Today we’d like to introduce you to CJ Reaves.
Hi CJ, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, I aspired to be either a professional athlete or artist. One question that stuck with me throughout my career was, “What’s your plan B if A don’t work?”
That prepared me.
Surrounded by goal-driven, inspiring people of all aspects, I was able to grasp so much creative inspiration from those people and from my experiences in my upbringing, which painted who I am today. I was always venturing into new hobbies & things, but the majority of my life, I was an ARTist & athlete. Football was my groove from age 6, grade school through college, then competed as a USA Amateur Boxer, post-college for a few years before turning into a boxing trainer until this day.
Art was always my primary hobby throughout my journey of becoming now, an entrepreneur. Drawing became my first love, inspired by my mom-dukes doodling, I used to see in our photobooks & old notebooks.
Art was my excuse. Art was an escape. Art became therapeutic. Art was God’s plan B for me that he knew would bloom into plan A.
You heard people say they’re visual learners…? That’s me, while I am also better at expressing myself visually. I learn and educate others through the art of photography & video production. I grew up struggling with speech, lacked reading comprehension, & writing; however, I never shied away from those weaknesses. I remember wanting to be a poet & rapper, inspired heavily by Tupac Shakur. Music was also highly influence in my family growing up watching my cousins break dance, DJ, sing, and produce music. I was easily influenced and felt I could do anything they were doing. I learned to dance, DJ, & produce music. Altogether, it made me an artist with many avenues, gave me an outlet and a way to express myself through my craft.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey had its highs and lows. I definitely faced obstacles & challenges I never thought I would overcome.
One journey of obstacles, in particular, was college. College was not a plan until my high school senior year, however, my drive to pursue college football pushed me there. Long story short, I ended up going to 5 different colleges/universities before completing my Bachelor of Arts degree, studying Studio Arts & Graphic Design at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.
The following challenges were the hope of receiving a decent post-grad job with a degree or within my major. That was a journey alone. However, throughout the hundreds (no exaggerating) of jobs I applied to, job interviews that eventually just became meet and greets, and jobs that did not hire me by my credentials & qualifications, sparked something in my drive to pursue an entrepreneurial, creative career.
One last obstacle that drove me to be the photographer & person I am today was being discriminated and getting turned down from a retail photography job that would not hire me for having “long hair”, to be a photographer. Months later, I got on a heavy grind, saved up, and bought my own used digital camera. I was in business and super active within a year, meanwhile THAT retail photography company happened to get shut down the following year or so.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My hometown of Reston & Sterling, Virginia would probably say, “What don’t he do?”
I am an Entrepreneur.
I am an artist.
I am an audio/ video producer & director.
I am a film crew member of five independent films.
I am a volunteer & senior multimedia producer of the Washington West Film Festival of seven years.
I am most known for my photography of 10 years & counting.
I may also be most known for coaching & training various youth sports.
I am an author of an interactive children’s photography book.
Primarily, my professional full-time career work, I am a Sports Broadcast Live Event Operator of eight years now, covering thousands of live high-demand sporting events yearly on our major sports network programs, such as ESPN, Fox Sports, etc.
I am most proud of what & who I’ve become artistically & spiritually. I am more proud of the strength of my mom dukes to raise three from a young age, as a single parent, and always had a village to support and put my siblings and I in better positions. I am proud of my brands I once only envisioned but persevered through action & effort. I am now blessed to say I have a foundation. I am also most proud of the growth of my photography/video production business, that was once a hobby. I am most proud of publishing my first children’s book during the heart of the 2020 Pandemic. In addition, I believe I have produced the 1st children’s book featuring a black character with locs (hair like me) as a photographer.
What sets me apart from others, creatively is my drive to do the unthinkable. Sometimes the closest person to me would never guess my next move. Lastly, my passion for helping people and my ability to get along with ANYONE sets me apart.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is 1 of my most embarrassing childhood memories in the 4th or 5th grade. I was a part of a play, a Shakespeare play I believe, but not only could I not remember my lines, I could not get my words out due to my stuttering issue. LOL, I can laugh now. For those who stuttered, speaking out loud & starting a sentence with the letter “I” was a bad Idea. In conclusion, this memory is favorable because I’ve gained so much from that embarrassing moment and seem to never forget it.
Contact Info:
- Website: Shotsoflyfe.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/author_cjr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedrik-j-reaves-bb346a87
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/OZDneqiVXNI
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Point-Shoot-Taj-Cam-Reaves/dp/0578809451
Image Credits
All photography capture by me, CJ Reaves of Shots of Lyfe Productions LLC
