Gold was struck again in California! I only met Andre Elliott through this brief Q and A and in doing so, I discovered a talented young photographer that lives only a couple of hours away from me here in Northern California. Needless to say, I’m “stoked” as some say here in Cali. Read on to learn more.

How old are you and how long have you been a photographer?
I just turned 23 on February 1st! I’ve been shooting since I was 14 years old, but didn’t start taking it seriously until around age 16 I think.

Do you have a day job? What else do you like to do?
Yeah, I have a job in sales, but I’m in the process of quitting that to focus on more creative endeavors. Besides photography I’m usually researching or reading something…been getting back into skateboarding to stay active.

Did you go to school for this?
I’m mainly self taught. I figured out how to use cameras thru trial and error. I took photo I & II in high school which was cool. I knew what I was doing, but the class really helped explain the reasons why and how I was able to get the results I got from the adjustments I made. It was like reading a dictionary for the first time, lol.

What do you think is the trick to taking a good picture?
I think relating to the image that you're about to capture is key. If you're capturing events and people or even still life, I think its more important to get a sense of whats going on… How the space and people around feel. Composition is important too, but that becomes 2nd nature after awhile - I don’t even think about it because I’m naturally guided by environmental cues.

How did you get the pictures in your series titled, Anemoi?
Flying! I was on a flight from California to New York and I think most of those shots were created above Utah? I’m not exactly sure, but I loved the change in perspective flying offered. It reminded me a lot of the story of Icarus. Actually, the title of that series is a reference to the minor greek gods of the wind.

You shoot a lot of music shows - is there one special moment you recall from this?
Oh theres tons! I love capturing the the energy and passion artists exude during their performances. I remember meeting Lil Peep and capturing some shots before he passed and during a Kehlani show, a couple proposed to each other on stage. It was beautiful.

Are you an extrovert? Introvert? A percentage of both?
I don’t really like to use those labels because how sociable I feel can change by the minute. Instead, I try to focus on being present at all times.

If you had to explain your aesthetic in one sentence:
I do what i want!