Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Kelby Reck of Phoenix

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Kelby Reck. Check out our conversation below.

Kelby , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day is honestly pretty lowkey. I wake and take my dog Pistachio out, feed him, and put on a pot of water for my tea (Darjeeling tea get on it). Usually when its not too hot I walk to for 30-45 minutes. It helps with waking me up, gives me some free time to listen to music and not jump head first into the day.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Kelby Reck and I am a Emmy award winning Photographer and Creative. I focus on various creative mediums from motion and stills, to creative concepts and story building. Something I feel that makes my work feel unique is my ability to capture those moments in between. Such as players getting mentally/ physically ready before the game, those moments alone where for them maybe nothing else matters but to be great. I feel this not just in sports but on sets with talent. I find myself using the moments where the subject is almost off guard, it gives realness to the image almost like you are apart of it yourself. I also feel as though my coloring has helped me stand out as well in my work. Thats for sure top 5 favorite things and strengths of mine is coloring the scene.

I recently released a directorial debut of sorts. It is a experimental fashion film called FEVER. You can watch it on my YouTube channel or on IG (For quality id say YouTube.) With that being said I am in the early stages of another short film that will have similar but stronger visuals.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Ive had a few different lives some would say. From being a sponsored skateboarder (Just flow nothing crazy like being pro) To being a guitarist in a touring hardcore band, from being a bartender at a resort and spa. I would travel all over the country, and seek out experiences. Somethings haven’t changed though, I still love playing guitar, skating when I find the time and making a really good drink.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I would say I stopped hiding my pain at a pretty young age. Growing up in a single parent household has its challenges not just for the parent but for the child. Watching my mom work incredibly hard to help take care of me and sister an the adversity we had to overcome was a lot to handle. I remember pretty vividly when I was 12 years old right after a major head injury I was struggling with who I was and resentful of the life I was given. But, I made promise to myself to never feel like that again. To never doubt my abilities to always care for the people around me and to always get better. Id say I have lived up to that expectation and continue to keep pushing myself to the next best version of myself.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Genuine art. I will come out and say I do not believe in using AI for creative purposes. We as artists have worked and worked on our craft to be great and make it our lives. AI not only is incredibly harmful to our ecosystem both the Earth and the industry. AI is taking things from the internet and so many talented people to give someone a percent of a percent of what it could actually be. I am not anti AI because I believe it could benefit in moderation like doing our taxes, or helping with traffic patterns. But if you want to make art, grab your favorite medium whatever it is and go make something that gives you energy, calm, the thing that makes you feel.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing? 
I will regret not making my friends and family a priority, but something else I would regret is not creating or doing something that fills my cup everyday.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kelbyreck.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k_reckd/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kelbyreck

Image Credits
Athletes/ Talent:

Unis
Devin Booker
Kevin Durant
August Burns Red
Kimmi Ascanio
Demari Davis