Meet Alec Romero-Hoffman | Photographer/Artist/Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alec Romero-Hoffman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alec, what role has risk played in your life or career?

I think risk plays a big factor in many things I do daily, it can be anything from what vibe am I trying to express? What is the perfect color palette? What is the risk of using this VS that and does it help me tell my story? Taking such risks I believe can lead to new opportunities allowing room for growth both personally and creatively.

Ever since I was young I wanted to have a career in a creative field of some sort, at the time I didn’t know exactly what that looked like.  I enjoyed many creative paths but fell hard for photography. It became the backbone of my creative outlet and passions.  I decided to leave my hometown of Denver Colorado to pursue my passions, lucky for me this just so happened to be in Santa Barbara California.  I treasure every minute I was in that moment of my life. It was some of the best, hardest, coolest, beautiful moments of my life.  With all that beauty came plenty of student loans, which inevitably lead my journey back home to find a job that will help me pay down some debts and long goals to support this creative path.

Before I knew it 10 years had passed, I was working hard for a great company that became my family, it provided stability.  Yet the longer I stayed the more I could hear the artist inside me screaming to be let out. Staying on such a safe path created complacency so I took my second biggest risk to date and left that solid road. I said goodbye to a place I called home to heed theca of the artist inside. I started my own Photography & Art business and am now following the passions of life capturing moments, creating art, and performing with my ragtag group of weirdos the Denver shadow cast group Cvlt Slvts.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

Photography is the main ingredient when creating. Whether that includes capturing moments for seniors, families, or portraiture of any kind, its acts as my creative conduit. When making art I like to utilize my own photography to create a unique fever dream art piece unique to the eyes. Someone recently inquired what movie the image had come from on one of my t-shirts, to which I informed them “the movie in my mind”. That has been one of the best compliments, especially with movie posters having a big impact on me and my love of photography growing up.

My creative road was not always easy, I was fortunate to attend photography school racking up school debt that left me very stressed. After a year and a half, I knew I was going to be in too much debt so I left school but stayed in pursuit of photography. I took the knowledge gained from school and asked friends to model for me. I also joined photo clubs to network and create with other artists. I was able to find job stability and worked hard to bring myself out of debt all while staying focused on what was the most important to me.

It’s taken some time but the biggest lessons I have learned are trusting in myself and staying confident in my process and knowing that I am where I am supposed to be. My brand and story are staying true to myself and continue to feed the artist soul inside me by capturing memories and creating art for my clients.

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?

First off Denver has so much to offer, depending on when said friend would arrive depends on where we would start. If they arrived in the morning we would need to go someplace with a cocktail, now Snooze is delish and they have a yummy mmmmmosa including pomegranate juice and a mean pancake flight. If we wanted something a bit more flare we would have to make our way to Lucile’s Creole Cafe for the most amazing pan perdue I have ever been privy to, as well as bloody Mary and mimosas with fresh-squeezed OJ. If they arrived in the afternoon or evening we would have to stop at either La Loma for some delicious margaritas and Chili Rellenos with the best pork green chili, or we can go to Yak & Yeti Restaurant and Brewpub for flavor town. We would spend the rest of the week moseying through grabbing eats at great places like Lechugas, Ohana Grill, Parisi, or checking out what the new Milk Market has to offer.

We would make sure to stop at red rocks of course, then cruise through the town of Morrison checking out the Morrison Holiday Bar to have a drink or two. We would have to go to Slashers horror bar playing all the horror you could hope for or even see the Denver Shadowcast Clvt Slvts performing. Checking out Golden offers fun walking and shopping and local hole in the walls like the Ace High it also gives you the chance to visit the MillerCoors Brewing Company and make sure to visit the tasting room, there are also so many local brewing places to visit including Stranahan’s whisky tour. Punch bowl social brings many fun activities in one spot along with a mean cocktail.

Union stations are always a fun stop for terminal bar cocktails, snacks, coffee, boozy ice cream, shopping, or a hotel. If sweet is what you desire make sure to visit Rheinlanders bakery the scent pouring out the door is so intoxicating, Azucar Bakery offers Peruvian treats sure to send taste buds into overdrive or if a doughnut is what you desire you have to go to Parlour doughnuts they are just chefs kiss. So many places so little time!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This is for everyone who has supported me, modeled for me, hangs my images, and wears my products, thank you for believing in me even when I have been my own worst enemy. Thank you for always sticking with me and reminding me my art needs to be seen. I love you all so very much!

Website: abrphotographyandarthouse.mypixieset.com

Instagram: @abr_photographyandarthouse

Other: abrphotography.threadless.com

Image Credits
Images are provided by AbR Photography & Arthouse.