About

a creative journey

I have been working with cameras since college. I took a class in videography and then bought myself a camera. Armed with a simple Canon Rebel 5ti I began practicing photography, focusing on landscapes and portraits. I am mostly self-taught, watching lots of YouTube videos and challenging myself everyday.

In 2016 I started working as a Production Assistant at ABC 17 News in Columbia, Missouri. Then I became a full-time news producer in 2018 writing for both the newscasts and the station’s website.

I always wanted to be where the action was though and I switched to being a photojournalist/videographer for the news station and won anMissouri Broadcasters Award for coverage of a streak of homicides that ended all the way in South Dakota.

During my time as a videographer I interviewed the Missouri governor multiple times, a U.S. Senator, and many many officials at various levels of government. I would also get called upon often to shoot high school football each fall.

In 2022 I accepted the videographer position at the Missouri Division of Tourism. I was tasked with gathering b-roll for multiple media uses, creating social media content, editing internal videos, and producing and filming YouTube content.

In my role at the Missouri Division of Tourism I have filmed a large variety of subject matters from caves and outdoors to sports and restuarants.

It’s been quite the creative journey and I am eager to see what’s next.

• Alec Pettus