We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexander Nguyen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexander, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Originally, I wanted to start my own business in order to make some money on the side when I was in high school. I had a love for photography and decided to use my passion in order to make some income. However, I needed to be able to purchase a new camera that would be able to perform on a professional level which would cost a decent amount of money. After some thinking though, I figured the camera would pay itself back if there was enough work. I had enough friends who were in need of senior photos to start, and from there I would hope that I would be referenced to other people who would be in need of portraits as well.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My photos have evolved throughout the many years, and currently where it is right now is very warm, rustic colors all throughout. Originally, my photos were a burst of very vibrant colors with no real correlation, however with time and influence from the desert of Arizona the color tones slowly shifted. Also, I was primarily a portrait photographer and many of my photos from then would primarily be of models. However, I have recently started traveling and I have found a great fond of taking travel photos. I have found a great enjoyment of photographing new areas and the story they may tell, and because of this I am now at Arizona State University studying digital marketing in hopes to be a travel photographer. However I am still a portrait photographer because it brings in the most success for my business.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
By far some of the most beautiful scenes in Arizona is Sedona, with the bright orange mountains and beautiful trails ever. However, something a little close to the Phoenix area with a beautiful landscape would have to be Humboldt Mountain. It’s viewpoint overlooks a beautiful valley and is one of the best places to view the breathtaking sunsets. The Phoenix valley also contains many delicious restaurants, with some of my favorites including Sicilian Butcher for great Italian food and Unphogettable for some authentic tasting Vietnamese food. A great area to hangout also is Tempe, with a great nightlife on Mills Avenue or be able to catch an ASU football game.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have two teachers to thank to the success I have right now. The first would be my digital photography teacher Mr. Bernier, he helped me establish more of an understanding of how to use post production tools more effectively (Lightroom, Photoshop, etc.). He also gave me a substantial amount of advice on not just photography, but also about life in general. Mr. Bernier told me how to I should advance my photography career but also maintain a good balance in life. My second teacher would have to be Mrs. Driving-Hawk, arguably one of the most influential on where my life is right now. Mrs. Driving-Hawk was my film photography teacher and she taught me the very basics of photography both on the technical and artistic side. However, she made a significant impact on my life by being one of the most down to earth teacher I’ve had ever had. She was able to connect with me and make me feel free to express myself in any manner.

Website: https://alxmotions.smugmug.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alx.motions/

Image Credits
Alx Motions

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.