Whether shooting in an urban or nature setting, photographer Andrew Eggers (@andreweggers) always finds the most joy when photographing at night. Eggers, a member of the Alpha Collective, shoots photography on the side of his full-time job, and having that creative outlet has meant a lot to him. “Having a camera gave me a stronger purpose in life and let me express my creativity, which hasn't been unlocked since I was a kid.” We connected with Eggers to learn more about his journey to photography and the gear he uses to create his stunning landscapes and cityscapes, both day and night. Learn more from him below and visit his Alpha Universe Profile for more. Create your own Alpha Universe Profile HERE for a chance to be featured on AlphaUniverse.com.

Photo by Andrew Eggers.

“Having a camera gave me a stronger purpose in life and let me express my creativity, which hasn't been unlocked since I was a kid.” – Andrew Eggers of the Alpha Collective

Career Snapshot

Photography is currently my side job to my full-time career as an Admissions Advisor at a college, which is how I prefer things for now at least. I’ve worked with brands on campaigns including sponsored trips to create, social media postings, product photography and written product review articles. I’ve also dabbled in event and portrait photography such as weddings, engagement, graduations, corporate events and family photo sessions, but shooting people really isn’t my favorite thing. It usually only happens when I’m asked to do a favor for a family member or friend at this point.

Photo by Andrew Eggers.

My passion is shooting landscapes and cityscapes from sunset to sunrise, with night photography being a main focus. I fell in love with long exposure photography in the very beginning because of how sharp the photos tend to come out along with capturing motion. Light trails have fascinated me for years, so it is something I resort to in a lot of my photos. Another thing I love about night photography is shooting the stars and Milky Way and the adventure that comes with finding great spots to do so. I’ve also found that shooting landscapes/cityscapes has made me appreciate the small details of a location as well as the chase for good conditions, i.e. the perfect clouds for sunset or sunrise over the perfect scene always gets me inspired.

My Proudest Moment As A Photographer

My proudest moment as a photographer is being asked to go to Japan with my friends Andy To and Joycelynn Linh as part of their campaign with Travel Zoo. They had to bring someone who had never been outside the U.S. before, and it was an honor they chose me to visit such a beautiful country with two amazing people.

Why I Shoot With Sony

I shoot Sony because the image quality is second to none in my opinion as you go from the basic entry-level models all the way through to the flagship being the Alpha 1. Not to mention the superior ability to handle low light situations with high ISO capabilities. The Sony NEX-5N was my first camera back in 2015 and I’ve never looked back or tried another camera manufacturer because Sony had earned my brand loyalty right away.

My Go-To Sony Gear

My current go-to camera is now the Sony Alpha 1 and my favorite lenses are the 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master, 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master and 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master lenses. The Alpha 1 is an amazing camera for many reasons, but the super high resolution in the photos along with the fact you lose very little detail, if any, when cropping in makes it my favorite. I love using my 12-24mm because it’s razor sharp with hardly any distortion at 12mm, the 24-70mm is extremely versatile and can be the only lens I take if I’m packing light. The 100-400mm is so much fun to use whether it’s to punch in and compress a scene or to catch a flying bird as I’ve been getting into more bird photography lately.

Photo by Andrew Eggers. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master + 1.4x TC. 30-secs., f/16, ISO 500

What Photography Means To Me

Photography gives me something to look forward to outside of my family, that I truly love and keeps me inspired to get better at. I initially used it as a hobby to fill the void inside of me as a recovering alcoholic needing something to pass the time, but quickly realized the power of capturing something interesting or beautiful and the positive energy it gave me. Not to mention, the sense of adventure it brings in some cases is truly the most exciting feeling whether it is exploring the city at night or enjoying the peacefulness of nature.

See more of Andrew Eggers' work on his Andrew Eggers and on Instagram @andreweggers.