I hope everyone is enjoying the fresh feel of spring time as much as I am. I haven’t posted on here for a while and for that I apologize. The new year started, Trump became president (ughh), I got a new job, I’ve met some pretty awesome people, and as always, I’ve developed a better sense of who I am. It’s basically been an overwhelming and non-stop learning experience. Within all of that, cool things have also been happening. Recently, as some of you know Austin Texas became the loudest place in the southern part of the country as SXSW took over, and for those who live here know how crazy and exciting it can be. RSVPing to all the shows, long lines to overcrowded venues, traffic is 100x worse, late buses into downtown, but in the end we all love some part of it. For me it’s the music, the vibrant energy from all sorts of people, and having a good time with some of my closest friends. As every year begins, I anticipate SXSW and the things I’ll be doing or getting myself into. This year couldn’t of been any better; I got the opportunity to work with Bud Light along with one of my best friends, Javier Gonzalez (@javi_glz), and I got to meet a super talented person/photographer named Jovan Sotelo (@jovy.y). From roaming across Austin with Javier as we showed thousands of people via Instagram what the city transforms into during these festivities, to dancing the night away with Jovan at Ethics, this SXSW was unforgettable.
SXSW or as we say it, south by southwest, starts off with interactive, gaming, followed by film and ends with music. Every time section is filled with surprises, but if you’re like me and you don’t have the money to purchase a badge, RSVPing to as many free show as you can through Facebook is the way to go. Because of my collaboration with Bud Light and hosting Jovan, searching for shows was a no-go this year. Either way coming across all walks of life, strolling past cool looking venues, and allowing your senses to be open to everything, was in itself a treat.
My collaboration with Bud Light kicked off with excitement. I anticipated the moment weeks ahead when I first learned that I’d take part with the number one beer sponsor for SXSW this year. I got my camera ready and did some research on what to expect, but once there it was a completely different experience than what I expected. Capturing a picture for their sweepstakes, taking over their Instagram story along with Javier, and being present at the Bud Light Lounge where The Roots and Friends played was simply mind-blowing. The best part was experiencing it with friends and acknowledging the fact that it was a new type of venture for myself in this field. Time will only tell where this can lead towards. But before I get off track, here are some sweet shots from those moments, which include a shot from our Instagram takeover. You can check out the whole video by clicking here or by visiting my “COLLABS” tab above.
The week wouldn't of been complete without Jovan Sotelo or as I like to call him, Jovy. I met Jovy not in person for the first time, but through Instagram about four years ago. If you’re like me, you know you have those followers who make you stop on their picture because it’s that good. And you know I’m right when I say that you feel like you know them just by keeping up with their feed for so long. When we first started following each other, I was mesmerized by the honesty in his work and the way he captures emotion. Meeting him in real life was almost what I expected but better. Convincing him to come to Austin during SXSW week wasn’t hard and I’m glad he managed to travel here. I learned so much about him and from him, we explored Austin on the day he arrived from 9am until 3am, and to end his week here, we celebrated his birthday at Ramen Tatsu–Ya on South Lamar.
But that’s not all. Jovy will also be featured on UNICO, which I’m also happy to announce that It’ll have it’s own website. More news over that will be released this week so please keep up.
Like I mentioned earlier, SXSW is a crazy time, but as always there is so much to learn from. I’m grateful for all the moments and for all the talented folks I got to meet. As every SXSW, it comes to an end and all that’s left is an anticipation for next years. Until then.