Andy Rooney is a man with a mission. Often asked if he’s related to the late 60 Minutes correspondent (the answer to which is no), Andy decided at a young age that he was destined for a career in the arts. As teachers would ask children what they wanted to be when they grew up, unlike others who replied a firefighter, superhero, policeman…, Andy answered he was going to be a famous artist. At 14, he was taught to paint by modern-day master Laura Bealey. As a result, Andy won multiple awards and held showings throughout high school.

 

  Following his graduation, Andy was accepted to several art schools. He chose to attend two. The first was the Ringling School of Art in Florida where his emphasis was painting and illustration. Two years later, he transferred to Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. It was there that Andy received his degrees in Photography and Digital Imaging. As a way of supporting himself, Andy founded a company called ExactDigital and sold his paintings and photography at shows in Georgia and Florida.

 

  Shortly after leaving college, Andy was hired by two Miami-based advertising agencies to serve as their staff photographer. His assignments were mainly magazine based and included shooting fashion layouts and product photographs. He also quickly became a retouching expert. When the world was rocked by the terrorist attacks of September 11th, the photo industry all but stood still in Miami, leaving Andy wondering what to do next. A few months later, he packed his bags and headed west, finally settling in the hustle and bustle of Hollywood.

 

  Already having been trained as a digital artist, Andy quickly found his footing in the art scene. One of his gigs was working under the wing of ISGOs (one of the top labs for headshots in Los Angeles). He quickly became acclimated to his new surroundings and started shooting again and doing retouching for many photographers, celebrities, and agencies. He was one of two official photographers for Sandals Resorts and spent a weekend receiving valuable education as an assistant on a shoot with famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. Through networking, he was able to meet many of the top agency executives and managers in Los Angeles. Andy has been going strong with his photography and painting ever since.

 

  When asked about his vision for Exactdigital, he replied, “My vision features colors. Colors and light create a mood and set a tone for the piece of work. As you will see in my painting, I incorporate many colors and love light. In return, my goal and vision is to bring this to my shoots but still keep the subject the main focus, whether it be an actor, model, lifestyle shoot, or a still product shot.”