Life & Work with Andi Elloway

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andi Elloway.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve taken photos my whole life but ended up having a couple of opportunities to assist when I was in college. It was cool to see how to take photos from a career perspective and what that looked like for different people. I loved taking pictures but also really liked how customizable photography was as a job. It’s always something new and you can really set it up however you want. There were so many ways to make it work and keep it interesting and that element really hooked me. Plus there’s the opportunity to expand into film, creative/art direction, post-production, etc. Lots of room for growth if things get stale. I’ve always tried to follow the opportunities that are interesting to me or will teach me something. I know I will be learning and experimenting and trying new things forever. I enjoy pushing my photos in different directions and working with great people who make that possible.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing is ever a smooth road, but I also don’t think it should be really. There’s so much to be learned through struggle even though it can be pretty hellish. Struggles for me in business have been… trying to be perfect and make everyone happy and failing, not getting chosen for jobs I really wanted, feeling super uncool working in fashion, hearing “no” a lot, not being taken seriously, being broke living in New York and struggling to invest in my business… I wouldn’t change it though. It forced me to look at my character, insecurities, business plan, marketing, etc. and now things are really good mostly. But you aren’t born knowing any of that and it doesn’t just happen! The struggle has ultimately been the key to my overall stability but it still keeps me on my toes.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I take fashion, portrait, and lifestyle photos but have been doing more video work as well. I’m always proud when I can help the person I’m photographing feel comfortable and have fun. The best shots happen when the whole crew is having a good time and the vibe is good so I do everything I can to make that happen. If I can surprise my client with something unique or cool they weren’t expecting in addition to what they asked for I’m always proud of being able to do that. I do most of my own retouching and post-production work when time allows. Knowing what I want and how to do it and being able to having my hands on a project all the way through is my favorite thing. I get excited when I can be on a project from start to finish.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Snowboarding or wakeboarding trips where we would meet up with family friends. House boating on Lake Powell and Lake Mead was the best. When you’re a kid you get so excited seeing coyotes on your beach or catching a sunfish, finding a weird shells, jumping off cliffs (rocks). Everything was super dramatic and thrilling. I was always terrified of catfish though I thought they would suck all my toes off. We would also go to Mammoth a bunch and I fell in love with snowboarding. Taking laps with my friends is still one of my best memories. I loved Mammoth so much I moved there when I graduated high school.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.andielloway.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andi.elloway
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@andi.elloway