Alex Barredo has always had a passion for photography. It began with portraits, the first hook for the Filipino Canadian. He loved being able to capture the essence of someone through the lens. Fashion and commercial photography then became an easy adjustment to add to his portfolio, because of his love for fashion and design. Soon after, architectural photography took the reigns as one of his best-known genres. Now, Barredo is known around Canada for his work in photography and is a leader in his industry in the country.
Currently, Barredo spends the majority of his days doing architectural photography for some of the biggest construction and design companies in Canada. He has shot for award-winning design firms Leicht Kitchens and VictorEric Luxury Homes, and his ability to capture the personality of a room is outstanding. With his help, both companies have gone on to see great success both financially and critically.
“Being able to set my own schedule and having every shoot, every project, every day different than the last. It’s a very challenging and rewarding profession. The biggest challenge to any photographer is lighting. Every situation and project need a certain type of light to be able to be captured. Being a photographer is being a problem solver. I have gone out of my way to learn the ins and outs of lighting. Because of that I can shoot almost anything,” he said.
The highlight, however, of Barredo’s esteemed career came when he went back to his initial love of portrait photography. In 2015, the photographer had a shoot with the now First Daughter of the United States, Ivanka Trump, as well as Donald Trump Jr. and billionaire Joo Kim Tiah, all, in Barredo’s words, outstanding entrepreneurs that he looked up to for a long time.
“We don’t get many celebrities in town so to be chosen as the top photographer in the city to photograph Ivanka was amazing. Ivanka and Donald were very polite and professional. They came prepared and looked well put together. They knew how to pose and were very engaging. I would work with them again,” he said.
At the time of the shoot, Barredo worked with the real estate group Holborn, doing architectural photography. He captured the launch of Trump Tower in Vancouver, and in doing so, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. were to be photographed. After planning with the team at Holborn and staging the shoot the day before hand, he was able to execute the shoot the next day according to schedule. The shoot also involved photographing Joo Kim Tiah, who built Trump Tower Vancouver.
“The amount of detail and freedom Holborn allowed me to have to capture the three Trump Titans was something I can’t be thankful for enough as having creative freedom allows me to show my best work,” said Barredo.
The shoot itself was intense and precise. Ivanka and Donald were only in town for one day, and were being interviewed for numerous television programs and magazine articles. Therefore, Barredo had a very small window for their shoot and had to make the photos captivating and timeless for the Trump Tower launch. His previous experience and organizational skills helped streamline the shoot to be able to accomplish five different setups in less than 20 minutes. With their publicists looking over his shoulder as he photographed each shot, Barredo was able to execute the right pose and look they were incredibly happy with.
“It feels great to know I was able to complete the project and am confident to do so for any other future projects. It takes a certain amount of good and bad experience to be able to get over the fear of a project such as this. It really helped me gain confidence overall as a photographer,” said Barredo.
Undoubtedly, Barredo is a force to be reckoned with as a photographer. His versatility, innate talent, and commitment to his craft allow him to be extremely in demand, and he never wants to stop.
“I’ll shoot until I die,” he concluded.