As someone who spends more than a hundred nights away from home in a year, I’m really a tourist in my own city. This allows me to see it with fresh eyes. My first studio in St. Louis was located in the Italian neighborhood called “The Hill.” Every tourist should spend some time there on foot. You can see and feel the immigrant experience which made the place what it is today. It doesn’t hurt that there are dozens of restaurants, bakeries, cafes and places to refuel one’s body with incredible tastes.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I got started early as a freelance photographer. At age 15, I had professional gigs every week but no drivers license. While my friends were being driven to piano lessons and soccer practice, my mother drove me to my photo sessions. Once I turned 16, I could drive myself. That didn’t end the ongoing support of my nascent pursuit from my parents. The best thing that they did for me was to let me be myself and chart my own course.

Website: www.crosscountrycamera.com

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

Image Credits
Photograph by Stephen Kennedy

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