We were lucky to catch up with Rj “go Get Rj” Mcbean recently and have shared our conversation below.
RJ “Go Get RJ”, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I always loved photography, but when I started I wasn’t very good. I got a D in photography in high school but I loved doing it even if I wasn’t that good. I worked in silence for many years because photography was my release from stress. One of my friends had asked me to do a photoshoot for him afterward when we were reviewing them he saw a photo and said “Man! I didn’t know I could look this good.” After that moment, I knew that was how I wanted to make me people feel. That was my purpose
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I started my professional career as a photographer in 2017. I originally started taking photos of cars at my local racetrack. From there, I began taking photos for my friend’s businesses and shooting videos for them. I eventually ended up working with brands artists and local businesses to shoot content for them.
My goal is to help as many brands and creatives achieve their dreams. I run productions through my company Kampfire Productions and I am also a co-owner of Black Arizona, which seeks to empower minority-owned businesses across Arizona.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I think three qualities that helped me are passion, grit, and knowledge. I think these three things are important to anyone who is creative because these are what will propel you forward.
Passion gets you out of bed in the morning it’s the love of what you do and what you create. Passion will get you noticed
Grit because as an entrepreneur you need to have the toughness to stay on course through the hard times it’s also important to creatives because it takes a lot of resilience to open yourself up to the world. You may face criticism of your work and that’s ok! These help to make us better
Lastly, knowledge, as a photographer and videographer always be open to learning more because there’s always a deeper pool of knowledge to learn. In business seek mentors and learn the hard parts of doing business because it will make you better
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
My dad has been my rock in my life. He provided a stable home for me growing up and has always encouraged me to learn and keep learning. He bought me my first camera and there were many nights when he would drive me around the city to take photos.
My mom always encouraged me to be creative when I was young she always would tell me I would be a director and make films. Even before I had a camera she always knew. She passed away in 2016 and it did hit me hard. Her passing and learning to live past the pain made me seek out the beauty in life and how precious it is to hold on to those moments.
My stepmom Laura. When I first met her, I was a pretty broken-up teenager but that didn’t stop her from loving me just the same. She was the one who made our house a home.
Every project I take on, secretly in my mind is a way to honor them for the sacrifices that they made and I work each day to make them proud.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gogetrj/
Image Credits
William Alemdaraz, LJ Garvia, Marcell Gaines, Phoenix Fashion Week
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
