From Photography Passion to Professional Success With Alex Medvick

Join us on an inspiring journey as we delve into the remarkable story of Alex, a photographer whose passion evolved into a thriving career against all odds.

In this captivating episode, Alex opens up about his enduring relationship with photography, tracing back to his childhood when he first picked up a camera at the tender age of seven. From those early days as a curious kid with a camera, to navigating the complexities of teenage life, photography became Alex's sanctuary—a medium through which he could escape, express himself, and find purpose.

Through candid reflections, Alex shares the pivotal moments that shaped his trajectory—from experimenting with film photography in his parents' bathtub to seizing opportunities in the wedding industry. Despite facing doubts and societal pressures, Alex's unwavering determination propelled him forward, transforming his passion into a fulfilling career.

Discover the invaluable insights Alex gained along the way, including the importance of self-belief, resilience, and surrounding oneself with a supportive community. Learn how he navigated challenges, overcame self-doubt, and embraced the journey of self-discovery to carve out a path aligned with his true calling.

Tune in as Alex offers practical advice for aspiring photographers and individuals navigating career choices. From questioning limiting beliefs to embracing failure as a stepping stone to growth, Alex's story serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for anyone embarking on their own journey of self-discovery and professional fulfillment.

Don't miss this empowering episode filled with wisdom, authenticity, and the transformative power of pursuing one's passion against all odds.

Alex's Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/alexmedvick/

Where to find your host online :

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaisedepallens/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blaisedepallens/
Website: blaisedepallens.com

Transcript

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:31:15
Inconnu
Welcome back to the Adventure Recognition podcast. Today I am with Alex MESSICK. How is it going, Alex? I'm going, Great, man. How are you? I'm doing fantastic. And I'm really looking forward for this interview because you are a photographer and I'm not the perfect photographer myself, but I got in touch with photographs for you when I was traveling the world, and I met a lot of other photographers who taught me how to use a camera along the way.

00:00:31:15 - 00:01:04:23
Inconnu
So I'm really excited about this car session with you. And that's going to be the object of my first question here. Photography was a relationship with that. And why did you started to do that in the first place? Yeah, Yeah. So I've got a very long and back and forth relationship with photographers, certainly back and forth, the very long and drawn out and evolving relationship photography, you know, like every, you know, annoying hipster kid.

00:01:05:02 - 00:01:20:05
Inconnu
I picked up a camera and I was like seven. I was like, my gosh, it's so cool. I can take pictures of things. And, you know, I was that kid. I always had a camera in my hand. I bought an SLR when I was a teenager. Kind of kept going from there. It really, really kicked in for me in my teenage years.

00:01:20:05 - 00:01:43:01
Inconnu
I was just I wasn't like a super happy kid. I just kind of felt stuck where I was, you know, as a as a as a 14, 13 year old. Get drive anywhere. You don't have a ton of control over your life. So I you know, I just didn't have a lot going for me, at least in my head, is I really started to lean into photography there as I don't want to a coping mechanism.

00:01:43:01 - 00:02:03:04
Inconnu
But but I mean, it really was something that I felt like I could be good at, something that I could do, something it could take me out of the house, something that could like take me to places. So I really, really got into it, then became obsessed with watching a YouTube videos. I did cyber school and homeschool for a while, or I should say my whole school career.

00:02:03:06 - 00:02:29:09
Inconnu
And so I would just be watching photography, do videos in the background when I was supposed to actually be working. So I like to say, you know, I really have a high school education, but I have a great photo I case. I got high ignored English for that. I didn't I didn't feel that. I was like, hey, I you know, I develop film chemicals in my parents bathtub when I was like 16, just, just for something else to do.

00:02:29:09 - 00:02:48:09
Inconnu
I thought that was a blast. And then eventually, around 17 or 18, I started picking up random little, little portraits, jobs, random events. But I was still kind of like a coffee shop worker at the coffee shop doing that, doing the stuff on the side. I at that point is just like, This is something I'm okay at and I need money.

00:02:48:11 - 00:03:08:14
Inconnu
So like, let's, let's, let's, you know, mix it up, let's, let's do some, some work. But then I had a friend who was a, a wedding deejay and he was like, Hey, man, do you want to come to the wedding? I'll give you like 100 bucks and just take some photos behind the scenes of me. And I was like, okay, it says interest in like, let's let's see what that's about.

00:03:08:16 - 00:03:27:16
Inconnu
And and I went there and I was like, wow. Like, this is really cool. And then he introduced me some wedding studios. I was like, Holy crap, this is something I can I can do as a career. Like, I could I could actually, like, realistically make this career. And so at that point, it shifted into being a job, like more of a full time job, which was exciting.

00:03:27:18 - 00:03:54:13
Inconnu
But I did that for a few years and something started to shift. It stopped just being a job. I was always a fun job. It was always a fun job that I really loved, but it kind of went beyond that. Once I really started to realize the the potential for meaning that there was in weddings, I really, really fell in love with the richness of story that was there, you know, in the day, but also the things that kind of lead into that that wedding day.

00:03:54:15 - 00:04:15:12
Inconnu
And so, you know, the last the last number of years, I've really made it my goal to really just photography's a tool, photography's a tool that I can use to connect with people and be really show up for people and tell their story. And I mean, literally on the phone with my couples forehand, I always tell them, Hey, I think you guys are more than your photos and that's why your photos are going to really matter.

00:04:15:12 - 00:04:32:15
Inconnu
Because if it's just about the photos, you know, you might as well be a magazine. And you guys are so much better than a magazine. You know, everything is led you to this moment. And I want to I want to know why you care about this. So I know what matters to you, because those things are going to reflect in your photos rather than just just being had.

00:04:32:15 - 00:04:52:16
Inconnu
A pretty pictures. So, you know, that's kind of that's where I'm at now. It's gone from being like, cameras are kind of fun to like, my God, I have nothing going for me. Let me, you know, shoot some film photos and develop my bathtubs. Now it's like, wow. Like, this is just this is a really fun tool that I can use to serving connection, tell stories for people.

00:04:52:18 - 00:05:20:06
Inconnu
That's brilliant. And I have just to be clear, you haven't studied photographic, is that correct? Not formally. I mean, I've spent so much time, you know, talking to people, watching videos, maybe going to one off classes. But no, no actual college. So no student debt, which is pretty dope. That's amazing. I know it's a big thing in the U.S. for people who are going to college and having like a lot of debt once they're done with it.

00:05:20:08 - 00:05:50:23
Inconnu
And that's the object of my next question. I'm really passionate about that. Finding something you love and trying to make the best out of it. And what would you say to a kid? It was like interested in doing photographs, right? Or whatever it might be, and they're thinking about going to college. Why would you what would be your perspective on that based on what we just said?

00:05:51:00 - 00:06:07:20
Inconnu
Yeah, so so obviously, you know, I feel like I did great without college. I don't think going to college was the right decision for me in a general sense. I would probably ask people to to really dig down and say, hey, what am I going to get out of this? You know, is this worth the cost? Because it's not cheap.

00:06:07:20 - 00:06:35:20
Inconnu
Right? And I think any time you throw out a lot of money, invest a lot of time, you want to make sure you're actually going to get out of it. What you need. In my experience, I feel like when it comes to something like photography, probably eight times out of ten, it doesn't make sense. Now, if you're going for maybe hyper technical, like commercial photography or something, and then even then maybe, maybe it's like the connections you get from college are the most valuable part of that.

00:06:35:22 - 00:06:52:23
Inconnu
But in general, I would say I would really, really tell people to pause and say, Hey, why do I need to go to college? What am I going to get out of this that I couldn't get? Because you know what? What drives me is I don't want to go to college, but B, I kind of sat down and said, okay, and I'm going spend two to 4 to 6 years on this.

00:06:52:23 - 00:07:11:20
Inconnu
And, you know, however much money, what could I do in that time? With that time and money instead of college, I could. But, you know, could that take me to my goals higher or faster? Or maybe not for me. I mean, obviously, you know, I never I'll never know what could have happened, but I feel like I made the right decision there.

00:07:11:20 - 00:07:31:18
Inconnu
So really just clarify, you know, what am I going to get out of this? What can I get out of doing something else? You know, if I buy another option, would that be better? And, you know, you usually have another option. This is funny because when I'm listening to you, I'm pretty sure everything looks like what Simple. But I'm sure behind the scene is not that easy.

00:07:31:18 - 00:07:58:12
Inconnu
But it seems like you you were very clear when it was about to choose your path. Well, it went smoothly. When I hear you talking. But what? What was the challenge behind embracing that path as a as a really carrier? Yeah. I mean, first off, you know, it was terrifying. It's it's still terrifying to a certain extent.

00:07:58:12 - 00:08:25:05
Inconnu
You know, when you're kind of doing your own thing, I guess you got a little bit less terrifying as I'm like, wow, this didn't destroy my life. I'm doing okay. I'm but I mean, I think the initial the initial belief that it actually was possible was was was was lacking. I kind of I've always been the person to say I don't feel like I can do this, but logically I can look at this and say, okay, maybe I can, so I'm going to push for it all the while.

00:08:25:05 - 00:08:44:10
Inconnu
And I go, my gosh, now I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this. I just got to like, force, like forcefully pushing myself through it with my brain because, I mean, early on, I mean, it's still is it to to an extent true Now people can it's true. Being a photographer is like this is not a viable career, you know, only the best of the best of the best.

00:08:44:10 - 00:09:16:18
Inconnu
Like the top 1% of photographers can actually make them, you know, make the money. I think the the median photographer salary is like 30, 30,000 USD a year or something in the United States. And there's like so or the average what I should say and there's so many photographers is everybody's like, you know, you can do it as a part time job like take some take some some kids birthday party shots and keep working at a coffee shop or maybe have to like get super high commercial, like shoot for Vogue after like, you know, busting your butt for 20 years.

00:09:16:20 - 00:09:41:04
Inconnu
So really just just doing it. Just continually showing up and believing, hey, I don't know what's going to happen next, but I'm going to find out. I'm going to keep pushing through this. That was I mean, that's probably the most important part of it, a part of what I'm now at. I'm still in that phase, right? I'm still I mean, I moved across the country and moved like almost 2000 miles away from Pennsylvania to Colorado.

00:09:41:06 - 00:10:01:02
Inconnu
And I have a plan, Right. And every day I wake up and I'm like, I can't do this. Like, this is, you know, who gave me the right to do this? I don't feel like I'm going to succeed. But then I look at my list and think, okay, I'm doing I'm doing everything. Like I'm going to push through this, this fog of the unknown, because I believe logically that that this is going to work out.

00:10:01:02 - 00:10:24:23
Inconnu
And this every day that I continue to show up, it continues to work out more and more. I'm not sure that was your question. I feel like I might have gone off the rails there. But let me tell you, it's a great it's a great answer. And there is something really special in your ability to push forward when is unknown, when it's hard, when you think you're never going to make it.

00:10:25:00 - 00:10:52:20
Inconnu
And my question is, where does this belief for for yourself come from? Yeah, I think it's partially out of necessity, partially out of, you know, once you push through that initial fear, you to have a returning proof that like, okay, this worked out last time, I'll probably work out this time, but I mean easily. I was not a very confident teenager, you know, for, for a lot of my life, I was not a confident person.

00:10:52:20 - 00:11:14:16
Inconnu
I didn't feel like I could do really much of anything for myself in a meaningful way. And that that hurt, you know, that that made me a very unhappy teenager. And even before a teenager, I don't know it all together, you know, tend to tend to 17. It's the last years, right. But yeah, I didn't feel like I could do much at all.

00:11:14:16 - 00:11:35:13
Inconnu
And that was that was just not not great. That made me very, very sad, depressed, a little bit angry. And I really don't know exactly what it was. But I got to the point where I realized, like, Hey, maybe I can change things. Maybe I do have the ability to change first myself, right? Because I think the first thing you need, you can you can changes yourself.

00:11:35:13 - 00:11:54:07
Inconnu
In some ways. The only thing you can really change is yourself. And if you're lucky, maybe that influences other things around you. So I kind of sat back. I was like, Okay, who do I want to be? What do I want to do? How am I going to show up in a way that I am actually happy about and excited for, even if everything isn't perfect at the moment?

00:11:54:09 - 00:12:18:18
Inconnu
How can I put myself in a place where I said, Hey, okay, I did my best? Like I'm actually happy with what I'm doing and that, you know, I say that and it sounds like it happened all at once. It was a very, very slow journey over a number of years. You know, I'm still I'm still kind of breaking down certain limiting beliefs in my head and saying, well, okay, how how could I show up differently?

00:12:18:18 - 00:12:40:06
Inconnu
How can I be better? How can I be a person I'm happier with every morning when I wake up? But that trajectory just kind of changed everything. And now you know that I've been doing, you know, on that journey for years and years, you know, it gets a little, little bit easier. I won't say a lot easier, but certain things where it's like, okay, hey dude, you can probably restart your business here.

00:12:40:08 - 00:13:05:16
Inconnu
It's a little bit easier to say, okay, I done things like this in the past. I have some proof. I'm a little more logically trusting of myself right now, even if I don't necessarily feel it. You know, the mind versus emotion kind of thing. Kind of kind of pushing yourself past your boundaries a little bit. Not in like a dangerous way, but in that, you know, in a way that says, hey, you know, your boundaries are working for you.

00:13:05:16 - 00:13:29:11
Inconnu
What if you reset them? That's very interesting because you started to ask yourself very interesting questions very early on as like could when I began and things like that. But usually it comes from a place where I'm going to ask you a question in a second, but in a place of something where you about happen in your life or you're suffering a lot.

00:13:29:13 - 00:13:56:16
Inconnu
And my question here is always get to 1 to 10. How much do you think you are suffering at that time which provokes you to start asking those questions? Yeah, that's a good question. Scale of 1 to 10, that's that's really tough. I mean, I don't know. I don't know what it would be, but I mean, I would say I was I was so I was suffering a lot as far as far as mental health things go.

00:13:56:16 - 00:14:14:09
Inconnu
You know, I was many days I did not be alive. There was many, many times where I was like, you know, everything's sucks. I don't like anything. There's nothing good about the world. I want to just, you know, curl up under a tree and never come out. So, I mean, I don't want to put a number on it because that that feels that feels kind of weird.

00:14:14:09 - 00:14:38:16
Inconnu
But yeah, it was. That definitely pushed me that that amount of suffering and dissatisfaction and just like deep, deep, bitter unhappiness with the world and myself, I mean, that pushes you places the I think, good things come out of pressure not to say that the pressure is always good. That was that pressure by but something really came out of that pressure and that stress and that unhappiness.

00:14:38:22 - 00:15:06:00
Inconnu
It just forced me into a corner and fortunately I ended up in the right corner. I know a lot don't end up in the right corner, and that's really sad. But for me, I like, thank God, like just I ended up in the right corner. It is in here, I think. I think so based on how I do it today, I really love your answer because we can really see your path went from very shy and comfortable with yourself and suffering a lot.

00:15:06:00 - 00:15:28:21
Inconnu
So you really like it's been us. How how much suffering you experienced in your teenage years. And I think it's going to happen to everybody at different stage of lives. And because you had this, you were able to build now a career that is really full sync for you. And we maybe going to talk about more about this in a moment.

00:15:28:23 - 00:15:58:23
Inconnu
But I want to see and I have those people who are now at the place you were in the past and see how we can trying to give them an example and a couple of tips and how they can shift their life from inner suffering to building this confidence over time so that they can like try and test and do things that they are really inspiring about.

00:15:59:00 - 00:16:25:14
Inconnu
Yeah. So I mean, surrounding yourself with good people is humongous. You know, surround yourself with the people who are doing things or living in a way that you aspire to, to, to do or to live in. Because I know you know, surround yourself with people who kind of depress you or like have the same major, major flaws or that you're struggling with.

00:16:25:16 - 00:16:43:14
Inconnu
It's hard. You want to do things is going to either kind of encourage you to stay in that or it's just going to it's going to like put you down even more. You're just going to be like, sad about all the people around you, like all me. And nobody can get out of this. Like everybody, everybody, everybody's life kind of sucks in the same way as mine, so why even bother going further?

00:16:43:14 - 00:17:02:22
Inconnu
So really find people that you are that love you, that you love, that you, that inspire you, that you can be around and actually feel encouraged and motivated in some way even, you know, not. And nothing's going to be perfect. Nothing's just flip the light switch, magically make things up. And it's a it's a lot of little things all at once.

00:17:02:24 - 00:17:28:10
Inconnu
They just add something else are important to remember, too. There's there's no overnight success, so to speak. Nothing just magically, magically happens. There's no like silver bullet that just just makes everything like snap into place. So it's finding these little things, like finding those people, finding maybe a certain stability in your life that, you know, added all together and then you're going to slowly, slowly see results also.

00:17:28:10 - 00:17:52:09
Inconnu
I mean, you know, if you if you really, really need help, talk to a therapist. I just talked to a therapist of workouts there, you know, way before I was generally better. That would have helped a lot in my journey. I did this a much harder way and a way that doesn't necessarily succeed for everybody. I would say another important question just ask in general, I think, is if I were wrong about this, would I want to know?

00:17:52:11 - 00:18:12:09
Inconnu
And that could be super powerful in a lot of ways because, you know, it's very tempting to show up to things to be like, well, I am this way, you know, like I am the awkward kid or I this thing doesn't work. Like, okay, well, maybe that's true, but if you were wrong about that, would you really, really, really want to know?

00:18:12:11 - 00:18:38:11
Inconnu
Like, are you willing to be wrong about that in order to achieve what you want? Like what? What what might that unlock if if you were if we allowed ourselves to be wrong, we're often obviously sometimes we're right. Sometimes things just don't work. But I think our default, at least my default still was it. It still is to just say, okay, well, my gut instinct, when I immediately feel what I believe based off no real experience is absolutely true.

00:18:38:13 - 00:18:56:23
Inconnu
And that often shuts things down and says, Alex, like you can't go to this networking about it, meeting bunch of people. Alex You can't drive across the country. What something's going to go wrong is like, well, actually, if I were wrong about these things, you know, what am I missing out on by by believing that I'm right and not allowing myself to be wrong?

00:18:57:00 - 00:19:27:17
Inconnu
Does that make sense? Absolutely. I love this idea of questioning your own thoughts and on limiting your beliefs by trying to to see what's possible if I'm wrong. So basically, you believe you cannot go to this like networking events, but deep in your mind you're like, what if I'm wrong? And then it opens the door for possibilities. And I think this is absolutely critical to kind of like change your beliefs.

00:19:27:17 - 00:19:58:24
Inconnu
And I really love because I never thought about that question and that question that you ask yourself is really powerful to change your perspectives. So I really love that. And I want to just ask one more question about about this. So you said you build confidence over time. What would you say has been one of the keys to build this confidence over time in yourself because you didn't have when you started doing this?

00:19:59:01 - 00:20:23:15
Inconnu
Yeah. Messing up a lot and then not messing up after that. I think really just continuously showing up whatever it is that that you value, that's important because I mean, initially, right? Initially I wasn't that great element. It wasn't that great a wedding. I, you know, big thing for me in my teenage years was I didn't feel like I, I felt like I could talk to people as well.

00:20:23:17 - 00:20:41:17
Inconnu
And so continuously showing up and being like, hey, I'm I'm just going to pretend like I'm not this. And we pretend like I'm not the awkward kid. I'm going to do the absolute best I can photography. And, you know, there was a lot of things that hurt in that because you show up, you know, with everything you have.

00:20:41:19 - 00:21:09:05
Inconnu
And sometimes it's a process of not, you know, nothing that which kind of sucks. That really, really stings a lot. But I think the trick from that is then to say, okay, what did I gain from this? What am I able to take out of this? What am I able to learn from this? And then go back at it and probably get your butt beat again, Probably feel terrible again, but used using that willpower to continually show up and just making that incremental progress.

00:21:09:07 - 00:21:25:23
Inconnu
So, you know, you get to the point where I say, okay, wow, like I messed up so many times and now I'm not messing up and I'm still taking notes and now, now it's even better. And like, my gosh, well, what happens if I keep showing up with that scared of. Did you ever watch Magic School Bus?

00:21:26:00 - 00:21:47:23
Inconnu
No, I never. man. I think it might be more of an American thing. That was a kid's party. And there's this teacher and she's like, take chances, make mistakes and get messy. And that's kind of your whole philosophy. And, yeah, do that, do that. And then, you know, look for ways you could improve from that, look from ways you can and things you can kind of hold on to for that and go from there.

00:21:48:04 - 00:22:05:19
Inconnu
Anime has been a very long journey and I think I still have plenty of powerplants and things to learn from here, but now I'm excited about it. Now I'm less scared. Now I'm really ready to kind of enter into that and say, Hey, how am I wrong? How can I be better? Like kick me in the face life so that I can kind of say, wow, I should just be that coming.

00:22:05:21 - 00:22:48:19
Inconnu
Let's let's be better next time. So that's, that's kind of where I'm at. And let's talk about where you are now, because you did something that none of the other people would have done. And that's something I find quite inspiring in a way. You know, once you do know from this perspective. So you had your business, your wedding photography business, what you were, where you were before, and from now, if one day you wake up and you decide to move 2000 kilometers away from your place to start everything from scratch again, tell me about the journey you're taking in this decision first and then why?

00:22:48:21 - 00:23:09:18
Inconnu
Yeah, I mean, it comes back to that pressure and dissatisfaction, right? I, I moved from Pennsylvania to Colorado, which I should really know the exact number, but like roughly 2800 miles away or something like that. Very long day to day to long day drive. And so I've always I was very dissatisfied with Pennsylvania for for for quite a while.

00:23:09:18 - 00:23:28:20
Inconnu
I mean, even back to those teenage years of like, screw this, I hate Pennsylvania at this point. And then I kind of fell out of the adult setting where you are moderately successful and then life gets kind of comfy and you just stay there and you're doing the same thing. And it's it's fine, but it's not great. It's not you know, there's there's better things, But why would you rock the boat, right?

00:23:28:21 - 00:23:51:01
Inconnu
Why would you rock the boat? Everything's fine now. But then COVID hit, right? COVID hit. And I was alone in my apartment for three months just doing yoga, watching The Walking Dead like I left in weight. So, like, okay, this this sucks, but I'm really grateful for that in a weird way because it gave me a lot of time to sit down and say, Hey, what, what, what's wrong?

00:23:51:01 - 00:24:09:24
Inconnu
What's going wrong? Cause I feel worse than just COVID right now. Like, I feel worse than just the fact that the world is falling apart. Like, I feel like I wasn't quite where I was supposed to be before this. And I finally came to terms with the fact that, hey, like, look, dude, you have to move like, you've wanted this for so long and you're just afraid to do it.

00:24:10:01 - 00:24:30:13
Inconnu
And it's you don't just like you don't just go for it. You're never going to do it and then you're going to die. That's that's like the more way of thinking. But like, look, you know, you we have a finite amount of time, and if you don't do things, they won't happen. So, you know, I didn't know exactly where I was going to move to at that point, but that kind of spark sparked the spark, the fire.

00:24:30:13 - 00:24:46:16
Inconnu
I'm like, okay, yeah, this this needs to be a very, very real trajectory and goal right now. And I'd always been traveling around the United States. I love road tripping, but I started over that next year. As things started to ease up a little bit, I started to travel more were the fact I was saying, Hey, where would I want to stay?

00:24:46:16 - 00:25:11:01
Inconnu
Where could I stay? And Colorado really stuck out to me as the most casually epic place you could live. And I say casually epic in that it's pretty casual right there. There's normal cities, there's towns, there's suburbs, there's restaurants and nice people. But then you look, you know, you go a half a mile down the road and there's just ridiculous mountains and a rolling plains that rolling, but actually pretty flat.

00:25:11:01 - 00:25:31:03
Inconnu
These flat slides, just nature everywhere You drive an hour interested in the most ridiculous places, but at the same time, you kind of live in a normal area rather than, you know, a lot of other states like either desolate or a crazy, crazy, expensive city. I'm looking at California right now. Y'all are so expensive and also on fire all the time.

00:25:31:05 - 00:25:52:13
Inconnu
So it just it just struck me as the most casually epic place I could live. And I was going to wait a little bit longer to move. But I visit out here from last August and or July, I should say, and I kind of said, Hey, I need to move. This is I can't. So first as I had was January and so I did it.

00:25:52:15 - 00:26:19:09
Inconnu
And now I'm out here flying back and forth and finishing up my Pennsylvania weddings this year and working on rebuilding my business in Colorado. I, I went, I went all the way in. I just this dove right into this. And what was the biggest challenge one of the biggest change to start from scratch because I really I may have told you this before in our before our interview is just show called Undercover Billionaire.

00:26:19:15 - 00:26:39:06
Inconnu
It's like a billionaire was just moving to a new city that knows we knows nobody. And he starts to build a business in 90 days from scratch. And he made me feel it made it makes me feel the same about as do a story. And I want to know what was or what is, because it's still at the beginning of this.

00:26:39:12 - 00:27:07:17
Inconnu
What is one of the most difficult thing? Trying to start from scratch? Yeah, so it was one of the biggest assets I had in Pennsylvania. And the biggest asset, I think really anybody in a small business, but especially as that's personal business such as wedding photography or relationships, the network of people you surround yourself with, the other wedding wedding vendors, you know, the people in the community, you know, And I came out here and I didn't really have a lot of that.

00:27:07:19 - 00:27:27:07
Inconnu
You know, back in Pennsylvania, I could almost not do anything and still still have enough of a job. And I see not do anything. I could almost I could not really market because I knew enough people that things kind of came in enough. And I come out here and I have, you know, virtually no connections. So that's been the biggest roadblock.

00:27:27:07 - 00:27:45:01
Inconnu
But also, honestly, the biggest opportunity is that's been such a blast to let intentionally say, okay, who who do I need to know? Who do I want to know? You know, how how am I going to find the right people to build these relationships with? And that's been a blast. I loved loved getting to know all these new people.

00:27:45:03 - 00:28:10:06
Inconnu
And I mean, that's why what initially was a roadblock has now become really word opportunity. And it's been a blast. And I'm really excited to see where these relationships go, what new people I meet, because the other day, that's kind of what my job was about before. Now I just get to intentionally do that with people who are necessarily getting married right now, and I'm loving it.

00:28:10:08 - 00:28:48:04
Inconnu
This is amazing. It made me think about the spirit of adventure that I tried to to uncover in this podcast. It's we didn't talk about adventure here, but for me, what you are doing and what you did in the bus is exactly this bit of adventure. Is the spirit of curiosity trying to embrace the unknown and just kind of like charge yourself like you did and in that mindset, for me at least I have, I'm always thinking about death and I wanted to know, what is your relationship with that?

00:28:48:09 - 00:29:08:05
Inconnu
Yeah, death is this is a weird thing, right? I don't think anybody has a normal relationship with death. It's it's kind of it's kind of odd, no matter what. So for me, I kind of I kind of, you know, ignore it. Some days I fear it. Some days I'm like, okay, this this adds a certain, you know, beautiful rhythm to life.

00:29:08:07 - 00:29:25:12
Inconnu
So it's a constantly changing and evolving thing. I would say in many ways it drives me to do things now that I'm always thinking about death by, but it is in a way to say, Hey, yo, you only have so much time. And if you're not going to do this is not going to happen because you don't have forever here to do this thing.

00:29:25:14 - 00:29:51:13
Inconnu
And nobody, nobody else is probably could do that for you. Mr. Play. Not going to happen when you're dead. So that it's is it's definitely a consistent driving force in in a not in a terribly morbid way, but it's definitely like a little push. It's like a little, little little push to keep keep doing things rather than kind of being too comfortable and talking about your wedding photography.

00:29:51:15 - 00:30:20:02
Inconnu
What would you say is or are the things that really bring you fulfillment in what you do? Yeah, yeah. I mean, getting to know people right off the bat, I, I really, really value as a relationship just because I'm a, I'm a people person. I love people and I really, I really want to know people getting to capture those people's stories and giving a hand those back them and say, hey, this is, you know, this is the story that you valued so much.

00:30:20:02 - 00:30:37:05
Inconnu
This is what brought you here. You told me about this now, so this you can save this and look back at this and, you know, maybe maybe there's photos. The people you really, really care about in there because those people aren't be either, you know, And oftentimes they're going to be around for a short amount of time than you are, especially, you know, if you're getting married.

00:30:37:07 - 00:30:58:16
Inconnu
And I just I value that so much. I love being able to to memorialize the things that matter to people rather than just taking beautiful photos. Like, once again, you know, I like taking pretty pictures, but that is show that's like third as so secondary to everything. It's like an important part, but probably the least important part. The important part is who are you?

00:30:58:16 - 00:31:27:21
Inconnu
Who do you care about? Like what brought you here? Because that's not going to last forever. And while it does, I want to like I want to capture that and save that in a way that's really honoring to that story for you so you can kind of hold on to that for as long as you need. I really I'm really passionate about what you do because I see how you bring your love for people and your skills as a photographer together.

00:31:27:21 - 00:31:53:20
Inconnu
But like you said, your skills is like almost thirds and building your career. What I feel about what you said about your path is different in this thing about, okay, I've first tried to be a good photograph her, but now in capturing moments, you want to make this thing really beautiful and connect. And it's not. It's no more about photographs.

00:31:53:24 - 00:32:16:02
Inconnu
Yeah. My next question is this one. You were a shy kid and now you say that you're a people person. Why do you that? What do you love about meeting new people and what does it mean for you to be a people person? Yeah, I mean, I think the most interesting thing about other people is that they aren't me, right?

00:32:16:02 - 00:32:34:21
Inconnu
It's so easy to get bored with myself, maybe even bought. But there's, there's only so much that I know so much that I. Yeah. And you know, everybody else has something usually very different, but at least marginally different or better or more interesting than me in some way. And, you know, I think that that's fascinating to get to know.

00:32:34:23 - 00:32:56:03
Inconnu
I'm convinced that most other people probably I know a lot of things that I don't and I'd like to know them, but be I just find their life experience. So, so fascinating. And I mean in the day, right? There's more other people than there are just me. Right? and I really believe that those other people matter more than me just by the numbers, right?

00:32:56:05 - 00:33:14:12
Inconnu
You know, two or three people there. There's more. There's more, you know, human value there than there is. And just myself. So I'm like, wow. Like, well, what? There's so much more to the world than just me. Like, how cool would it be if I got to experience those people and know them and love them? Like, really, really show up for them?

00:33:14:12 - 00:33:37:14
Inconnu
And with that, I mean, how awesome could that be? You know, that's so that's kind of where I'm at with that. I think there's a second question that you asked that I forgot. Yeah, it's what it was more about because I'm earlier, isn't it, with that? Because I used to be quite a shy kid as well. And I'm always asking myself, how did I become a people person?

00:33:37:14 - 00:34:00:19
Inconnu
Because with you're a shy person, you just don't want to talk to people. Yeah. So, I mean, that that desire was always there. And I think what held me back, what made me quote unquote shy, was coming back to that fear of failure. Like fear of like, well, what if they realize on the world's market, what if I say something that tarnishes their view of me in their eyes?

00:34:00:21 - 00:34:20:23
Inconnu
And that was just another thing of consistently showing up and being like, Wow, I hated that. Like, wow, I really I really sucked there. And I'm saying like, okay, well, how can I be better? Or how can I approach this differently? Or maybe I just need to say, Hey, dude, it's you're not that bad, or stop worrying about it and just be yourself.

00:34:20:23 - 00:34:42:15
Inconnu
It's it's really it's, it's, it's a combination of all those things. So it just comes back to that, that being willing to fail, being willing to ask myself, hey, if I'm wrong about this, am I willing to acknowledge that? And then just, you know, consistently showing up from there, just having that goal, right. Of having something that's something that's worth worth fighting for, I should say.

00:34:42:17 - 00:35:08:06
Inconnu
And I had a future worth having. Yeah, Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And now how do you think we can or what? How did you detach yourself from what other people think? Because that's basically that thing that stop us from trying to express new things or doing anything that's uncomfortable. Yeah, I mean, that's really difficult. I still struggle with that.

00:35:08:06 - 00:35:26:08
Inconnu
I think. I think most people do to a certain extent and I'm still in that to a certain extent. As you goes back to the consistently showing up saying, hey, maybe I mean I do really care what these people think about me, but I going to let that stop me, may let that shut me down from doing something that I want to.

00:35:26:10 - 00:35:56:10
Inconnu
So, you know, maybe it maybe like a lot of the times I'm headed into a sentence that still does. It hurts, you know, imagining what other people think about you. I guess that's another thing. Oftentimes I'm just imagining other people think about me. That's not actually what they think about me, which is important to note. But even even if somebody thinks I'm I'm dumb or I said something wrong or I'm not as articulate as I should be or whatever else it is, am I going to say am I going to allow that to stop me from continuing to fight for what I want to fight for?

00:35:56:10 - 00:36:14:07
Inconnu
Because in the day I'm going to die? I'm not going to have, you know, if some if I'm not going to do it, nobody else is. So do it. Do I do I care enough about the other people? Think you would if it hurts to just stop me from from continuing to show up in that way that says, you know, it's an important question to ask.

00:36:14:07 - 00:36:37:00
Inconnu
Like what? What do you value most? You can feel all the things you can feel hurt by people's perceptions of you, but it is that more important to you than what what you want. And then where do you see yourself going with maybe your business or career or your dreams in 5 to 10 years? Where do you see yourself in five years?

00:36:37:02 - 00:37:02:22
Inconnu
Yeah, five years. That's tough. I mean, I'm going to I'm going to roll it a little bit. We'll see what it comes out. I would love to I'd love to be traveling more consistently for work, meeting more people in diverse locations, whether that looks like, you know, I'm shooting more elopement around the country or maybe more involved with traveling or.

00:37:02:24 - 00:37:19:24
Inconnu
Yeah, I just I want to see more things and talk to more people is really simple. And I think that could materialize in any number of ways. I right now, I'm sort of I'm sort of building a launchpad pad for myself in Colorado so that I can say, okay, I'm comfortable, let's get uncomfortable again. Let's, let's push it some more.

00:37:20:05 - 00:37:42:10
Inconnu
So it's I really should narrow that down to a very specific intention. I'll probably do that after this phone call. But yeah, just more people, more places. Okay. So I'd love to know that uncomfortable thing. God, that's who I want to do after, because that's that's a good way to, to keep pushing. And yeah, that's a good question.

00:37:42:10 - 00:38:08:17
Inconnu
Actually, I want to ask you, why do you want to keep why you keep looking for this going forward? What? Yeah, I mean, I think just discomfort, intentional discomfort brings about new things. And, you know, if you're comfortable forever, things are pregnancy. The problem means everything's staying the same and that's fine. You know, maybe you want to keep things the same, you know, the exact same thing forever stay in autopilot mode.

00:38:08:19 - 00:38:36:04
Inconnu
But for me, I really I'd like to break out of that. I think there is more. There's more to see, more to do, better ways to show up for people. Ways, ways to push yourself more. And with a limited amount of time I have, I'd like to see how far I can push that. Like see how well I can love people, see how well I can show up, see what things I can do that maybe even surprise myself that I haven't thought of yet.

00:38:36:06 - 00:38:57:04
Inconnu
Because that that's interesting that that seems like it's worth doing. So, I mean, discomfort is the way I think, you know, I forget who who said it, but it's like an old it's an old teacher thing. The obstacle is the way, right? Like you find the obstacle and get obsessed with the obstacle. Don't try, go around it, go straight through it.

00:38:57:06 - 00:39:25:15
Inconnu
And there you're going to really find a lot of a lot of growth and a lot of beauty throughout that, you know, despite the suffering, despite the discomfort, despite the the awkwardness in the middle of the fog of uncertainty, you push through that. And I really believe that that beauty and growth and meaning comes out of that. I don't know who said the quote, but I know that Ryan Holiday has written a book that is called Obstacle is the Way.

00:39:25:17 - 00:40:02:03
Inconnu
So That might be it. But I really love that the idea of going straight to the discomfort and trying to push through and talking about discomfort and adventure. What would you say has been one of your most epic adventure to this day? Yeah, that's that's tough, because I've been a lot of road trips, but I think the a good one is the one that kind of kicked it off when I was when I was like 18, I took my like beer stick shift Honda Civic around the country for a little over a month, like five weeks or so and play nine times out of ten.

00:40:02:03 - 00:40:24:00
Inconnu
I was sleeping in the back of it and they pushed down the rear seats, the trunk that put a board in there so I could put my legs in the trunk and my head would just kind of be on the board near like the front seats and I would just sleep in there. So my little like my terrible little RV camper and I just been around the whole United States, like up up north, around this leg, around the air and the edge down the west Coast, up around Texas.

00:40:24:00 - 00:40:43:17
Inconnu
You basically and I go around around that the whole country and my gosh, dude, as an 18 year old who had never really gone anywhere without their parents before or like, you know, not not really driven anywhere very far away without their parents before, I should say terrifying but amazing. So I so many things, so many national parks.

00:40:43:17 - 00:41:07:17
Inconnu
But also I had a lot of trouble. Right. I like slid into a ditch in in Oregon. I got super dehydrated in Nevada and just like freaked out a little bit. I got a flat tire in Kansas, which is a terrible place to get a flat tire. Somehow they got to happen in the middle of the night. And somehow me being down was like, you know, I'm not going to stop and pull over and rest for a while.

00:41:07:19 - 00:41:23:15
Inconnu
I'm going to keep re inflating it and drive through the night. I don't know why. I don't know why. I thought that's a good idea. But I did that. I just pushed myself. Did that stop for literally no reason and, you know, got through that. And I mean, that trip was instrumental, right? It showed me a deep love for.

00:41:23:15 - 00:41:41:19
Inconnu
So many things on the country for a spirit of adventure. But there's a lot of like white knuckle months, a lot of moments. I don't know. I'm going to make it through this. This is so uncomfortable. I kind of hate this. And it really proved to me that, you know, it's like, hey, if I'm not dead, I've I've survived like this.

00:41:41:19 - 00:41:59:20
Inconnu
It's going to be okay. Going to be okay. Just keep pushing forward, you know, because when you're an 18 year old kid and you're driving through a ridiculous rainstorm where you can't see a34 in front of you, you know, you're you're in a place thousands of miles away from anything. You know, You don't know where to pull off.

00:41:59:22 - 00:42:25:03
Inconnu
And you said you keep inching forward, keep going, keep going. It's terrible. But it's also like a really big life lesson. You know, it's got it's kind of a great metaphor where your life you don't know necessarily what's coming next. You kind of keep going, keep going in that direction. And, you know, through it, through grit and willpower and belief and, you know, hopefully a goal and a future that's worth having, which in my case was was a dope national park.

00:42:25:05 - 00:42:39:05
Inconnu
You know, you keep pushing through that. And so that was I mean, that's that set me on a trajectory from there that that taught me so many so many great lessons. It gave me a, you know, a good, good amount of confidence to use like, wow, I didn't die. You know, I didn't go broke, I didn't die.

00:42:39:07 - 00:43:00:03
Inconnu
I actually made this happen. So that says, you know, that was that was a better comp has better than college for me was just running away for about a road trip. So I would say anybody who wants to do it just disappear for a while and live in a car. I agree. I mean, adventure for me was a way to build my confidence as well.

00:43:00:05 - 00:43:27:09
Inconnu
Give me time to reflect on myself and keep growing and keep pushing and being uncomfortable pretty much all the time. So I didn't feel really what you say. And my next question is what? What do you love about that? About adventure? Yeah, I mean, that adventure specifically, I think was was really a coming of age moment. It was me proving to myself that, hey, wow, you know, there's this thing you really wanted for a while going around the country scene, all the stuff, you did it.

00:43:27:11 - 00:43:46:20
Inconnu
You know, you you are, I should say, I don't know. I keep saying to you, but I fought for that. I continuously showed up and pushed myself through all the things that sucked and hurt and were terrifying and scary. And I got that. And that was that was priceless. You know, that that was absolutely priceless. And I saw things that, you know, ignite a love for travel, which was awesome.

00:43:46:20 - 00:44:03:24
Inconnu
But ultimately, the fact that I accomplished that, that being that felt kind of impossible, kind of crazy kind of ridiculous. There was a humongous confidence builder that was so valuable to myself was this day I look back on that, I'm like, Yeah, like, wow, I did that. I don't know. I don't know how I did that. That's kind of crazy.

00:44:03:24 - 00:44:29:07
Inconnu
That's kind of like kind of ridiculous for an 18 year old yet. But, you know, I did it and nobody can take that away. And if you could talk to your let's say, I don't know, 12, 13 of even 16 years old. Alex, what would you say to him? Yeah, I know that your your present is not going to be your future.

00:44:29:09 - 00:44:47:12
Inconnu
You know what? What is right now does not have to be what is in the future. So it's so, so easy to get caught up in that, right? Like, it's so easy to break out of autopilot and say, whoa, okay, things just kind of suck right now, but they don't have to continue to suck in the future. Right.

00:44:47:12 - 00:45:01:06
Inconnu
Just because it's been like this in the past, to me, it's always going to be like this way. And then, you know, say, Hey, yo, Alex, how can you change yourself? How, how, what? What are you, miss? I'm sure there are so many things I was missing that is kind of shut myself down because I wasn't willing to be wrong.

00:45:01:06 - 00:45:18:03
Inconnu
I wasn't, you know, old enough and able enough to, like, look past my own flaws and see what was probably right in front of me. I speculated now, but I mean that that happens to you every day now. So I have to imagine that was also the fact when I was, you know, 12, 13, 14, I don't think things have changed that much.

00:45:18:03 - 00:45:44:19
Inconnu
I think I you know, I was still fooling myself that. So yeah, that's that's what I would say. And I have a the other the opposite question is let's imagine now you talk to Alex, ten years old and now what would you say you would you would say to you now. So so the future Alex would say to me, yeah, how?

00:45:44:21 - 00:46:00:06
Inconnu
And I don't know, like, hey, dude, you should have pushed more or Hey, dude, like, you pushed a lot. Like, good job. I hope so. I hope you'd be like, yeah, you, you know, you, you pushed and you're still pushing. That would be great. But realistically, you're probably like, Hey, dude, you pushed a lot. But my guy.

00:46:00:06 - 00:46:19:08
Inconnu
Like, there are other ways you could, like, just get. That's what happens. You know? I'm not perfect. There's there's things I'm going to mess and I'm excited to see what those are. I'm really excited. Those are so I can, you know, hopefully not miss them again in the future. Yes. Awesome. I have three more questions to ask you before you end this episode.

00:46:19:08 - 00:46:49:01
Inconnu
There was a fantastic conversation, but I want to know this one. That's amazing. You are the bottom of the magic mountain. It's a mountain away, a higher than Mt. Everest. And once you reach the top, you have the power to talk to one person, dead or alive. Who would it be and why? that's really, really tough. That's really tough.

00:46:49:01 - 00:47:04:13
Inconnu
I don't know that I have a second to think about that. man. I mean, I think it would be very interesting. And this is this isn't like a great answer, but I think it'll be interesting to talk to Steve Jobs. I used to idolize him as a kid. Now I realized that his leadership techniques probably weren't the best.

00:47:04:13 - 00:47:23:10
Inconnu
I was kind of a jerk to people, but he's he's sort of such a modern, mythical character in business and technology that I think it would be so fast and to, like, get to know him as an actual person on a personal level because, you know, I'm sure he was kind of a jerk. I'm sure he was also kind of a genius.

00:47:23:12 - 00:47:41:00
Inconnu
But so much of that is mythologized, right? So I think it'll be so interesting to kind of see that person in just like a, you know, a normal human aspect of showing up with a better answer. And like 10 minutes after the call, it's done. By that way, that just kind of sprung into minds. Awesome. That's a good answer.

00:47:41:00 - 00:48:08:01
Inconnu
I mean, the goal of this question is absolutely to like to see what comes out of your mind straight away or without thinking. So really, really appreciate your answer and being honest and just true to what questions here. What would you say has been your three lives? Adventure Lessons. Three lessons from adventures in Life. One would be to to keep pushing, right?

00:48:08:01 - 00:48:30:15
Inconnu
If you're not if you're not dead, you still have a shot, too. Would be, you know, love other people. They matter more than you. And they can also help you more. More than you could ever know to really show up and like love and give to people that that are return just so much so much more than anything.

00:48:30:17 - 00:48:47:21
Inconnu
And three I've always had with on the spot numbers let's see third third lesson I mean I want to kind of reiterate like, you know, to constantly ask yourself if I were wrong, I'd be willing to be wrong. I guess I should say be willing to be wrong, you know, because that'll open up so much for you is better than pretending like you're right all the time.

00:48:47:21 - 00:49:14:06
Inconnu
Because I'm not at all. It's not I don't think any of us all the time, if we think that we are, we're lying to ourselves and everybody else and other people probably know it. Be willing to be wrong. Really loved that one to the great one of them. Definitely going to keep. Before I'll ask you to ask you the last question and just one take a quick moment, Alex, to thank you for being such a beautiful photographer and trying to capture those moment.

00:49:14:08 - 00:49:41:13
Inconnu
That really means a lot to you and to be that guy who just is to be wrong all the time, to keep pushing, keep growing, and be an example of the people. I'm sure that can witness your path to be an exemplar, to keep pushing despite the discomfort, despite adversity. And I just want to thank you for that for a moment.

00:49:41:15 - 00:50:08:19
Inconnu
And what going to follow more about what you do online? Yeah, man, thank you for that. So if you want to go to my website, that's awesome. It's just Alex Mediacom. My last name is Medi Vic, and I'm also on Instagram. It's Alex Magic Photo Alex Medivac page, OTL. I was happy to spell it out. Just obnoxious. You got to find me everywhere else too, but I don't really do anything.

00:50:08:19 - 00:50:35:14
Inconnu
So you find me on Twitter, on Facebook, you just see me disappointed. So unless you're bored, I would say just go to go to Instagram or my website. That'd be awesome. Yeah, I'd love to. You know, hit me up, drew me a message. I'd love to have conversations with, you know, anybody who's interested. Awesome. I'm going to put in the show notes, the leg of your website and a link of your Instagram so that people can go check you out and not question adventure.

00:50:35:16 - 00:51:02:10
Inconnu
What does it mean to you? I like that. I think it's it's an intentional discomfort in search of of a goal. And as I like to add, there's little comfort, intentional discomfort in search of a specific goal. So that could be road trip, that could be a relationship, right? I think a relationship can be an adventure in a way.

00:51:02:12 - 00:51:21:10
Inconnu
It could be a new business. It could be moving. I think it could be anything. But I think it's intentionally pushing yourself in a way that's kind of scary, uncomfortable, but in a direction that that feels worthwhile. So you get to the ad, you see a my gosh, that was scary. That was terrifying. That was dangerous. But this has been worth it.

00:51:21:15 - 00:51:41:11
Inconnu
So, yeah, I think that that's that's why I would say the four way to end this podcast. Alex, thank you so much for your wisdom and for who you are and thank you for this beautiful interview. Thank you for having me. And this has been a it's been a blast. Definitely stay in touch. I would love this. All right.

00:51:41:15 - 00:51:43:02
Inconnu
Bye, guys. See you soon.