Today we’d like to introduce you to Alejandro Castillo.
Hi Alejandro, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My dreams of being a digital creator and photographer started long before the Pandemic began. My uncle, a well-known photographer in New York, taught me how to take photos when I was 15. Since then, I have kept it up as a hobby. Over that time, my pictures improved, and I started to play with the idea of opening a business and creating a photography account online. But I didn’t have the courage to do it at the time. Right before the Pandemic began, I jumped and started an online account under a different name. But as soon as the Pandemic hit, my steam went under, and I thought the idea wasn’t worth it. I still had to finish my last year of school in 2020 anyway, so I put that dream on the shelf. But after a couple of years and lots of changes, I realized that even if I were to start a business, even if it were to go wrong, I couldn’t look at myself with that dignity if I had never tried to do it. Suppose I had never honestly put my effort into making this step. So I put in some work. I opened my own online photo print shop. Although it’s in its beginning stages, it took a lot for me to put it out there. I’m not the most outward person. I even decided to use my brief experience with digital art and drawing to add to my shop. I’ve now started making available stickers and merchandise that fit with the idea of going out for an adventure. Being outside and going exploring has always been something that I’ve had a passion for doing. So encouraging people to go outdoors and see the natural world that’s a rewarding thing to do. Right now, I’m continuing my venture, I’m still in the beginning stages, as I said before, but I am happy I took that jump.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I definitely would say it hasn’t been a smooth road. But I don’t think anyone who wants something like this has a smooth journey. The Pandemic was an obstacle to be reckoned with. In the beginning stages of it, I was barely graduating high school. So at the time, there were so many dreams that weren’t realized and many opportunities that felt lost. Even after that, years later, when I realized the Pandemic wasn’t an all-stop but a pause, it was still hard for me to put myself out there. I would say I’m more of an introverted/shy person. So, the entire concept of advertising your business and putting your name out there was intimidating. But I think struggles are what make a business and an idea last. Suppose you learn to make it work and go with the flow. It will work out somehow.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
So I focus on photography. It’s my beginning and principal passion. It was the hobby that I’ve had for the longest amount of time, and it’s the one that brings me to my other passions. The outdoors. The connection to the wild. Photography is a way to capture that beauty, for lack of a better word. It also requires you to be at sight. My love for the outdoors pushes me to go on adventures; hiking and other activities are commonplace. Now my secondary passion is what I believe separates me from others. Because when it comes to photography, you can take stunning photos nowadays, and no one is moved as much. The field is so saturated with photographers and videographers that it’s hard to make a name for yourself. So the time before the Pandemic, I had started getting into digital art. Drawing on electronics felt much easier and more intuitive than using an old-fashioned pencil and paper. With this hobby, I realized aside from my photography; I could create designs that focus on the outdoors. So as a part of my online storefront, I’ve started selling stickers and merchandise with designs inspired by the outdoors. Mountains, islands, sunsets. These designs are meant to be simplistic. I want people to think about getting outdoors and going for it and taking on that adventure for themselves. I dream of seeing the world and want people to share that with me.
What was you like growing up?
Growing up, I was a quiet kid. I don’t think I caused too much trouble for anyone. I was also a sensitive kid. So really, my favorite thing to do was to go to the back of the room and observe, be alone, or my absolute favorite thing to do was escape and explore the area. My greatest memories were off exploring the forest behind my grandparent’s home. My interests, though, were few and far between. Interestingly enough, I would nag my mom to buy art supplies, but they always overwhelmed me. As if it were difficult to get ideas on paper. But once I hit high school, I realized that as a kid, I loved being creative but never learned the right forms of my creativity until much later. But a constant throughout my life was the love for the outdoors. Camping, hiking, kayaking, we’re all something I genuinely loved every moment of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thephotographyco.myshopify.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventuringwithalej_
- Other: https://500px.com/alej1020
Image Credits
Alejandro Castillo
