Creator Spotlight with Photographer & Founder of Free Juice, Allison Retina Stewart
This week we’d like to introduce you to photographer and Founder of Free Juice, Allison Retina Stewart. She has helped narrate stories for global brands, such as Exxon, Live Nation, and META. Her nonprofit organization, Free Juice, seeks to accelerate diversity within the photography industry through mentorship. After reading her spotlight blog, be sure to follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram.
What was the inspiration behind becoming a creator? What do you enjoy most about the creative process?
My inspiration for becoming a creator was the desire to express myself as freely and openly as possible and to be surrounded by others doing the same. What I love most about the process is reaching that breakthrough moment when everything begins to make sense.
Can you talk through your creative process? How long does it take? Does everything you produce make money?
As a nonprofit founder, we make decisions collectively as a board, which guides our creative direction. As an art director, my creative process starts with inspiration and continues through pre-production to post-production. My projects generate significant revenue by working with various Fortune 500 clients, leading to substantial user engagement and millions in revenue.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about your line of work?
That it is easy to do when it really isn’t. It takes a lot of work, learning, and practice to become accomplished at your art.
When did you first become aware of copyright, and why?
As a student at Parsons School of Design, copyright was a crucial part of our curriculum. However, it wasn’t until I became a photo editor and started drafting my own contracts that I truly understood the significance of copyright.
Have you experienced copyright infringement and, if so, how has it affected you personally and financially?
Yes, early on as a student, an organization was “inspired” by a photo I had taken and created an illustration based on it, which they plastered around New York City. I had to demand they take it down.
What do you do when you encounter someone stealing something you’ve invested your intellect, time, and money into?
I communicate with them to inform them of my rights and the fact that they are infringing. Usually, people are pretty understanding because they don’t want to encounter any legal ramifications. Depending on their response, the best next step is either to come to some sort of understanding or pursue legal action.
What is the best piece of advice that you would give to fellow creators in your field about copyright and how to protect themselves?
Know your rights so you can navigate accordingly, protect your works through copyright, and focus on your art.
What is your biggest copyright-related challenge?
Early on, my biggest challenge was not fully understanding copyright. I think copyright often goes overlooked because creatives don’t see the instant gratification in it or they don’t fully understand how it protects them yet. In my experience, I find that it is typically not until their rights have usually been compromised in some way. For me, my challenge was feeling like my rights were something I didn’t need to prioritize—something I could put off and get back to later. But now, I always tell my students, mentees and creative community to be better than me and not get comfortable practicing bad habits. They should be proactive rather than reactive.
How has AI technology impacted your works and career?
While I have not utilized AI in my personal practice, I have used generators to expand my creativity. Platforms like GPT help me flesh out my ideas. AI is something I am keeping an eye on and look forward to seeing evolve, but it raises concerns about what is real, legal, and ethical, versus what is not and how I can protect my work.
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