Jonah Allen Explores The Symbiotic Relationship Between Water And Light To Bring Clients Beautiful Photographic Images

Welcome to another episode of Action & Ambition with your host, Andrew Medal. Jonah Allen is a photographic artist based in Northwest Florida who focuses on the relationship between water and light. Jonah's artwork is collected around the USA, and Allen is a rising entrepreneur. You’re going to love this episode. Let’s get to it! How did Jonah find success in such a niche business? (2:02) Jonah says he lives an incredible life. He forgets the line between his passion and his career.  He is always chasing waves and the relationship between water and light daily. It is a pretty incredible thing to do that.  Jonah lives 100 steps from the beach by lifestyle choice.  He grew up landlocked in Atlanta, Georgia, and he always felt disconnected from that so he moved down to the ocean.  It enables him to work because the beach is where he does, it’s where he makes his images, and it also allows him to surf and just live an overall lavish lifestyle.  Jonah does other artistic mediums, too, but his sole focus is making photographic images.  Jonah calls himself a photographic artist, not a photographer because nowadays, everyone is a photographer if they have an iPhone. Every day people are bombarded by images from advertisements and social media.  We see thousands of images every day, so for Jonah, a photographic artist is someone who puts themselves in fascinating places and situations to make intentful photographs.  A photographer is someone who is traditionally hired by a client to make images for that client. Jonah makes the images that he wants to make and then sells them to people who collect them as art pieces.  How did Jonah get to the business side of his art? (5:43)   Jonah’s primary source of income is the sales from his prints.    Jonah states that it was not easy starting.  However, he says that anything worthwhile is not easy.  Jonah started to make images when he was 25 or 26.  Ten years ago, making his images, he never thought he would be an artist or photographer.  He fell into it because he saw an opportunity where he lived. It took him around three years to get to a point where he is generating a significant income. Jonah does not have a gallery. In the art world, you have a middle man, or you have an art gallery. They take about 50% if they make a sale.  Jonah operates with some art galleries, but most of his sales are generated himself. He does not have his gallery. He does it all online.  He says it’s mostly about marketing and having systems in place that enable you to scale your marketing.  What marketing strategies does Jonah use? (7:24) Technology has removed the middle man. You can now see technology driving creative businesses in the future.  Marketing as a visual artist, it is hard to create a specific brand for yourself.  Jonah says right now; there is a golden opportunity for creatives. There has never been a time where artists have had more access to getting their work out there than now.  As an artist, you are trying to get your art, your message, your value proposition in terms of business out there to as many people as you can.  Through social media and websites, you can find your audience and make a living off that audience. It takes a substantial amount of time; it is not something that happens overnight. It’s a slow grind and slow build before it becomes something big.  In marketing, you have seeds, nets, and spears. You can plant many seeds that will eventually sprout, whether they are referrals or advertising, but you are planting seeds.  With nets, your message to a lot of people about what you are about, and spears are your targeted outreach to specific people of influence who you want to work with, want to get to know, and what your dream is.  Jonah Allen Studio Jonah Allen Studio is a fine artist based in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Jonah's work is layered by landscape, ocean, surf, and outdoor subjects. Resources Connect with Jonah: LinkedIn Jonah Allen Studio: Website Connect with Andrew: LinkedIn