Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Curnutt.
Hi Alex, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Absolutely! I grew up in Fort Worth, and my love for creating started at 12, filming BMX and parkour antics with my neighborhood friends. We called ourselves The Sloth Squad and, inspired by BMX webisodes, made videos, designed merchandise, and became small-town legends. It was a huge deal for me and is where my passion for creating really took root. After a few years of living in Fort Worth, I started to lean more into BMX, which is where I started to explore shooting photos. Around this time I thrifted a Canon AS-6, which quickly became my sidekick, and all of a sudden I began shooting portraits of my friends at the skatepark and just about everything in between. Fast forward to my junior and senior year of high school. I landed an internship with Sugar Productions in Dallas, where I was taught the ins and outs of how to run a successful production company, which I would take with me when I decided to pursue a degree at UT Austin. It was this internship and the incredibly talented producer there, Michelle Isbell, that got me my first gig as a production assistant on one of their sets in Austin. It was here that I met local Austin director Vanessa Pla. Vanessa ended up inviting me on her sets for the band Drakulas, where I met my mentor, Lauren Mahoney. Lauren pushed me when it came to exploring photography and gave me access to her entire vintage clothing collection from her company, Oddball Vintage. I jumped at the chance, kicking things off with a punk-themed photoshoot at the Capitol, which landed me a feature in a local Austin magazine called Anon Magazine. From there, my local freelance career took shape, and I found myself working with models, stylists, and local bands. For a music buff like me, shooting press kits and directing music videos has always been a dream. I’ve had the chance to work with some really cool bands like Die Spitz, Scowl, Susannah Joffe, and The Past Lives, eventually earning a Best Photographer of 2023 nomination in the Austin Chronicle.
Today, I’m a content creator for Snoopslimes, making viral content and working with major artists like Karol G and brands like Raising Canes. It’s incredible to do this on such a scale while still working on personal projects and collaborating with Austin artists. But none of this would have been a thing if it wasn’t for the people that have helped me along the way. I really owe it to my partner Tori Hodges and friends/collaborators like Hayden Sticksel, Kent Shinnick, Quentin Arispe, Andy Friedman, and Robert McGee for the support they’ve given over the years. I really owe it to y’all.
Thinking back, it’s wild how those early videos set me on this path. Every project builds on the next, and I can’t wait to see where it all leads.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This journey has definitely had its ups and downs. The biggest struggle for me personally was learning that inspiration is a fluid thing. I remember when I first started shooting, I would shoot so much that I’d get burned out. At the time, I thought all I needed to do to curb this was work more. To put it short, that was definitely not the wisest answer! Since then, I’ve learned that it’s good to take breaks and that it’s normal to not always be inspired. Your taste changes, and the things that keep you going are constantly evolving. I’m at a spot now where I understand this, and it’s definitely been a good thing for me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a local photographer and content creator known for shooting press kits for musicians and creating viral social videos for Snoopslimes, a major e-commerce slime brand. I freelance as Alex Paradox, focusing on bold portraits of rising artists like Die Spitz and Susannah Joffe while also diving into DP work, directing, and editing. In my day job at Snoopslimes, I create social media content and shoot product photos, making TikToks, Reels, and Shorts that showcase our slime products through fun, interactive videos inspired by pop culture. It’s incredibly fulfilling to work with such a talented marketing team, sharing my creativity with millions. I’m grateful and stoked to be where I am today.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I’m only 23 and still at the beginning of my career, so take this with a grain of salt, but if I were to give any piece of advice, it would be something my awesome mom taught me growing up, and that is to say yes to everything. I think it’s so important to explore all possible avenues and expose yourself to things that you didn’t know existed. Doing this has led me to meet incredible people and work on projects that I wouldn’t have. We can get so caught up in being uncomfortable that we don’t want to do anything at all. But those uncomfortable feelings are something that should be explored and not avoided!
Pricing:
- My pricing varies based on the scope and specifics of each project, allowing me to tailor my work to best fit each client’s unique vision and needs.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexparadox.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexparadox/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-curnutt-3708571a1/
Image Credits
Assisted by Hayden Sticksel, Brooke Ellisor, Tori Hodges, and Aidan Wilhite.
