Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Levy.
Andrew, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in NYC, moving to LA in 2015 to develop a comedy pilot I had written about the celebrity chef industry in Manhattan. While I had managed to garner some interest, I was still “green”, so the pilot faded. I then decided to focus on writing and directing my own short films while supporting myself as a Maitre D’ in West Hollywood.
Escaping the restaurant world is a powerful motivator, so with the help of Youtube, seminars, and used textbooks, I spent the next two years absorbing every scrap of knowledge about photography. From my directing, I knew I loved engaging with subjects, so I naturally fell into portraits.
As I was getting my business off the ground, I took every job I could, including shooting the menu of the Yeastie Boys Bagel truck (check them out; they’ve got the good shmear), and costumed portraits of Wild Cards, a super talented twitch streaming RPG group. But I soon had the realization that the most rewarding jobs were with comedians. By late 2017, I was bringing my camera to any stand-up show that would let me, but I really hit my stride with Cut it Up, a monthly show at American Barber Shop run by my good friend and amazing comic Neel Nanda.
I’m now working full-time as a comedy photographer and living my best life in Echo Park with a black lab and washer/dryer in my dang apartment.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The biggest challenge was staying patient. I worked in the restaurant industry for eight years and as anyone else who’s worked in the field can tell you, that can really grind you down. There were definitely days where I would come home after an especially frustrating Mother’s Day Brunch and just fume.
The impulse to quit and take the leap to freelance was always there, but I knew that if I rushed my move, I would set myself up for failure and wouldn’t learn what I needed to.
By the same token, at some point, you just have to say “Screw It” and trust yourself. Admittedly, I had and still do have trouble firmly believing in myself, but photography has helped me get there.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’d label myself a comedy photographer; I work from a home studio where I shoot portraits of mostly comics, though I also enjoy shooting album art and headshots. No matter the job or client, what I try to bring to every shoot is a sense of personality and depth unique to each subject.
On weekends, I shoot live comedy shows, and certain packages I offer include green room portraits of all the comics performing, which I’ve done for shows like Cut it Up and Second Saturdays at the ACME Comedy Theatre.
What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been a non-seasonal iced coffee drinker and big fan of sushi. So much so that my first AIM screen name was Sushiswiper.
Pricing:
- Three Outfits, Studio Portraits – $250
- One Outfit, Studio Portrait – $125
- Live Set Photos – $150-250
Contact Info:
- Website: www.andrewmaxlevy.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @justoffthesix
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