Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Torres.
Hi Andrew, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’d dabbled in photography during high school but never pursued this hobby as I had other responsibilities. Fast forward many years later, and meaningless “corporate” jobs later, I decided to pick up photography as a hobby again. I never expected to do much other than snap a few pictures in my off-time. An opportunity popped up, one of my closest friends happens to run (Sunday Dinner Records) an independent label, and asked if I could assist him with photography/videography project, which sounded fun to me so needless to say I was willing to help. We ended up filming this video for an artist on the label, Jigsaw Paul. At this point, I’d never filmed a video, let alone direct one; we filmed it guerilla-style and were able to knock it out in about half a day. From there it turned into me wanting and maybe even needed to do this more often, as it was therapeutic. Shortly after, I decided to quit my “corporate” job and do something that was actually fulling and that mattered to me.
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?
Far from a smooth road. Well first, there’s the big transition from a well-paying job to a hobby which pays nothing at the beginning. Second, when I dabbled in photography digital cameras were not even around yet. Going from what I remember which was just actual film rolls to what I currently use, my mirrorless camera, there was a little learning curve. Don’t get me wrong same simple rules apply aperture, ISO, and shutter. However, the actual equipment is a bit overwhelming when compared to what I used in the past. In the end, it’s a fun challenge and I don’t mind learning as continue down this road.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Currently, I do both photography and videography. For photography, I like to specialize in hard contrasting black/white imagery. I’m proud of the music videos that I’ve been fortunate to create; the reason I’m proud of them, I never went to any school or took any courses, it’s all just what I want to put in frame. The videos are far from perfect and may have flaws, but it doesn’t matter as long as what was envisioned is what was put out. The thing that I want to really set me apart, I try to be very practical when it comes to both. Yeah, you can do a lot in “post”, but I try to steer way from that as much as I can. Obviously, some videos will call for a bit more post-production, but I will lean heavily on the more practical side. Essentially, I pitch an idea that can be completed with a camera and basic equipment. I know this day in age it may cause you to lose some projects, but with all the creative individuals out there in this world, you’re bound to bump into someone who will appreciate your particular vision.
What was you like growing up?
Probably annoying to most, kidding. Yeah, I was like any other kid, a bit of an introvert but once I made friends I probably did not stop talking. I think I was fortunate enough to grow up during the period that I did, which was the 90’s; I was right at the cusp of technology being introduced into our everyday lives, but at the same time not where it consumed our every moment the way it does now. I tend to along with everyone, but again there is that introvert part that throughout the years as developed a bit of anxiety, so that’s no fun when I’m around new people/places. Film and music played a huge part in every stage of my life. I’m a hemophiliac, which is a rare blood disorder that causes what we call “bleeds”, and they can sometimes cause so much pain that you’re pretty much bedbound. Because of this, I had plenty of time to watch tons of movies, and since there was no internet back in my day, you would just re-watch the same movies. Music though, that is the one thing that even now as an adult has been my biggest interest. Which probably explains why I love to photograph live acts.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noiseyshot/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/noiseyshot
