Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Podgurski Jr.
Hi Richard, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Well, where do you wanna start? My story as a DJ has been 22 years in the making and I’m still headlining clubs. I thought for sure id grow out of that by now, but it’s way to much fun and I really enjoy the energy of being around people. I can write a book on the ups and downs and how I made a name for myself in this very saturated industry, but I’m extremely focused on my photography career at the moment. As far as photography goes, I sort of fell into the art. I prefer a natural flow into passions, compared to forcing a dream. Hermosa and Manhattan Beach has always been my home and I don’t think that will change anytime soon. The people and the beauty of this little LA nugget has so much to offer year-round.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Everybody goes thru their own personal struggles. There’s a big misconception that growing up in the South Bay, you “have it made” … that can’t be any farther from the truth. I worked three jobs in high school and paid for my own education. Then quickly realized that the best form of education is throwing yourself directly into the lion’s den. I quickly surrounded myself with people I looked up too, titans of industry, and focused on creating a work ethic and life habits that will keep me employed and an asset to anybody that wanted to work with me. I’ve been banned and fired from many nightclubs, alongside failing on a nuclear scale many times. But who doesn’t? You take those moments and use them as fuel for the next endeavor. I sort of built my own unsinkable pirate ship. I’ve never had a formal boss, job security, and have zero clue where my next paycheck will be coming from still to this day. But it always works out. Trust me. Don’t be afraid to go rogue. The freedom is terrifying and also life-changing at the same time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an artist, my mantra has always been, “comparison is the thief of joy”. Nobody DJ’s like me. Nobody takes pictures like me. But let me explain… to the untrained ear or eye, we all sound the same and certain photos can look like clones of other notable artist. But it simply is nowhere near the same. From the vibe to the angle, no two are the same ever. When people say, “Your pictures look just like so and so’s” I take that as a compliment. But deep down, I know that what they are saying is a pure reminder of something that struck a cord with them at some point. I want my images to evoke emotion. I want my DJ sets to melt your face off. I simply want to make an emotional impact on anybody and everybody I encounter and whoever encounters my work. There’s no shortage of artists in this world, the hard part is sticking your head up above the rest and becoming memorable on any level.
How do you think about luck?
Is swear to god when I say luck really has zero to so with anything. Luck is a product of being prepared. Luck is just another word for “surprised”. Almost every dream I’ve dreamt has come true. But I’ve put in the countless hours of building everything myself, managing everything from top to bottom, to be in control of my problems. “Bad luck” only happens when you’re not prepared or don’t expect anything bad to happen. That 1 or 2 steps back after a large 10 steps forward isn’t bad luck. I consider it a reset back to the natural mean of the ebb and flow of business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.RP-Photography.com
- Instagram: @RichardPodJr
