In an ideal world, we’re all doing what we love most – a passion, a dream, our first love. And for local Andrew Randon, that passion was photography. It's been a rollercoaster ride so far in pursuit of his dream - we catch up with Andrew to find out what a journey it’s been.

Where it all began

In a recent post to his Facebook profile, Andrew shared what was possibly the start of his career as a photographer and filmmaker. He was planning to shoot a video with a client, and on shoot day he spent his last 10 euros on a cab to get to the location. “I was going to ask [the client] for cash to be able to get a cab back home. Sadly, when I arrived, the client had moved out two days before and I was not notified… Man, I think it was my 5th or 6th job […] and I swear I was totally done,” he admits.

Andrew was sitting on the pavement thinking about his next move. “Then all of a sudden a tyre comes rolling down the hill and I hear from afar ‘Can you get that please?!’ I grab the tyre and bring it back to the mechanic, we never traded names… but I asked him if he needed any photos for his business and if he’d pay me so I can catch a ride home,” he shares. “We ended up taking photos and he drove me home. I wonder how things would have panned out if this moment never happened.”

Andrew shares his love for photography and filmmaking with us and how this particular moment was pivotal for his career. “I forgot what the craft meant in that moment of failure,” he admits. “It’s not all about the money; I started this for myself and my ability to create memories or feelings.”

Andrew says that he was fascinated by films and photography from a very young age. “I used to watch movies and try and break down how they created the shots and executed the scenes to emit a certain feeling. It slowly became an obsession, which later grew into a career.”

Adventures along the way

Andrew has had some cool adventures as a local creative, with awesome highs and, as with any such story, some crappy lows over the years; all of which have shaped him today. “I’ve had quite a lot, including buying my Red Digital Camera, shooting with the IMG Rolex Middle Sea Race media team this year, shooting a commercial with Kurt Arrigo and Ian Adams from BPC for HSBC, and shooting in Thailand for a 6-star resort when I was 17 or 18,” he says. Pretty cool stuff if you ask us!

He also shares some difficult moments during his career so far. “I think most lows I’ve experienced where emotional ones. As the stakes get higher in this line of work, certain incidents can unfold and change your perspective and due course of your destiny. I cannot be super specific, but I think I’ve learned a real lot from my lows in the past three years, which have helped me become the creative and man I am today.”

Some incredible things Andrew has experienced include filming in some pretty spectacular, old and hidden houses in Valletta that very few have laid eyes on. He also loved being a part of the media team for the annual and much-awaited Rolex Middle Sea Race, as well as shooting at one of the biggest parties of the summer, Summerdaze.

A word of advice

Andrew shares a few wise words for other creatives who are thinking of a career in this line of work. “It honestly depends on your ambition and target in life. I can only share what I’ve learned so far from my mentors and experience. I still have a very long road ahead, and many lessons to be learned, but if there’s one thing I’ve taken from all this: set your target and make sure it’s clear before you hit go,” he says.

“Always be willing and open to listen to people who have achieved way more than you have. They got there for a reason, and you must always pay them your respect and gratitude for even bothering with you, no matter how much you grow. Be humble, grateful, and keep it simple… that’s all I can say!”