We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alexandra Sczudlo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alexandra, appreciate you joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
I hope my legacy will be the images I’ve left behind along with a reputation for promoting women in the automotive space. In the modern day, hate towards women who enjoy or have careers in the automotive industry is all too common. I strive to make the industry more welcoming toward women and to set a standard of inclusivity to women. I also strive to be a role model for younger women trying to follow their passions in traditionally male dominated spaces.
Alexandra, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My names Alexandra and I am an automotive photographer based out of Scottsdale Arizona. I work to create high quality content for both individuals and businesses. I offer a variety of photoshoot packages and also dabble in social media management. I have publications in magazines such as Forbes and DuPont registry. I offer photos for automotive listings which on various platforms listings using my photos routinely outperform other comparable cars price wise. One thing that sets my work apart from others is the unique style I’ve developed over the past 7 years along with my professionalism.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Unfortunately sexism is still quite prevalent in the automotive industry. You have to be quite resilient as a women and develop a thick skin to be successful. It’s very hard to stay passionate in an industry where many routinely dismiss and discourage you. As I have grown my social media presence the frequency of misogynistic comments and messages has greatly increased. I open my notifications regularly to crude comments about women. However I’ve taken this negativity as motivation to promote and support fellow women and to try and become a role model for women with a passion for cars.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
When I first started my business I was a freshman at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I’d grown up loving cars and had began taking photos of them on my iPhone and posting them online. I began driving the 100 miles to Phoenix every weekend leaving before the crack of dawn to attend early morning cars and coffee shows and network. For my 19th birthday I got my first DSLR camera from my father. For the next four years of university I sacrificed every weekend to drive to Phoenix to network and grow my small business before eventually having the funds to upgrade my gear to a full frame Sony and moving to Scottsdale upon completion of my bachelors degree.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://automotivealex5.wixsite.com/mysite?fbclid=PAAaZPTJyyh1IkpuHIqD0Xie2gG1HpRrtxYB4iyc6h_Npdb7CcJT1zrKU2pMA_aem_AT1Xdwvdq5NdVHSXg1vEpmd14dXZ5mKGTRBPihRbw7VkYCbQiQgvvUyDhVyK5aLwvEo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/automotive_alex
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092045469276&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-sczudlo-5378aa256
Image Credits
I’m the photographer for all the images