Adam Del Borrello - Mode Ambassador
We have had the pleasure of getting to know Adam over the last few years, and have always been inspired by his can-do attitude that never disappoints to entertain and inspire.
From working with global brands like Adobe, Lululemon, AFL, Nike, Rusty Surfboards, Sony, Triumph Motorcycles, Otis Eyewear, Reebok and Uber - to committing to the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Martial Arts - Adam's dedication can been seen in his work.
Adam is a Melbourne-based photographer, filmmaker, Husband and Dad. We sat down with Adam to officially welcome him to the Mode Family, and discuss his work.
Hey, Adam, thanks for taking the time to hangout with us! What’s new in your world?
A: Hello Mate, actually so much just this year. I am a new father to a young and healthy little boy, so navigating that as well as juggling everything else life throws at you is a totally new experience. Have taken on a new role as a Creative Director at a production agency called Beagle and Hound which was started by myself and a fellow colleague of ours named Sean Finney and has just grown exponentially in such a short timeframe. I’ve also just finished up a training camp as a partner for one of Australia's best Greco roman wrestlers to help him prepare for the world championships too. Plus I’m adjusting to post covid life and all the challenges that come from sitting on your hands for the better part of two years. It's a hectic combination but I suppose it's the life I chose.
What got you into photography and filmmaking, Adam?
A: I really feel it was somewhat of an organic path, in school I never really gravitated towards academic subjects but tended to flourish in more creative pathways. I really enjoyed crafting images in the school darkroom and making weird movies with my friends, so coming out of school I just lent into it more and more. Went on to study film and photography from there and just jumped in feet first, immersing myself in all things creative. I’ve travelled a few different career paths in my 20s but always kept coming back to creative.
On that, if you could give an aspiring creative one tip, what would it be?
A: Even better, I'll give you three.
Don’t be scared of failures, make lots of micro ones and make them often, it’s the way you learn and grow.
Assist and learn from whoever you can, to this day I still assist colleagues in the interest of learning and helping. Someone you may never expect could always teach you something that changes your game.
Say yes first, and figure the details out later.
If you could only have three tools to create your work, what would they be?
A: As much as I try to keep things minimal, three things is actually pretty hard. The more I progress in my craft at the moment, the bigger the productions become, more people, more equipment, more demands, more thought and more planning. If I have to go down to bare bones though, a camera, a 35mm lens and an 85mm lens are my go-to pieces of equipment, I can almost guarantee that these two lenses will come on every shoot or production im on, to me they have a field of view that best represents real life.
Can you give us a little insight to what your day typically looks like?
A: 6.30am - Wake up. Get up with the little dude and hang out. Bottle, change, play, breakfast etc. This is where I get my one-on-one time with my son, let my partner have a little sleep in and get ready for the day.
9.30am - Work, this could be anything depending on the day. Shooting, editing, meetings, accounts. Lots of shit talk in the office with my friends I’m fortunate enough to work with.
1pm - some kind of sustenance
5.30pm - go to the gym and get my training in.
7.30pm - Dinner / home time. Hang out with my partner, do some house stuff, unwind and relax.
10.30pm - Bed.
I should note that this is a very very cookie-cutter-looking schedule of what a usual day is. Being in the creative industries, my days are never really the same. Some days are super early to chase the light on a shoot, sometimes I'm on the road or in another town/city/state/country. It’s pretty all over the place right now but the key is to try and always bring it back to some sort of sustainable balance.
What is your one non-negotiable when it comes to wellbeing?
A: For me it’s physical fitness and training. It's the number one thing that recentres me. I see it as a type of forced presence and meditation. I tend to operate at a pretty high frequency most of the time so if I wear my body out my mind tends to follow.
In martial arts the effect of presence is really astounding, if you aren't present when someone is trying to cause harm to you, even in a controlled situation, you aren't going to have a good time whatsoever.
MAX GAWN LULULEMON - WHATEVER IT TAKES.
Beagle and Hound
How do you look after your mental health? Any tips for those also in the creative field?
A: Mental / Physical health has to come first. If you aren't healthy, nothing in your life is going to work well regardless. For me it's the balance of it all, taking note of what's missing and addressing it. If you know you aren't putting your time into something important you have to find the time to do so, it may not be possible to do it instantly but carving out that time is so important. Everyone has so much pressure to tick all the boxes in their life but sometimes it just is not possible, so having that patience and resilience to stop and realign is super important I feel.
In regards to creatives, I think all creatives get caught up in the loop of putting immense pressure on themselves and burning out, then repeating that cycle. The difference with creative work is we are putting part of ourselves into our work as we essentially attach it to part of our identity. This means creatives will tend to go above and beyond as they feel their work is a direct reflection of them as humans. I think the key is working towards detaching from this, sitting with it from an almost objective point of view and making a conscious choice on when to use it, almost like a superpower.
What’s on the horizon for you?
A: Right now it's just embracing the grind. Keep pushing in all aspects of life as best I can, continuing to learn and grow. Trying to be the best father/husband/ creative/martial artist I can be without burning out. 2023 holds a lot of possibilities too, work keeps elevating so I'm looking forward to pushing the boundaries of what I can achieve there. Maybe a personal creative project I’ve been planning and I would really like to go on a holiday now that we are free to move around again. It’s all just really exciting and unpredictable at the moment so I’m very keen to see where the crazy journey I call life takes me.
