Bio
LET'S DO THIS:
Chicago commercial photographer/director and photojournalist Alex Garcia
(708) 824-7778
alex@alexandergarcia.com
The Gren Group
Paula Gren
781-710-3023
paula@thegrengroupinc.com
WELCOME!
Answers to FAQ's
What's your background?
As a Chicago-based commercial photographer/director and photojournalist, I've been telling visual stories across the globe for some 6,000 assignments. In that time I've learned how to adapt to people and situations of all different types in order to capture emotions and communicate a message. About 8 years ago I left a staff position at the Chicago Tribune (having arrived there from the L.A. Times) to pursue a dream of starting my own production company. Depending on the scope of a project, I may work alone and/or scale up with teams to deliver the high production values expected from a creative brief. Nowadays, half my work is directing motion projects or hybrid shoots of varied complexity.
Are you easy to work with?
Clients say so when they call back for their next project. One of my favorite quotes is by Maya Angelou: "...people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” If you have a project for several days, you want a team that makes life both easy and fun. I have a good sense of humor too, ask me about my comic strip hobby.
Can you bring something special to my project?
I'm ALWAYS looking to hit a home run for the team. With that constant striving, I have the rare distinction of sharing in the highest awards in both advertising and editorial; a Grand Prix/Titanium Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and a Pulitzer Prize while at the Chicago Tribune. Along with several other accolades, HarperCollins has called me "one of the world's leading photojournalists." I've also been a judge of the prestigious Pictures of the Year Contest and have taught at the most renowned art and journalism schools in the country.
What's your working philosophy?
My role is to be your problem-solver and creative thinker - to bring more to the project than anyone anticipated on a stills, motion or hybrid shoot. That begins with pre-production and casting, where many crucial decisions are made. But to cut through talking points you've probably heard endless times, my philosophy is to plan around emotion. In short, emotion is often the story.
What else besides photography gets you going?
When I'm not on a project, I'm teaching, speaking and volunteering. I've recently joined the board of Freshlens Chicago, which helps teens from under-resourced neighborhoods in Chicago learn the creative arts. Don't be surprised if you see one of our students as a P.A. on a shoot.
But really, what's your deal ?
Ok, so if it's not abundantly obvious, I have an obsession/personal with Cuba, where I have family. I founded CubaWorkshops.com, curating tours with my team for travelers of all skill levels interested in photography. From a project management perspective, imagine leading, managing and producing several shoots/day for ten paying clients on a nine-day trip through a country with power outages and food shortages. And people come back. It's feel good, as we support Cubans with their businesses and creative pursuits.
Stateside, my still and motion projects are done through our company, Three Story Media. My wife Laura Husar Garcia is the creative director of the company and a fine art photographer.
If you want to chat more over some Cuban sandwiches and cafecitos, I'm all in.
SELECT CLIENTS
ADVERTISING/CORPORATE
Walgreens / Facebook / U.S. ARMY / Northwestern Medicine / Boost Mobile / Canon USA / Tishman Speyer / Pillsbury / Samsung / PSP Partners / West Monroe Partners / WE Communications / Zeal Grass Milk Creamery / Otis Worldwide / JPMorgan Chase / M.Harris & Co. / DDB Chicago / 180LA / Carbone Smolan / Tricycle Studios / Abbott Laboratories / Novo Nordisk / Danaher / Ford / Target / Richards Patent Law
NONPROFIT/HIGHER ED
Northwestern University / Beloit College / Loyola University School of Law / University of Chicago / Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation / McCormick Foundation / The Joyce Foundation / Institute for Nonprofit News / American Academy of Pediatrics / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Discovery Partners Institute / Harvard University /
EDITORIAL
ESPN/ Pro Publica / Chicago Magazine / The New York Times / The New Republic / Newsweek / Planning Magazine / Fortune Magazine / Politico / GEO Magazine / Christianity Today / Chronicle of Higher Education / AP Images / Huffington Post / Scholastic World Magazine / Chronicle of Philanthropy / Crain's Chicago Business