We were lucky to catch up with Andrew Thomas recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Andrew, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
The biggest risk that I ever took was getting my studio. It was September 20 20 in the middle of the pandemic and me and my best friend decided to get a studio. This is a conversation that we have had 1,000,001 times over but something was different this time he found a location. He went to go see it. I wasn’t taking him serious about the place until he offered to pay for. me to be off work to come see the place. Once I saw it. I fell in love. The property manager tried to cut our visit short. He said he had to show it to other customers. I pulled out $2000 out of my pocket and told him no we will be the last ones that are gonna be seeing the space I want it now and I want it today. Needless to say we got the space but I didn’t know how I was gonna pay rent so I made it up in my mind that I will work extra overtime at work and I knew that with previous clientele I will be able to pay half my rent with my camera, and if need be the other half out of my pocket, I was blessed to have the following month of October off of work and I spent every day in my studio advertising shooting people volunteers. It didn’t matter whether it was a can of soda, and four years later I have never paid for my rent out of my pocket in the middle of a pandemic, I took a leap of faith and one of the best I’ve ever made in my life .
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
From a camera, to a studio.
Cultivating the lifestyle of photography, Drew Michael Photos focuses on expressing language through photography, and providing a memory captured in a photo, but a forever experience.
I fell in love with photography after being inspired by my Grandfather’s many collages of pictures he had taken with the camera he never left home without. In his basement, these framed portraits of friends and family adorned his walls like a museum. I remember always feeling the life from each photo, and the joy it gave my Grandfather to preserve such awesome, and authentic memories. I knew it was a captivating experience for him, and I soon wanted to feel that same magic.
In 2012, I started taking photos with Proximity Imaging. They were one of the many major photography corporations for nightlife in Chicago, and the surrounding suburbs. My experience with them allowed me to take photos of major events such as the Taste of Chicago, Big Jam concerts, Power Fest, and many others. Not only did I gain crucial experience as a photographer, my love for photography had developed into a passion. I knew it was something I wanted to pursue, and make a career out of.
I started freelance work taking pictures for proms, birthdays, and weddings. The recognition I received from the responses of people who had experienced the magic of my photography transformed my life. It was the ability to bring people joy, that organically wrapped its arms around my passion, and gave me joy, as well. As I continued down the road to photography, I knew that I wanted to be much more than just a man with a camera. I wanted to be someone who would capture moments, but most importantly, cultivate joy in creating memories.
Having the passion to do something incredible is one thing, but employing that passion to pursue higher goals is another. In October of 2020, I took that grand leap of faith and purchased my own studio, with my best friend and business partner. In our studio in the west loop of Chicago, I expect a crazy and exciting ride, but a ride nonetheless.
I aspire to be one of Chicago’s premier photographers. There are many possibilities for creative expression, but how many of them allow you a stage to stop time, and literally grab hold of a moment? I have learned the art of creation, and the purpose behind family, friends, love, and celebration that we experience once every moment…
But I have also learned how to transform those moments into memories. And memories are not only unforgettable–they are forever.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I spent the first 5 to 8 years shooting nightlife photography in Chicago’s nightlife scene. Most people would remember me from being the guy in the club where you take a picture you can buy it and or see on the website in a few days. Cell phone became better. My job was no longer in necessity so between social media and better phones with better cameras there was no need for photographic marketing in the nightlife. Once my business was phased out, I was in limbo for about three years figuring things out trying to start a new business model until I landed on studio photography, and as I stated before, I took a leap of faith mid the horrors of the pandemic, and I’ve never looked back since
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Me and Jp we both started off in the nightlife scene and we would just go back-and-forth and referring each other to jobs that we couldn’t take sharing gear talking about equipment and different business models until it got to a point where it went From just talking about Photography and business to every day life and he became one of my closest friends after that and he was the one that I decided to take that faith and buy my studio like peanut butter and jelly, cookies and cream, milk and cookies you know it’s like that’s my dog so Javin Hale a.k.a. JH Photography big shout out to you bro
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