Life Explained: Through the Lens of Commercial Photographer AJ Feducia
AJ’s journey into photography didn’t begin in a studio or classroom, but in places where skaters gather, documenting not just tricks but the spirit of youth and freedom. Now a professional photographer with a portfolio that spans commercial clients like Tazo and Magnum, AJ’s work continues to bridge the gap between raw experience and refined image-making. His perspective is grounded in curiosity, care, and a deep appreciation for time—both in how it's spent and how it’s captured.
In our conversation, AJ reflects on his early years behind the lens, how becoming a father reshaped his relationship to art, and why finesse and problem-solving lie at the heart of his creative process.
MUDRA LOVE: Can you give us a little background? How did you get into photography? What were your first few years like?
AJ FEDUCIA: I got interested in photography because of skateboarding. Skateboarding has such a rich history, and also a culture of documenting skating as a lifestyle. Making skate videos was so fun as a kid. We’d go out skating and filming all day! Cameras were always around and eventually I carried some. I developed the film in my high school darkroom, or I would take a roll to CVS to get it developed. I also knew I had a terrible memory early on, so having a camera was a way of mitigating this.
ML: I know you were also big into skating and looking to go pro around the time photography entered your life, what made you decide to pursue photography instead? What thoughts were racing through your heart and mind?
AJ: I didn’t know I wanted to be a photographer. I really had hopes of becoming known in skateboarding. I was around all the right people and companies that could make it happen, but slowly as I got a little older, I knew I didn’t have the right amount of missing screws to make it as a skateboarder. Being poor at the time also kept me out of the professional side of skate photography. Having shitty cameras meant that I documented more of the lifestyle end of image making. I just took photos of whatever madness we got up to as kids.
Eventually, I reached a point where I became interested in making visual art and stopped taking photos for a long period of time. More specifically, I became highly interested in intaglio (a process in which an image or design is incised or engraved into a material) and got a BFA in printmaking from the University of Hawai’i. I love the physicality of printing.
The print is a document of the plate, similarly, a photo is a print of time.
ML: You are an adventurous spirit. How has skating, surfboarding, and photography nourished you? What is something thing they have in common?
AJ: I love problem solving. Skating, surfing and photography all spark different interests for me, but they all satisfy my interest in problem solving. Skating involves harmonizing body movement, timing, and finesse, repeating the same motions over and over, tweaking it little by little until you get the trick.
Surfing, for me is pure reactionary. You are responding to an active environment, how you approach this changes in a split second. Getting into a groove and learning how to read the environment you are in requires incredible patience and care.
Commercial studio photography requires multiple days of planning to build out a shot on paper. Then you must recreate it in the studio, shaping light and form to create an image.
ML: Do you have a guiding philosophy for your work? Life in general?
AJ: In regard to my personal artwork, I prioritize time. My print and illustration work require a great deal of time. In my professional studio work, I try to create the perfect image based on my client’s desires. In life, we are a fortunate species that has the ability to observe and reflect. We have come a long way from hairless apes, which I find incredible. This is something to appreciate.
ML: How has bringing a daughter into this world changed your outlook on life, and also your relationship to your work?
AJ: I kept waiting for that spark people talk about—that spark or burst of energy that you can harness and pour into your work. But I never experienced that. What I experienced was a massive push to teach my child the subtleties that exist in the world, like how the light coming through the leaves of a big tree can be mesmerizing, or the ways in which caring for our planet or focusing on a task can be well worth our time and energy. I felt an urge to be a part of that teaching instead of working endlessly to pay someone else to teach her.
ML: How do you capture the perfect moment?
AJ: Don’t take a photo of it. Sear it into your memory, and don’t think about it often.
ML: What is one word you would use to describe the art of capturing that moment? What does it take?
AJ: Finesse. If you work on this, you make your own luck.
ML: You have a diverse style ranging from commercial to a more natural aesthetic. Do you prefer one over the other? Can you bridge a connection between the two?
AJ: Both styles require problem solving. They also require passive and active knowledge, and if we are comparing the two, I would say passive knowledge is more important. I am in love with surfing, light, and moments. So, why not be a part of the things I enjoy?
ML: How do you reconcile your creativity with your client’s desires? Especially when working with commercial giants such as Tazo tea and Magnum ice cream?
AJ: I follow the creative director. A great creative director knows exactly what they want, and I produce that image the best it can be.
ML: How important is the process of creating for you? What is your relationship to the final product?
AJ: The process of creating can be stressful at times. It’s challenging to create the best product possible, but generally, I enjoy it and I want my client to like it too. It’s also important that the content produced performs well.