Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Andrew.
Hi Rob, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I actually started as a musician and studied classical guitar performance in college, but I had lots of friends and roommates who were into photo and design.
After teaching guitar for many years and playing all sorts of live gigs, I needed a change and I started doing some web design as a side hustle, which led me to start taking product shots for some of my client’s sites.
Once I got paid for a few photos, web design seemed substantially less fun, so I transitioned over to photography as quickly as possible. I was shooting high end collectible custom knives when I started which forced me to learn the technical side of photography and lighting very quickly. I had to manage complex lighting on metal and pearl and all these tricky materials and also do complex Photoshop paths right from the start which really helped me learn the craft.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think any freelance artist will ever tell you their path was smooth! We all struggle with imposter syndrome (especially since my background and education weren’t even in the visual arts).
I also struggled with being introverted at first and photo really forced me to open up to be able to coach good portraits and lifestyle shots and direct a production. Music (especially classical) has you locked in this box practicing for hours and hours and film and photo throw you right out into these inherently social situations. It was a new world to navigate.
I also struggled to understand pricing higher end jobs, coming from a more humble background and entering a more high end luxury industry, to figure out my own worth was a challenge and still is at times.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At the moment most of my work is still life – product and food. I specialize in making smaller details look clean, being able to figure out lighting for just about anything, and being able to style and prop small things. But I also cross over into portrait and lifestyle. I pride myself in being versatile and having a high standard of quality regardless of genre. I think my photos are about composition more than anything but shooting commercial product photography has also taught me how to show as much information and backstory as possible. I really am proud to have learned as much as possible about the craft, and I continue to learn new things by assisting other artists with shoots and networking with other creatives.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I love productive collaborations and am open to share my knowledge. I also offer private consultations in lighting and technique.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.robandrewphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robandrewphoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robandrewphoto/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-andrew-09b3557/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RobAndrewPhotographySanDiego
Image Credits
All images are copyright Rob Andrew Photography, Inc.
