Meet Andrea Escobar | Photographer

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

Hi Andrea, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my current success is my ability to adapt. Since I left my country to find better opportunities in the United States, the only thing that has been recurring is my adaptability process. First of all, I lost the fear and embarrassment of speaking in a second language, in which I am fluent but not 100%, it has been fun to go in the car before each gig listening to music in English to practice for social interactions. Second, and also very important, has been putting my social anxiety aside to be able to go out into the real world, and connect with more people. Breathe deeply before leaving the house and rehearse a few lines to be able to initiate conversations with new people. And finally, being a Hispanic woman in another country and inside the music industry has tested all my ability to adapt to situations that I do not know or control, but that deep down I find the strength to overcome them and move forward, without letting the bad moments win, on the contrary, give me more strength and courage not to give up

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.
Most of my life I have suffered from a lot of social anxiety, and it hasn’t been easy to control it and go out into the outside world but I think I’m doing a good job. I have always loved music madly, and photography has been a very important part of it since I was little. When I started going to concerts, even though I loved music, I had a hard time enjoying the general atmosphere because I was always surrounded by many people and that made me feel very uncomfortable. What was the best solution for me? To take my camera and go to the pit, so I could at least enjoy the first three songs not only with the music but also doing something I love. So I am very proud that thanks to my passion, thanks to photography, I have been able to overcome my anxiety and I have learned to enjoy the world from another perspective, from my lens. And I have also discovered along the way that I love sharing moments with others, by sharing my work, others can relive that moment if they were not there. I have learned so much along the way, but I think the most important thing has been that the perfect equation for success is hard work, and always remaining humble, honest, and kind to everyone… even when it is not possible. Although being kind and good can put you in a very vulnerable place in this crazy society, it also puts you in a great positionfor the people who do matter and value your work and personality, gives you perks!

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?
Some friends of mine from Mexico have come to visit me, and not to brag about it, but they have mentioned that I am a great host. I don’t think too much, I plan a small tour to places I like and I keep it simple and varied. I love nature and Austin has very beautiful green places, so I would choose either a big park or a green belt hike to start, if we find water to hang out around is definitely a win. Afterward, and as a big ramen fan, what follows is to go eat Ramen Tatsuya at the East 6th Street location. A walk through downtown to take photos, going to Waterloo Records is a must, and planning a night out to have a couple of beers and enjoy a good live music show is vital for every visit!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Many people along the path of my career have helped me grow enormously and for whom I am truly grateful, I would like to mention them all but I would not finish so I am going to summarize it to three very important people. The first is my father Salvador, who since I was little put a camera in my hands, taught me everything I needed to know about photography and not to give up when I enjoyed and loved doing something, no matter what. The second is my partner Ricky, who when I was most lost in life encouraged me to follow the path I had left when I was little, he took me to buy my first digital camera and to this day continues to support me in every step I take in my career, never lets me fall and always encourages me to move forward and look for greater challenges. And finally, my good friend Ismael, who by chance of fate came into my life at the best moment. He has trusted my work but above all in my enormous desire to be successful in the industry, he has not only helped me get good gigs but also he has shared his experiences and wisdom with me countless times when having tea on his front porch, couldn’t ask for more.

Website: https://helloisandrewphoto.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helloisandrewphoto/

Other: Caperuzo Mx is the first publication I work with to show my work, they have been a great support throughout my career and people I admire a lot. https://www.instagram.com/caperuzomx/