Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Palombo
Hi Alex, 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 story is not a simple straightforward path.
It involved doing a lot of growing up and finding my own way on my own.
Basically the biggest thing I have had to learn is to simply get out of my own damn way.
I grew up in Newport RI, an absolutely beautiful place but similar to most small towns it was very sheltered and close minded. It is very preppy and if you were not that (as I was more “creative”-winning the “most likely seen in space” superlative in the high school yearbook) then you didn’t feel comfortable or fit in. Couple that with the insecurity and shyness of being a young creative and a manipulative family structure, I did not have a lot of self-confidence.
It wasn’t until I went to away to art school in Boston and joined a Fraternity (at another school) that I started gaining the confidence to start to find my voice and pursue the Arts. However, that lack of self confidence still had me afraid to tell people and admit to myself I wanted to be a fashion photographer.
After college I worked at Glamour shots for a spell (until I was let go), waited tables, and did some local assisting. Finally after a few years of that at around 27 years old and not really going anywhere I realized I had to leave Boston and go to either LA or NYC if I wanted to be a fashion photographer. Boston, as much as it held a place in my heart (and still does), was now too small for me. At the time thinking I could break into photo easier in LA, I decided to go there.
When I left for LA, I knew 1 person-my sister who lived out there. I crashed at her place for a month until I found a job, place of my own, and bought a car.
Through life’s weird paths I ended up working for a company as a professional gambler although I kept my dream of being a photographer in my mind always. I had no idea how to break into the industry or who to contact and so I would shoot people I met and friends to work on my craft.
Although I was having a blast and quite successful as a professional gambler after 2.5 years I knew I had to go to NYC. However during this time, I gained confidence and realized I can handle myself on my own. You see, having friends as I did back East-it is a great thing, but it can hold you back as well because you never really have to put yourself out there because you always have a “safety net” sort of speak. And it comes from a place of love-but sometimes you have to get away from everything you know to gain the courage to admit what you are.
That is what I realized after 2.5 years in LA-I had to grow up and I did. So once again at 30 years old, I packed up and moved to NYC again only knowing 1 person, my best friend whom I grew up with that worked on Wall street at the time.
In NYC I crashed on my friends couch for 3 months until his roommate moved out and I took over the room. Once again in NYC, I had no idea where to start so I just started cold calling and sending out resumes to anywhere and everywhere in the fashion photo world. Studios, rental houses, photographers, assistants, companies, etc. I also started personal training to try to make some money as I was done with working in the service industry.
Going into debt, I finally got an internship at Milk studios (when it was down on 15th street). It was 6 hours a day for 2 days a week, with pay being a $5 lunch stipend in which I would get a cheeseburger at the Mobil station that was right there on 10th Ave. (the burgers were actually really good). After interning for about 6 months I was hired full time as the nighttime Studio manager at Formula (baby Milk) and then Milk Studios. Basically I was in charge of setting up and breaking down the Studios for the shoots of that day and the next and at times ordering EQ and other random tasks.
During that year I kept my ears and eyes open and took in anything I could learn. After working there about a year I was fired because I was the low person on the Totem pole and something had happened and I was the one to be made an example of. So from there I went to work at Industria Studio (on Washington street) and Trec Equipment rental. It was at these two places I starting to learn about all the Equipment the professionals use and playing with it in the down time and after hours. It is where I essentially learned through my own initiative, how all this stuff worked.
In addition I also started making connections to start assisting photographers. On top of all that I put all remaining time into test shooting and slowly started developing relationships with model agencies.
At this time I was working in the studios, working at Trec, assisting when I could, did some Production assisting, and test shot (for free). I was still in debt, but slowly crawling out of it and more importantly all of my work and income was coming from only photo related work, either on the front or backend of photo shoots.
Eventually I built more and more relationships and stopped working at the studios, PA’ing, and Eq rental houses, and was assisting full time. Always test shooting, I began building relationships with make up and hair and wardrobe stylists and always refining my craft.
During this time I was also constantly dropping of my portfolio (yes that is what you did back then-dropped off an actual 11×14 portfolio) to magazines and companies. I started to do little gigs here and there and then in 2007 ish I got my first real shoot-a request to shoot for a national magazine. Apparently, they liked me and I would shoot for them once a month for the next few years.
From there I started shooting other gigs here and there and was also photo assisting some heavyweights in photography. I was still freelance which had its advantages and disadvantages.
Then a few years later, through a close contact/friend of mine I was asked to shoot for a company that would lead to a billboard in Times Square. As the years rolled on, I shot more always trying to reach out and put my work out there, networking, and assisting less and less until I was able to shoot full time.
Every year I would be a little more successful than the previous until 2020 and the Pandemic.
Covid basically destroyed my photography business (along with many others) and by the end of 2021 I didn’t know if I would be able to or even wanted to keep pursing photo. During Covid to keep me sane I produced a coffee table book which kept me shooting (completely financed by myself), but when everything opened back up, most of my contacts had left the industry and again I wasn’t sure how to start again. In addition the Industry went through a change and with all change you need to learn to find a way to adapt.
At first to bring in some money again (as during the pandemic I was on unemployment but no longer) I started assisting again. And I started trying to build up a new network and contacts. After about a year I started getting some calls from previous and new clients to shoot e-comm and small gigs and started shooting again.
That is where I am today-shooting and working on being more successful than I was pre-pandemic but most importantly focused on a 5-7 year plan to be in a very comfortable place personally, financially, and professionally.
It is a plan where I can take a step back from the constant hustle and pick and choose what I want to shoot. What I call semi-retirement.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a road of ups and downs, of amazing surprises and missed opportunities.
I have focused below on personal struggles which I learned to overcome on my road to being a commercial shooter. I feel in the beginning most of us have a lot of these struggles and they are rarely talked about.
However, as I write this, I want to state even though at times it sounds as if it was hard (and at certain times it was incredibly difficult) it ALWAYS beat digging ditches.
In other words, I am extremely lucky and grateful to be able to do and live the life I have lived so far. Below, are just personal things I have had to overcome.
Would I change certain things?
Sure, but I am not complaining about what I chose for my life path at all. It is pretty awesome and I am still excited for what possibilities are next.
As I stated earlier, for struggles, the biggest one has been learning to get the f*** out of my own way.
Personal struggles have been:
Lack of confidence of who I am
Lack of guidance and lack of trust in those that could have helped me
Trusting the wrong people
Afraid to be who I am
Feeling I am alone at times
Not getting paid/getting taken advantage of (This was what we all went through in our early years-It’s how you learn…and called experience, ha!)
Learning to hear “no” and keep moving forward again and again (perseverance)
The mindset of thinking my work represents who I am as a person (in other words if people don’t like my work I’m a lousy person/photographer, etc.)
Worrying too much what others think of me
Second guessing myself
Financial woes
Blown opportunities (more from fear of lack of taking a chance at those times)
Covid
The change in the Industry/world (especially after Covid)
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a professional fashion and fitness photographer.
I shoot lifestyle fashion and athleisure as well as professional athletes portraiture.
In short, for the fashion and Athleisure (a mix of fashion and fitness-think Puma) I photograph for companies such as Timberland, Under Armour, and Equinox. And for pro athletes (mostly Olympic athletes at this point) portraits as well as them doing their sport.
Work wise I am most proud of the billboard in Times Square and of my coffee table book, “The 20 2020 Project” that I created, shot, produced, and sold during Covid. Both I am proud of for different reasons.
The billboard because when I moved to NYC I told myself I wanted one and having it put me in a rare space of shooters that have had that. At that time it justified the work and hustle I was putting in. It in a way validated my efforts and was just so cool to see.
The book because it was during Covid. By law we were not allowed to shoot or make a living anymore. In a little over a year, I found the 20+ Olympic athletes in the book, photographed them, designed the 228 page book, had it printed, and sold it enough to break even with just the help of a few people. (none of them in the photo or publishing industry). NO ONE, and I mean no one could or did that during Covid-except me. I am very proud of what I accomplished given the huge odds of not succeeding.
That being said, I still don’t believe I have taken my best photograph yet, so the real answer to this question is I am most proud of the fact that the best is still yet to come.
What sets me apart from other shooters is with the athletic shots knowing the moment to capture the most dynamic point because of my past as an athlete.
With my fashion and portraiture work it is my ability to make people comfortable immediately and empathize and relate to their mindset.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters to me the most for life is for all of us to try do the right thing.
Enjoy life, be positive and optimistic, treat others well, and just always try to be the best human you can. Don’t be a dick.
Just let others and oneself feel that they/you matter and are loved.
For work it is the same with the added let the client leave excited and happy, the subject with their dignity, and for everyone involved a good time. Again, we are shooting pictures-if you don’t enjoy it do something else, it’s just not worth your life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.palombophotography.com
- Instagram: @palombophotography
- Facebook: Alex Palombo
Image Credits
All taken by me