Today we’d like to introduce you to Aston Anthony
Hi Aston , 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 pushed my way out to LA after finishing my university studies in 2019. I knew I wanted to work in the fashion space and be a creative, my city that I studied in wasn’t exactly a fashion hub or a burgeoning spot for creatives. New York felt like the best option but wasn’t in the cards financially given I was already in Arizona. I started out freelancing in photography just building my network in the city as best I could. Before the pandemic hit I was contracted with PacSun for entertainment marketing, it was a cool gig and I got to make some great connections. Unfortunately, the world turned upside down in 2020 so we parted ways. From there, I doubled down on my hard skills, and took all the quarantine time to learn some new Adobe CC programs. Fast forward a few years and I picked up work with a fast fashion group, helping coordinate photoshoots with musical talent like DaBaby, Trippie Redd, Lil Durk, etc.
On paper those experiences were great because of how much it built my network, but the fulfillment wasn’t there creatively, or otherwise. I struck out on my own for a bit and was contracted with a NYC based fashion group working on the revival of a few luxury brands. I’ve done a lot to help launch the brands in their current portfolio and am getting eager to see what my next projects hold.
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?
Hell no. Doing anything creative is going to be hard, and it’s really rare for anyone to want to help you without getting something in return. A lot of moving forward just kind of has to do with believing it’s all going to work out in the end. Breaking into any creative industry is really an endurance game, how many nights of having to eat ramen noodles can you take before you tap out and go do something stable like doctor, lawyer, banker, etc. Those who make it, just really want it that bad or have the money to get paid a few pennies an hour. I can’t even say I’ve made it, I just figured out how to float, still a long way to go.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a photographer at heart. Having worked in entertainment marketing for so long and seeing the behind the scenes of social media, I’ve been able to couple those skills together to make branded content that brands really feel like they can use to get their message out. After years of shooting, I think its only natural to want to explore other sides of your own visual arts, that led me to get into videography, content creation, and production. I think it’s rare to find artists who understand the side that maybe isn’t so creative, like the logistics of putting together a production.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I think it’s really easy to feel like because you don’t have these on paper accolades that you aren’t “officially” in the space that you live and breathe everyday. I know a lot of really talented photographers, designers, etc who really struggle saying “hey yea I’m this type of artist” simply because they don’t have like 100K on instagram, or haven’t created a collection of work that’s been published, or whatever holds you back from feeling validated in your space. If you create and you’re working towards continuing to create you are an artist. I get the external validation is nice, but don’t let it eat you up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://astonanthony.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aston.ishing/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aston.anthony/featured
Image Credits
Aston Anthony
