Get to Know Artist Alex Orchilles!

Alex Orchilles (@AlexOrchilles) is a Denver-based photographer & filmmaker. From landscapes to street photography and aerials to portraits, he travels around the world capturing stunning frames. Along with shooting photography, he also creates travel films, vlogs, tutorials, and gear reviews for his YouTube Channel. You can check out his photos here and his YouTube videos here.

Tell us a little bit about how you got into videography. How long have you been shooting?

So this is going to sound a little strange, but what sparked my interest in filmmaking and photography was the time in high school that my friend got into a street fight. My friend was a boxer and I knew he was going to defeat the other guy so I decided to film it with a Sony point & shoot camera. Once I popped that footage into Windows Movie Maker and started playing with slow motion, uppercuts, & background music, I knew this was something I could get used to… I absolutely loved it. I ended up making the fight look like a professional boxing match which is what really caught my eye (pun intended). If I could make a street fight look like a professional boxing match, what else could I do with film and photography?

Since that day I had been shooting on recreational gear until college, which is when I decided to make this my career. I’ve now been shooting professionally for almost 8 years with my company called Aon Prestige Media. At Aon, we produce content for all sorts of clients including concerts, commercials, music videos, portraits, real estate, events, weddings, sports, and much more.

What goes into being a professional videographer?

I think there are many different elements that go into this career. The first one is, be able to tell a story and evoke emotion with your work. Whether it’s a film or a photograph, you should be able to make the audience feel a certain sensation. Another great attribute is being able to tell your client’s story effectively in your own way. This is why you are hired, to tell someone’s story with your own creative approach. Lastly, I’d say to have business professionalism such as etiquette, reliability, and accountability. If you do not have these three things, no one will want to do business with you.

Explain your journey as a photographer/videographer. Has everything gone according to plan?

My journey has been an interesting one to say the least. I went from working a stable full-time job at a security camera company in Miami, to resigning, moving back in with my parents, and going full force into my own company, Aon Prestige Media. From there, I was able to land many different clients that gave me the opportunity to grow my knowledge, network, and invest in necessary equipment. I then was hired at an advertising agency in Miami, where I had the opportunity to work with popular brands, amazing creatives, and learn more about how advertising and production work hand in hand. After working there for about a year and a half, I decided it was time for me to leave South Florida for a new home. This was when I moved to Denver, Colorado, in August of 2018.

I am now happier than I’ve ever been, living by the undeniably spectacular Rocky Mountains and having the opportunity to snowboard, mountain bike, hike, and drive into the mountains whenever I want. Not only am I still producing content for Aon in Miami, but I have also started another company here in Colorado called Mile High Production. In addition to those two companies, I’m also selling my photography prints online at https://www.alexorchilles.com/ and running a YouTube channel that focuses on filmmaking, photography, and travel (https://www.youtube.com/alexorchilles). Since I’ve learned so much from the YouTube community, I think it’s important to give back.

What is your favorite photo that you’ve taken?

My current favorite shot is the aerial of Denver’s Union Station taken at night (shown above). The reason why this is one of my favorite shots is because it represents new beginnings. This was a capture from one of the the first few weeks when I moved to Denver. This life event is definitely one of the biggest that I’ve experienced and this shot represents that shift from South Florida to a new beginning in Colorado.

How would you describe your cinematic style?

I would describe my style as a more realistic or documentary style. I don’t heavily rely on altering what my camera captures. I’ll go in and do some post-processing in Lightroom and Photoshop but for the most part I won’t add or remove too much from the original frame.

What have you done recently to better yourself as a photographer/videographer?

I recently started bringing my camera everywhere I go. This way if I’m out running an errand and I see an amazing shot I’d like to capture, I have no excuse to not take that shot. This pushes me to continue creating content everyday. Yeah I may have 40,000 unedited photos on a hard drive somewhere - but at least I’m shooting.

If you were to give advice to a rising creative, what would you say? What wouldn’t you say?

Go shoot… simple as that. Get out there and shoot until you run out of batteries, then go charge your batteries, and get out to shoot some more. Practice makes perfect. Although YouTube tutorials will help, the best way to perfect your skill is to practice.

The internet innately separates the creator from the audience. How has social media played a role in your photography/videography?

Social media has helped my career out significantly. I personally have not spent much money on advertising for my company - meaning that my clients are found through social media and the networks that I’m in. Word of mouth is also a big contributor to that factor.

In your opinion, has social media been helpful or hurtful to modern artists?

I believe that social media has been helpful to modern artists because we can now reach audiences at a much larger scale. This means that an unknown artist from a tiny town in Arkansas can be discovered without even leaving that town. Simply put, artists have a chance, now more than ever.

Describe the art community where you live.

Since I just moved to Denver, I have not explored the art community all that much. Although, I recently went to my first photography meet-up called Denver Creates (@DenverCreates), which was an awesome experience. Since they host monthly meetups in Denver and the surrounding area, this event was at Red Rocks Amphitheater. There were many photographers and models that came out to support and collaborate with the community! I’d definitely like to get more involved in the art community here and will start looking to do so now that I am settled in to my new home.

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