Conversations with Alex Rodriguez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Rodriguez

Hi Alex, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
After college, I was just working and felt as I was going through the motions at times and wanted to reach more. Rather than just gaming and spending time with loved ones, my partner advised me to look into a hobby or activity that I can do rather than just play the game all the time. After thinking on what that could be, I chose to learn photography by learning by myself and the basics within a classroom setting. After casually finding what I liked to shoot and operating as a business, I’m now focused on sports photography and soon to be videography, thanks to her! I also like to design clothing in my free time as well, one of my mentors consistently checks in on me about any clothing ideas or designs that I’ve mocked up and actually released a few pieces over time.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
If someone were to tell you photography and videography was a smooth road, they’re lying to you. I’m my biggest critic, so at times I feel as my work is not the best or I could’ve done this pose, edited this a certain way, etc.. My clients, athletes, or anyone following me, would hype me up and that keeps me going. Struggles with editing, finding my personal style/editing, trying to get media opportunities, have all been bumps in the road for me but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. The more you work on your craft and looking for the opportunities, small steps towards goals will always come to you, whether you look for them directly or not.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As mentioned earlier, I’m working to be within the sports marketing/media realm. Between opportunities with numerous sports teams, organizations, and my current school program, all these are giving me insight, practice, and tools to become a great creative in this realm of art creativity. Starting out shooting for free for my high school was positively humbling, but it gave me more than enough practice with not the premier lighting and conditions and that always gave a story within those photo collections. With that, people may know me as A-Rod or “AV”, especially my high schoolers when they see me with my gear at games, knowing I’m about to get some great content for athletes either in football or basketball. What I’m most proud of is becoming a sense of motivation for people younger than me and within the camera fields, I’ve motivated and had people look up to me for trying to make something of myself creatively and give back to East Burlington with a camera. Some of my clients I’ve shot, I would have never thought I’d be able to when I bought my first camera in 2018. Though I still have a long way to go, being humble and knowing what I can do within any condition, can set me apart from others.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Just shoot. As cliche as that sounds, the main practice and way to get better in photog and video is to just shoot. I started out shooting my friends at my apartment complex and a gas station. I still have those photos to this day to see what I started and know where I’d like to reach over time. Ask for guidance at any time and connect with others, I met one young photographer and a CHS basketball game when he was just starting and now he has a good 5K followers now by working on his craft and putting those 10,000 hours in. Speaking to anyone can get you the next door in your life, you never know who someone may be or who they know.

What I wish I knew, would be how much time delegated some stuff can take. People may not see the time before a sports event you need, the actual event or game shooting, and the culling/editing time you have to have. This and just shoot anything until you see what photog genre you like and editing style that fits you, those two things set you apart and are unique to you. That is something I had a hard time with and now I know my preferred editing styles, which cut down post game times for me to send to my clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.articulatevisions.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arod.av/ and https://www.instagram.com/articulatevisions/