Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Young.
Hi Alexis, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I originally started my journey when I was in middle school. I’m an only child who struggled with connecting with my peers and relating to them, so I had to make a lot of fun for myself. The only way that I could do that was through creating/making art. I started making YouTube videos in my house based on Beauty, Fashion, and my life in general. As the years went on, I branched out into many different areas which lead me to Photography and Videography. I got my first Video Camera I used for vlogging when I was a Freshman in College and my first Photography camera about a year ago. Before that, I used my iPhone for just about everything. From photos to videos, it was filmed with my phone from 2014-2019. During college, I started asking my friends if I could use them as models for my creative shoots. Them being so supportive, they pushed me to try different things and trust my vision by not doubting myself. When I was younger, all I knew was that I wanted to do something that allowed me to express my true authentic self without judgment. It’s only gotten better as the years go on. I learn something new every day through my creativity and I’m only going up from here.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Most of the time, it has not been a smooth road. I struggle with my mental health and self-doubt (for example my imposter syndrome). I’m also not the best at expressing my feelings either, so I try to use my work to do that. There are also times when I have to deal with negativity that is out of my control. It does get to me, but I had to realize that sometimes people project their insecurities and you can’t take everything too personally. There are moments I do feel misunderstood and that creates a divide between me and others, but embracing that side of me has been a journey of self-acceptance that has been relieving and it shows with the art I make. It’s just a part of life and I try to take every moment as a learning lesson. This is not the end of my journey and I am prepared for what comes next.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m currently a BFA Graphic Design major with a minor in Public Relations in my last year. Even though my major is Graphic Design, I specialize in Photography and Videography. In particular, Experimental Photography. I love playing with distortions, different colors, and angles. With that, I feel as though I’m in a transitional phase with my work as well. I’ve been really into futuristic mixed with 90s grunge, nitty-gritty work. Showing rawness with digital editing and playing with the camera settings. I’m proud of my photography series called ‘A Halloween Series I’. It was something I started last Halloween and was not aware of how much it would change my work. It is probably the proudest project I’ve ever done so far and it allowed me to let myself be free and include these elements. I also started my own Photography business called ‘LexiGoldStudios’ which is where I fully express my ideas. I started it back in 2020 shooting music artists in my area (Birmingham, Alabama) and working on album covers. Helping them build their brand with photos that embody who they are has been growing ever since. Hopefully, in the next couple of years, I can expand it and branch out into different areas (such as fashion, creative studio, etc.).
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Being initially from Birmingham, Alabama, I have grown to love how the creative space has expanded. I have met some amazing people with similar goals to me who are striving for success in their own way: the city art, the events (art exhibits are my favorite), and the culture. As far as what I least like, there is room for growth within the space as well. There could be more fun events/opportunities for the creatives and non-creatives alike. Just recently, I attended a good friend of mine’s music event called ‘Melodic x Hues’ where small artists can come and perform very intimate with others in Downtown Birmingham. Having something that can bring the city to life more is something that I look forward to in the next couple of years. Change is for sure coming to the city, slowly but surely.
Pricing:
- $50
- $60
- $75
- $100
- $150
Contact Info:
- Website: http://iamalexisyoung.com/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/alexisjyoung
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoIO9mpdRQ-luBLyFtYX4cQ
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/lexigoldstudios/
Image Credits
Models (in order): Jessie Lemley (Model) NVSH (Music Artist) SIMPCXTY (Music Artist) Courtney (Music Artist) Alexis Young Keoshia McGhee (Model) Kierra the Goddess (Music Artist) Maleha (Model) Nate Blakley (Model & Actor) Ak Oden (Model)
