Shownotes
Alex from Caliber Row joins hosts Kaylee and John to talk about what she calls one of the coolest jobs in the firearms industry: photographing and filming brands. Alex runs Caliber Row, where she specializes in photography, videography, and brand marketing for firearms companies. Her path started in Chicago, where she grew up on the Southside and shot in the fashion industry with agencies like Wilhelmina, Factor, and Ford. She applied on a whim to a job at apparel company GrunStyle, got hired despite limited firearms experience, ran its photography department, and stayed with the company for six years, moving with it from Chicago to Texas and later to Arizona.
Much of the conversation is about women coming into a male-dominated industry. Alex says women are entering the space more than ever, and most of them are genuinely excited, educated, and skilled shooters. She also pushes back on a mindset she sees in some women who want to dominate or exclude men, arguing the industry should be a respected, equal space and that men built it. Kaylee, who is five feet tall and wears a child-size large glove, talks about how few options existed for someone her size when she bought her first gun, and how the influx of new gun owners has driven innovation and better ergonomics, pointing to firearms like the EAA tip-up and the Smith and Wesson EZ that work for people with limited mobility. Both hosts and Alex agree the community is growing stronger, not weaker, and that the Second Amendment community is made of many different subgroups that should row in the same direction.
Alex describes the impact photography has in reaching people who are gun curious or hesitant, using her own story of moving from anti-gun Chicago to pro-gun Texas, where people showed her the ropes. She talks about acting as a fly on the wall on shoots, keeping the focus on the brand and the people rather than herself, and about how shoots bring veterans and groups together. She shares her favorite and wildest shoots, including photographing skydivers in a circle from the air and being on a C-130 and a Sherman tank, and she walks through her growing collection from the Glock 43X to a SIG P320 Spectre Comp Blackout, an MP5, and a POF Rogue she shoots in accurate AR matches. The episode closes with a spicy segment on flying with firearms, where John and Kaylee hammer the lack of standard TSA rules airport to airport, a TSA website policy change that conflicts with the law requiring the owner to be present, theft of gear in transit, and the need for federal protections when a flight gets rerouted into an anti-gun state.
Questions this episode answers
What is Caliber Row and what does Alex do in the firearms industry?
Caliber Row is Alex's company, where she specializes in photography, videography, and brand marketing for firearms companies. She tells brands' stories visually, capturing the brand and its people rather than putting herself in the frame.
How did Alex go from shooting fashion in Chicago to firearms photography?
Alex shot fashion in Chicago with agencies like Wilhelmina, Factor, and Ford. She applied on a whim to apparel company GrunStyle, was hired despite limited firearms experience, ran its photography department, and stayed six years as it moved from Chicago to Texas to Arizona.
What is it like to be a woman entering a male-dominated firearms industry?
Alex says women are entering the space more than ever and most are genuinely excited, educated, and skilled shooters. She argues the industry should be a respected, equal space and pushes back on the mindset that women should dominate or exclude men.
How has the growth of new gun owners changed firearm design and ergonomics?
The influx of new gun owners has driven innovation and better ergonomics for people who were underserved before. Hosts point to firearms like the EAA tip-up and the Smith and Wesson EZ that work well for shooters with smaller hands or limited mobility.
How can photography and storytelling reach people who are hesitant or gun curious?
Alex believes photography and videography make the space relatable and remind people they share common ground. She draws on her own move from anti-gun Chicago to pro-gun Texas, where people showed her the ropes, to connect with those who are hesitant or curious.
What were the wildest and coolest shoots Alex has ever captured?
Alex's most memorable shoots include photographing skydivers in a circle from the air and working on a C-130 and a Sherman tank. She describes acting as a fly on the wall, keeping the focus on the brand and the people in front of her.
What firearms are in Alex's personal collection, starting with her first gun?
Alex's first firearm was a Glock 43X, and her collection has grown to include a SIG P320 Spectre Comp Blackout, an MP5, and a POF Rogue she shoots in accurate AR matches.
What problems do gun owners face when flying with firearms through TSA?
The hosts hammer the lack of standard TSA rules from airport to airport, a TSA website policy change that conflicts with the law requiring the owner to be present, and theft of gear in transit. They call for federal protections when a flight gets rerouted into an anti-gun state.
Chapters
- 00:00 — Welcome and meet Alex from Caliber Row
- 00:28 — What Caliber Row is and what Alex shoots
- 01:12 — From Chicago fashion to GrunStyle and firearms
- 03:13 — Being a woman entering the firearms industry
- 05:30 — Wildest shoots: skydivers, C-130, Sherman tank
- 07:38 — Equality, not dominance, for women in the space
- 11:01 — A growing, more diverse industry and innovation
- 17:06 — Cliques and gatekeeping in the community
- 18:58 — The Second Amendment community is not monolithic
- 24:24 — How photography reaches the gun curious
- 27:18 — Alex's character arc from anti-gun to pro-gun
- 30:11 — Alex's collection from Glock 43X to MP5 and POF
- 32:42 — Spicy segment: flying with firearms and TSA
- 43:57 — Where to find Alex and GOALS Convention
About the guest
Alex is the founder of Caliber Row, where she specializes in photography, videography, and brand marketing within the firearms industry. Born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, she started out in the fashion industry, shooting for agencies including Wilhelmina, Factor, and Ford. She joined apparel company GrunStyle, ran its photography department, and stayed with the company for six years, moving with it from Chicago to Texas and later to Arizona. She grew up in a military family and has been doing firearms photography for over ten years. Her first firearm was a Glock 43X, and her collection now includes a SIG P320 Spectre Comp Blackout, an MP5, and a POF Rogue she shoots in accurate AR matches.
Key quotes
"So I am here to tell all y' all stories visually and creatively to represent your brands." — Alex
"I had to prove that I knew what I was talking about and what I was shooting and the quality of things" — Alex
"The day you stop learning is I think the day you become complacent." — Alex
"we're seeing more of a community built between the relationship of the company and the end consumer" — Kaylee
"photography and videography can be a huge source of visualization to just be relatable to people and to remind people that we all share the same space" — Alex
"once you want to learn, I think it's not, it's not as scary as people think it is" — Alex
Transcripts
Welcome to Gun Owners of America State of the second podcast.
Speaker A:I'm Kayleigh.
Speaker B:And I'm John.
Speaker B:And today we're joined by Alex from Caliber Row.
Speaker B:Alex, how are you today?
Speaker C:I'm doing well, guys, and thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker C:I'm so excited to be here and I've been counting the days to this podcast.
Speaker C:So I already know we're going to have some fun today, so.
Speaker B:Oh, we've.
Speaker B:We've had a little bit of fun before the episode with a lot of giggles.
Speaker B:So tell the folks a little bit about yourself.
Speaker B:You know, what you do.
Speaker B:What is Caliber Row?
Speaker C:Absolutely.
Speaker C:So Caliber Row is my company name.
Speaker C:I specialize in photography and videography within the firearms industry and essentially I specialize in brand marketing.
Speaker C:So I am here to tell all y' all stories visually and creatively to represent your brands.
Speaker B:Well, I love that.
Speaker B:That's honestly one of the hardest things to do is tell the story through photos and videos because you want to make sure that it is done correctly because if it's done wrong, you get roasted on the inner webs.
Speaker C:It's all those Internet warriors.
Speaker B:We just talked about that for about an hour.
Speaker B:Okay, here we go again.
Speaker B:So what got you into not only photography, but into the photography and videography in the firearm space?
Speaker C:So it was actually a really happy, funny surprise.
Speaker C:I was still living in Chicago, born and raised Chicago Southside, lived on Ethan State street, and I started photographing in the fashion industry.
Speaker C:So I was.
Speaker C:I was shooting for all the big models with Wilhelmina Factor, Ford, bmg.
Speaker C:And I saw that there was a job opening at Grunstyle, which is an apparel company, and it's owned by a bunch of.
Speaker C:It used to be owned by a bunch of veterans.
Speaker C:And it was.
Speaker C:It was awesome.
Speaker C:So I actually ended up applying on a whim completely.
Speaker C:Didn't think I was going to get it because I just had not a lot of experience in the firearms space yet.
Speaker C:But when I went in, they said, you're hired.
Speaker C:And that was when the journey began.
Speaker C:I was with the company for six years.
Speaker C:I ended up running the entire photography department and I did the move with them to Texas.
Speaker C:So it went from Chicago to Texas very, very quickly, which was a huge eye opener, I think, in a good way.
Speaker C:And it led me into the space where now I've worked with various brands all over, and I've just been so thankful to be a part of it.
Speaker C:So it's been really cool.
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Speaker B:So what is it like going from a non firearms related industry into the firearms industry as well as what is it like to be a woman who's coming into the industry which is mostly male dominated?
Speaker C:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker C:And that's a great question by the way.
Speaker C:So in the beginning it was challenging because keep in mind too this was about like almost like seven, eight years ago as well.
Speaker C:This was a different mind frame at the time.
Speaker C:But I kind of liked it because I had to not only prove myself in the space, but I was taken seriously by more experiences that I had more credibility with like companies that I've worked with over time and built it, built my reputation.
Speaker C:So I really did have to work for it.
Speaker C:But it's almost more rewarding to do it that way.
Speaker C:And it's made me happier knowing that like I'm finally accepted into the space.
Speaker C:It didn't take long but it definitely like I had to put my dues in.
Speaker C:I had to prove that I knew what I was talking about and what I was shooting and the quality of things running shoots with the biggest shoot that I've ever shot was 150 people and we're all live on the firing range.
Speaker C:And I had to direct but also keep in mind like safety regulations as well.
Speaker C:So proving that I can handle that and nothing happened, which was a great successful shoot.
Speaker C:But yeah it was, it was fun.
Speaker C:Women are definitely becoming more into the space as well that I've noticed.
Speaker C:Especially like this year more than anything you see a lot of more women creators, content creators, shooters, competitors.
Speaker C:So that is something that I'm like really enjoying seeing and I love that women have the desire and the, the I guess like the will to want to learn, experience and want to gain more knowledge about it too.
Speaker C:So it's good.
Speaker B:I have to ask you this because you worked in the fashion industry, now you came over to the gun industry.
Speaker B:There's definitely divas in both.
Speaker B:What is the wildest, craziest thing you've seen on.
Speaker B:While on a shoot or, you know, what is the coolest thing that you've been able to capture through your lenses?
Speaker C:Oh, my gosh.
Speaker C:Okay, so I love this question.
Speaker C:The best thing was being on a C1 30.
Speaker C:Also, I have.
Speaker C:Okay, so it's kind of wild.
Speaker C:I have almost been burned, rained on, snowed on.
Speaker C:I broke, like, nine nails.
Speaker C:I got a bunch of bruises on my body over the times I've jumped out of perfectly good airplanes.
Speaker C:And I think the craziest one I've ever got to be a part of is I was.
Speaker C:I had to photograph a bunch of skydivers wearing our apparel for a company, and they all had to be in a circle.
Speaker C:So the cool part is they jump out, but I was over them, and I had to photograph them in the circle.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:So keep in mind, I've never.
Speaker C:I've never skydived before.
Speaker C:I've never done any of this.
Speaker C:And they're like, you'll be fine.
Speaker C:You'll be.
Speaker C:You'll be fine.
Speaker C:So I did, and it was actually.
Speaker C:It was awesome.
Speaker C:It was one of the best experiences I've ever had.
Speaker C:This industry has definitely made me go out of my comfort zone in such a great way that I have, like, no regrets about anything because I. I got these new, elaborate experiences from that, and it made me grow as a creator, but also a business owner, too.
Speaker C:So that was probably one of my favorite shoots.
Speaker C:Also, being on a Sherman tank is always a good day.
Speaker C:Definitely did that.
Speaker C:We blew up a car.
Speaker C:We just.
Speaker C:I've done stuff overseas with certain clients that are in the military and certain things.
Speaker C:I have to be careful with the details that I relay with that.
Speaker C:But they're very cool shoots, and I got to be a part of that, too.
Speaker C:So it's been fun.
Speaker B:I mean, it's always a fun day when you jump out of a perfectly good airplane.
Speaker C:Thank you for getting that, by the way.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:I mean, your.
Speaker B:Your husband jumped out of perfectly good airplanes, too.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Where was I going with this?
Speaker C:I think you did touch on a really, really good point, though.
Speaker C:Women in the industry.
Speaker C:So I'm going to flip it, and I don't know how many people are going to be happy that I'm kind of bringing it up, but.
Speaker C:But I think it needs to be talked about.
Speaker C:I think women, for the most part, are really just truly excited to be in the space, and they truly love shooting.
Speaker C:So I want to say the majority of women, like, they really know their stuff.
Speaker C:They're really educated, they're great shooters.
Speaker C:So I want to give a lot of women credit for that.
Speaker C:But then there is some women that I think are coming into the space almost with the mindset of we want to dominate, you know, the male side of the industry.
Speaker C:And we want to, you know, we don't need men or we don't need this.
Speaker C:And I do want to say we wouldn't be in the space if it wasn't for men because they're like for the majority.
Speaker C:There's, they're the ones that started, you know, firearms industry because like you said, it's primarily male dominated.
Speaker C:So I just want women to kind of remember, like, like it could be a respected space.
Speaker C:And I think it's really positive to go in with just like, just equality and fairness to everything.
Speaker C:But I don't want the women to kind of get cliquish.
Speaker C:And I feel like that's kind of happening in our community.
Speaker C:So I think it's important to kind of, to, to say no.
Speaker B:I like that.
Speaker B:And that's the male in the room, which is this awkward part that I get to talk about the women thing.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:Well, I, I love the, the women coming in the space really, because we've gone away from the trend of bunnies over the last, which is fantastic.
Speaker B:But some of my favorite, and you mentioned, like, they're knowledgeable, they, they know their stuff.
Speaker B:There are a lot of my favorite people who I talk to a lot at shows.
Speaker B:One of them being Rachel from Night Vision and Cat for when she was at Global and all these, these women just talking to them and their knowledge base, they've become some of my closest friends and.
Speaker B:Which is crazy to think in a very male, male dominated industry.
Speaker B:Like a lot of my closest friends in the industry are women.
Speaker B:And it's just cool that, that we're seeing that switch and the ability to have more women come into the space.
Speaker C:Absolutely.
Speaker C:I completely agree with that.
Speaker C:It's definitely, it's becoming such a nice shared space.
Speaker C:And, and like you said, they're so incredibly knowledgeable about what they're doing too.
Speaker C:And I like that they're taking the time to learn and, but they want to learn.
Speaker C:That's, that's the thing too.
Speaker C:That's the huge part about it is it's not so much because I, I knew a lot of women shooters in the beginning.
Speaker C:They were really intimidated by a firearm.
Speaker C:And at the time, like, it was a scary thing, especially coming from Chicago and then moving to Texas and then moving to Arizona.
Speaker C:So I've seen, I went like more west as, as time went on, but to see that gradually was a huge eye opener.
Speaker C:And I think a lot came from just either fear of wanting to like pick up a firearm or just not having like the education or the experience.
Speaker C:And once you want to learn, I think it's not, it's not as scary as people think it is.
Speaker A:One of the things that I think is often overlooked is the fact that as the industry has changed, it's growing.
Speaker A:It's not there's not like a hostile takeover.
Speaker A:It's that we're seeing new gun owners come in, we're seeing different demographics come in and the industry is becoming more reflective of the people who are purchasing our, our product.
Speaker A:And one of the things that I think you capture really well through your photos and through what you do with, you know, telling that story through images is you start to see in the, in the firearms a reflection of different capabilities.
Speaker A:Like I'll be the first to admit I have a very, very small hand.
Speaker A:Like I'm five foot tall.
Speaker A:I legitimately wear a child size large glove.
Speaker A:Like women's gloves don't even fit me because like I'm a very petite person.
Speaker A:And so when I first got my very first gun, the options for somebody my size was incredibly limited.
Speaker A:Now I have multiple options from multiple different companies because more and more gun owners that are coming into the Second amendment community are women.
Speaker A:But we're also seeing that in other areas.
Speaker A:And so I think that there is a, there is a perception out there that just because the industry has kind of changed from an all male or a male dominated field to a still mostly male but more diverse in its makeup, that it's somehow weaker or that the second amendment is weaker.
Speaker A:And it's not.
Speaker A:It's actually the exact opposite.
Speaker A:And what we're seeing is almost like a renaissance and a growth where we're seeing more innovation and we're seeing more of a community built between the relationship of the company and the end consumer.
Speaker C:I completely agree with that.
Speaker B:I might add something in because I can no longer is it shrinking and Pinkett or Muddy girl camo, which was awful, this or that is now there are purpose driven built guns for not only women, but for people like Kaylee with small hands that we're seeing a lot of and I think that's huge.
Speaker A:Also look at things like the EAA Tip up and look at things like the Smith and Wesson Easy, all of those things are built for.
Speaker A:And it's not just women, but just People who might have limited mobility.
Speaker A:And so as the relationship is changing in the firearms community, where the companies are listening and responding to these rise in markets because of the mass influx of new gun owners, we're seeing more innovation.
Speaker A:And it's not necessarily innovation, although we are seeing it and you know, projectiles and new rounds and calibers coming out, but we're also seeing it in just the ergonomics of the tools that are available to us.
Speaker B:Yes, agreed.
Speaker B:I don't know where to go from there.
Speaker B:That was well said.
Speaker A:No, it was honest.
Speaker A:I confused him with the word ergonomics.
Speaker A:I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding.
Speaker B:No, you used a lot of $12 words today and that was the one I understood.
Speaker C:No, I completely agree with that though especially there's going to be so many more new things and new products and more innovations that are even coming that we can't even think of yet.
Speaker C:But it will eventually be there.
Speaker C:I mean especially with AI and everything coming out.
Speaker C:I think our world will change.
Speaker C:It's inevitable.
Speaker C:We can't avoid it.
Speaker C:But with that being said, I like that you touched base on.
Speaker C:The community is growing, there is new customer bases, there is new communities forming.
Speaker C:And that's what I like to see because I agree, I don't think it's becoming weaker.
Speaker C:I think it's definitely becoming stronger the more and more people that like we educate about these things or to show people just our lifestyle and how we live.
Speaker C:Because most, most firearm owners, they want just the basics too.
Speaker C:Like they just want to protect their home and their family and, and that's like a big thing that I've seen too.
Speaker C:Especially with brand marketing.
Speaker C:We're, I'm catering to the consumer, the average consumer of just, you know, you own some land, some property, you want to protect it, you want, you have your family that you love.
Speaker C:And most of our media is becoming that focus or executive protection focus.
Speaker C:That's like another thing that I've noticed up and coming with media as well is more real life scenarios and more scenarios as well.
Speaker C:And then you have obviously your cool operator stuff overseas that we do as well.
Speaker C:I obviously love that just because I love working with veterans, I love working with military, so I absolutely support them so much.
Speaker C:But it's like an interesting mix of things I'm starting to see that are in demand, in high demand.
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Speaker B:I want to go back to something you said and that was the clicks.
Speaker B:And I think originally when I started in the firearm space, there were those clicks where the, the women in the space did not want other women to come in who didn't know or have the knowledge because they were worried that it would make them look bad.
Speaker B:I see that less going, that less happening and it's going away.
Speaker B:But there are other spaces within the industry where we're still seeing that kind of click thing, if that makes sense to both of you.
Speaker A:Yeah, well, yeah, you can answer if you want.
Speaker A:I have my own thoughts on what you mean by the clicks, but go ahead.
Speaker C:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker C:So it's definitely something that I've noticed, but I agree with you.
Speaker C:I think it's becoming better and less of a thing over time.
Speaker C:I think more especially you get some people that really do want to help you learn.
Speaker C:And I'm a firm believer if you don't know something, just say you don't know it and it's okay.
Speaker C:And then because I'm, I love to learn from the people that have been in it that have, you know, been on deployments and do do these things and then they have specific training tactics that they teach, especially to guys that I work with back here on the stateside.
Speaker C:So I will never go in pretending I know something that I don't.
Speaker C:But I want more knowledge.
Speaker C:The day you stop learning is I think the day you become complacent.
Speaker C:And so with that being said, I've noticed more groups have been welcoming people, wanting to teach people as well.
Speaker C:So I agree that the clicks are kind of dying down.
Speaker C:But I still think people gatekeep and I still see that being a thing as, as of late, if that makes sense.
Speaker A:Yeah, I think, I think that you have different groups of people that are, that want different things because oftentimes I feel like the second amendment industry, the second amendment community is still seen as monolithic.
Speaker A:We're all the same group.
Speaker A:We all have the same group think and Right.
Speaker A:That's not the case.
Speaker A:In some ways I think we would almost be more effective if that were the case.
Speaker A:But it's not.
Speaker A:And, and what I, what I really want to get across is whether it is with the female shooters, whether it is with competitive shooters.
Speaker A:Whether it is with hunters, you can break all of those individual groups into subcategories that look wildly different from their counterpart.
Speaker A:Like, I think some of the biggest differences would be someone that like upland hunts versus someone who likes gator hunting.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Like those are so wildly different groups of people.
Speaker A:That doesn't mean that there's not some that enjoy both, but they're wildly different groups of people as a whole.
Speaker A:The same thing with women in the industry and within the community.
Speaker A:You have those that are your outdoorsy, self sufficient types.
Speaker A:You also have those that are, you know, I'm, I'm here because I want to be mama bear.
Speaker A:And there are some that are like, I want to be here because I'm a survivor and I won't let whatever happen to me happen again.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker A:So you naturally have all of these groups.
Speaker A:What is important is that we recognize that all of these various groups exist.
Speaker A:All of them have a natural expression of a constitutionally protected right.
Speaker A:Just because someone wants to hunt as their expression and someone else wants to defend themselves and their family as their expression doesn't change the fundamental that this is a constitutionally protected right and we should all be rowing the boat in the same direction.
Speaker A:The key is that with all of these different groups, it's easier for people to come in like a Giffords or a Moms, demand action or in every town or even just broad politics with politicians and start trying to divide the group right and pit people against each other versus what we should be doing on our side is trying to unite all of these groups and say, well, let's row in the same direction.
Speaker A:Let's get as much of our rights restored as humanly possible so that we have a second amendment to pass the down to the next generation and to various iterations that follow.
Speaker A:I don't think that it's right to say that no group is welcoming.
Speaker A:I just think that there is a lot more detail and that these groups break down a lot smaller than we often want to consider because it's easier to just paint everyone into, oh, well, they're a hunter, oh, they're a woman in the industry, or oh, they're a competition shooter.
Speaker A:And it's much more nuanced than that.
Speaker A:I'll get off my soapbox now.
Speaker C:That was a good one though.
Speaker A:I gotta stop getting on soapboxes.
Speaker A:He's gonna like, I don't know, I lost.
Speaker B:I heard that.
Speaker B:And then yes, words were hard.
Speaker C:No, but I think you touched base on so many good points though, because we already are facing so Many hardships, especially with like, our laws and everything that we're.
Speaker C:We're trying to maintain but also expand.
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker C:So the fact that we should all be working together as one and we should remember that we're all wanting the same thing at the end of the day, which is like a right to do the things that we love to do.
Speaker C:And so I think it is really important that we band together and stay together.
Speaker C:But also, like, I do hope, because I was a nerd in high school, okay, so like, like, I couldn't sit with the cool kids, all right.
Speaker C:But I hope that kind of state mentality will slowly subside over time and people will be not so much gatekeepy or just more welcoming, which I do see that forming a lot, like I said before.
Speaker C:So I am really excited to see where it goes.
Speaker C:And I think a lot, even a really good thing to touch on is creators in this industry.
Speaker C:So media guys and girls and photographers, like, they're actually working more together than ever than I've ever seen before.
Speaker C:And this is something I'm so truly passionate and excited for because it never used to be like that.
Speaker C:You would never see a photographer, two photographers in the same space wanting, you know, the same client or, or they want the same client, but they wouldn't work together as, like, equal.
Speaker C:Now you're seeing it all over the place.
Speaker C:I've.
Speaker C:I've worked with so many media guys and girls over the span of years, and it has been stronger, more successful work of us just coming together as one.
Speaker C:And so I highly recommend that to any creative work with, work with as many people as you can within the same space.
Speaker C:I think that's also really important.
Speaker A:So I have a question, because I love what photography does when it comes to telling a story.
Speaker A:So as someone who is going to these places, you know, photograph taking the pictures, being the photographer behind the lens, what do you feel like is the biggest impact that a story makes when it comes to reaching somebody who might be not so friendly but gun curious?
Speaker C:No, absolutely.
Speaker C:If anything, what I've noticed is that photography and videography can be a huge source of visualization to just be relatable to people and to remind people that we all share the same space.
Speaker C:And so if someone is, say, like, hesitant to shoot.
Speaker C:So a good example is I came from Chicago, as I mentioned, and nobody was in favor of firearms.
Speaker C:Like I.
Speaker C:That is how the area that I grew up in and then moving to Texas, everybody was so educated, showed me the way, showed me the ropes, you would say, and I Grew up in a military family, so I had, I had knowledge, but being in Chicago was really restricting.
Speaker C:So what it did was seeing this content, being able to shoot this content, it not only made me feel more comfortable, but it also educated me more.
Speaker C:And the more I learned, the less scary it was or the less intimidating it was.
Speaker C:And it was a tool to use, which I find really impactful.
Speaker C:And to tell the story.
Speaker C:For me, the most important is getting that emotion from the brands of like, really who they're trying to target and pinpoint.
Speaker C:And when I'm on these shoots, it's almost like I'm a fly on the wall.
Speaker C:It's not about me at all.
Speaker C:And that's what it is.
Speaker C:And that's why, like, I only post my work on, on my page.
Speaker C:You'll rarely see me because, because it isn't about me.
Speaker C:It's about telling the brand stories, telling the individual's moments and experiences through a camp, through another perspective.
Speaker C:And then maybe someone from outside can relate to that, that's going through something similar and they can gravitate to that and feel like they're a part of something.
Speaker C:Like a good example is so many guys get out of the military and a lot of them feel lost or they don't.
Speaker C:They want that sense of camaraderie again and they don't know how to transition to civilian life.
Speaker C:And so the cool part about like these photo shoots and these things that we do is we bring people together and we bring groups together and they feel part of something again.
Speaker C:And it's, it's definitely really impactful and meaningful to me.
Speaker A:I agree with so much of what you said.
Speaker A:One of the things that I want you to kind of elaborate on is when you're going from an anti gun state to a pro gun state, you had a character arc and a character development of your own.
Speaker A:Right, Right.
Speaker A:So walk us through a little bit of your story from, hey, I'm going to work for this veteran run apparel company.
Speaker A:And then I may have just found my, my niche and my, my career for, you know, the next several years.
Speaker A:So walk us through that mindset and, and that arc.
Speaker C:Absolutely.
Speaker A:A lot better, but it's fine.
Speaker C:No, no, I think you did great.
Speaker C:So when I.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:So when I was shooting fashion and doing, you know, I started out like any other photographer.
Speaker C:I've done the, you know, the weddings, the portraits, all of those things.
Speaker C:Family portraits too.
Speaker C:And then I moved to fashion.
Speaker C:So I realized very early I was good at photographing for brands.
Speaker C:And so I knew I Had that niche before getting into the firearms industry.
Speaker C:But once I hit the firearms industry, I.
Speaker C:My soul, like came alive.
Speaker C:I truly fell in love with it.
Speaker C:And it did something to me where I was so passionate, where it didn't feel like a job, it felt more like.
Speaker C:Like I'm doing my dream.
Speaker C:And I know it sounds so cheesy to say, but it's true because that's just how I feel.
Speaker C:So every photo shoot I still do to this day, it's been over like 10 years.
Speaker C:I get so excited and so passionate about it and then I see other people's excitement to it.
Speaker C:So it was a huge arc.
Speaker C:But when I started, it really started to hit me.
Speaker C:Once I was getting feedback from people, especially from the bigger brands in the industry, telling me that this is some of the best work they've seen or they're very, very proud of.
Speaker C:Like how the shoot went, how smooth things started going.
Speaker C:I realized I did have a passion, but I did have a true skill in it.
Speaker C:And I knew this was the right path.
Speaker C:But also things just, they naturally started lining up more and more as well.
Speaker C:Like I didn't necessarily go looking for it, it just kind of naturally happened.
Speaker C:And I'm a person that's all about signs.
Speaker C:So when I see something happening over and over again, I take that as like a sign.
Speaker C:So I started rolling with it more and more.
Speaker C:And then the bigger the projects became, the bigger the locations became, the bigger the companies.
Speaker C:And so naturally it definitely put me into a spot where I grew into it more.
Speaker C:But the passion, the love for it hasn't changed.
Speaker C:And that's when I just, I kind of knew.
Speaker A:That's awesome.
Speaker A:So I know people are very fond of the first gun that they purchased or that dream gun that they have, that something that they are aiming to acquire one day.
Speaker A:So walk us through a little piece of you as that first time gun owner.
Speaker A:What are the things that you look for currently?
Speaker C:Oh, perfect.
Speaker C:Oh, I love this.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:So my first firearm I ever owned was a Glock 43X.
Speaker C:I was obsessed with it.
Speaker C:I love it.
Speaker C:I still have it to this day because they're amazing.
Speaker C:But then I realized I had really weak wrists and I just over time, like hearing equipment, like your back gets shot, your body gets beat up over time.
Speaker C:Like every creative that's just starting out needs to know this.
Speaker C:Your body will end up breaking if you don't take care of it.
Speaker C:So take care of your body.
Speaker C:But I moved to like full size pistols once I got that, so I have everything from the Glock 43X to like a SIG P320 Spectre Comp Blackout, which I've truly enjoyed.
Speaker C:I have a new MP5 that I'm very proud of that I saved up for but also came in contact with one and it was just a right fit.
Speaker C:So the toys are getting more fun over time and bigger and better and I'm acquiring more.
Speaker C:It's like tattoos.
Speaker C:Once you get one, you can't stop.
Speaker C:So the collection is growing.
Speaker C:I have my POF Rogue series that I love.
Speaker C:I shoot accurate AR matches with it and I am obsessed.
Speaker C:So it's just really, really fun to see.
Speaker C:And then a bunch of different optics and everything that I love.
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Speaker B:Now is Kaylee's favorite part of the episode where we go to from the soaps box where we get a little bit of spiciness.
Speaker B:I kind of want to dive into this topic because as a person who travels a ton of just like us, you have to fly with your firearm a lot and do a lot of things.
Speaker B:So what is it like from your perspective on constitutional carry going across the US as well as the tsa?
Speaker C:That is a great question.
Speaker C:It is tremendously different, which I've noticed.
Speaker C:It's kind of bizarre.
Speaker C:So, so some states are like, okay, so to fly into Arizona, like coming back home, it's actually a really simple process.
Speaker C:You just go to a room once you land and you just, you pick up your firear.
Speaker C:It's, it's very, very simple and quick process.
Speaker C:I give them a lot of credit for it.
Speaker C:Arizona also does have some of the best gun laws in our country.
Speaker C:So it Just depends on where you're going.
Speaker C:But I did do a trip recently where I went.
Speaker C:I went to another state, and we checked in a mass amount of firearms because we had a photo shoot to do.
Speaker C:And so it was in Tennessee, And Tennessee, for the most part, has great gun laws as well.
Speaker C:But getting there, normally you have to go to a room.
Speaker C:Upon pickup, they have it come out on the conveyor belt where the regular luggage is.
Speaker C:So keep in mind all.
Speaker C:Everything you check, all your firearms are coming out on the regular conveyor belt, which I found fascinating, just because in my mind, I think I was always expecting to go to a room, because that was just what I was used to.
Speaker C:No, it's.
Speaker C:Anybody could come up, kind of grab it.
Speaker C:Like, you got to be on your toes a little bit, and you got to get your stuff really quick.
Speaker C:So that's.
Speaker C:Especially if you have, you know, the pelican cases with all the stickers on it, which I know who you guys are.
Speaker C:So you're gonna get all of that.
Speaker C:But then you go to places that absolutely do not allow anything like that whatsoever, and you have to go through a lot of paperwork and a very long, lingering process.
Speaker C:So it does vary.
Speaker C:I don't think one state is just like the other.
Speaker C:I think it does vary where you're.
Speaker C:Where you're going.
Speaker B:Okay, I'm gonna give.
Speaker B:Can I. I'm gonna be spicy.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Very spicy.
Speaker B:With the tsa.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:There are specific rules and regulations put in that are nationally rules.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:There's a law, and in.
Speaker B:The law says they cannot possess your firearm or open the case without you being present.
Speaker B:And recently, a lot of my friends have called me because they have called them for keys and locks and codes.
Speaker B:And then I found out now, again, the law says that you have to be present.
Speaker B:TSA changes on their website that they can demand that stuff, and it's not what the law says.
Speaker B:Yeah, it changed on the TSA website,.
Speaker A:So I didn't realize they changed it on the website.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, it's changed on the website that they can now ask you, upon request, you must give them the key or the combination for the lock.
Speaker C:Yep.
Speaker B:So they changed that on.
Speaker B:But it's not the law.
Speaker B:The law says that you have to be present.
Speaker B:TSA has changed their own policy.
Speaker B:So there's that.
Speaker B:Then airport to airport.
Speaker B:Can we just come up with a standard process, please?
Speaker B:Right, okay.
Speaker B:Like, Knoxville was great.
Speaker B:You walk up to the little guy, you go, I have a gun.
Speaker B:He goes.
Speaker B:Puts it through the machine.
Speaker B:He goes, you're good.
Speaker B:You go, Phoenix, Sky Harbor.
Speaker B:Go up to the little booth.
Speaker B:Depending on who it is, they might give you some hassle or break your locks.
Speaker B:Like, I had, like, six times now.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And had to buy new TSA locks.
Speaker B:Go to the little guy.
Speaker B:He does a little song and dance.
Speaker B:Then you go through Sky Harbor.
Speaker B:You're fine.
Speaker B:Everything's right now.
Speaker B:They've changed that.
Speaker B:I think they've just changed it because they put in an X ray machine so you don't have to go to the little guy anymore.
Speaker B:But then, like you said, some airlines are, like, cool, you're gonna go pick it up from the little room.
Speaker B:Which is great.
Speaker B:Unless you're in sky harbor, where it's an hour and a half of sitting there waiting for your bag.
Speaker B:And then you're like, did my bag actually make it?
Speaker B:Is it there?
Speaker C:Or.
Speaker B:Or when I asked the person, I was like, hey, it's been like an hour and a half.
Speaker B:Where's my bag?
Speaker B:And they go, did you check the carousel?
Speaker B:No, because it says return to bso.
Speaker B:I go to the office, not to the carousel.
Speaker B:And then I go over to the carousel.
Speaker B:I go, my bag's not there.
Speaker B:They're like, oh, I don't know.
Speaker B:We'll try to find it.
Speaker B:What do you mean, you're gonna try to find my gun?
Speaker B:Yeah, right there.
Speaker B:Please, can we just have standard rules, TSA figure out your stuff, and the end of my spiciness.
Speaker A:I'm gonna take it a step further.
Speaker A:I think the.
Speaker A:The federal government needs to stop criminalizing or creating unnecessary barriers for people who are.
Speaker A:Who are flying with their firearms.
Speaker A:And I think that it should be unconstitutional for people to get in trouble for a state to have.
Speaker A:How do I want to put this?
Speaker A:You're going to have to edit this.
Speaker A:I'm so sorry, Brendan.
Speaker C:I see.
Speaker C:I see where you're going with it, though.
Speaker C:I agree.
Speaker A:But, like, if your flight gets rerouted.
Speaker B:Oh, yes.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And it.
Speaker A:You can't help it.
Speaker A:Like, there needs to be federal protections for you who.
Speaker A:Who have carried a firearm, because, like, how many times do you have your.
Speaker A:Just your gun and you've added it to your suitcase.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:And then, like, I'm always terrified if I go up north because, like.
Speaker A:Like, I'll be intending to fly into New Hampshire, which is a great state for gun laws, but it's like, what if the.
Speaker A:The Manchester airport gets diverted to Boston?
Speaker A:Big problems.
Speaker A:Really big problems.
Speaker A:And so it's like, there needs to be federal protections to protect people who are flying with their Firearms.
Speaker A:If their flight gets rerouted and they end up in a anti gun state.
Speaker B:Like Boston or JFK or LaGuardia or any of them, you know what?
Speaker A:That's like the minimum.
Speaker A:This is what, that's the minimum that they can do.
Speaker A:The minimum.
Speaker B:This is what they're gonna say to you.
Speaker A:The minimum.
Speaker B:Oh, I don't disagree.
Speaker B:This is what they're gonna.
Speaker B:Because I had this argument with somebody and they're like, why don't you just leave your bag at the airport?
Speaker B:And I'm like, not friend, not friends.
Speaker C:Also, I need clothes.
Speaker C:Yeah, we can't, we can't do that.
Speaker C:Not all the time.
Speaker C:It doesn't work like that.
Speaker A:Yeah, there's lots of problems with that situation.
Speaker A:But like, no, I, I just, I, I've had, I've heard it happen to so many people.
Speaker A:I know that anytime that I'm flying into those areas, like, you start sweating a little bit because you're like, oh, please, please don't let it get rerouted anywhere.
Speaker A:Like, I, I don't, you know, you, you just go through all of those situations.
Speaker A:And so I, I just feel very strongly that there needs, there needs to be.
Speaker A:All of these infringements need to go away because I, you know, we believe in the no compromise mission as GOA full stop.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:But in the meantime, things need to change to make it better and easier for gun owners.
Speaker B:Agreed.
Speaker B:100 Agree.
Speaker C:Because I agree with that.
Speaker B:Because the man I'm gonna get on a list for this, because the man who's patting me down at TSA does not need to pat me down seven times every time I fly through the airport.
Speaker B:Every single time,.
Speaker A:Man.
Speaker B:I mean, these are people who chose to stand in front of their X ray machine for a living.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Who was it?
Speaker A:It was a couple years ago.
Speaker A:They went viral because they were putting the constitution inside of the suit jackets.
Speaker A:So when you went through the X ray machine, all that showed up was the fourth Amendment.
Speaker C:I was like, oh, that's so good.
Speaker C:That's so good though.
Speaker A:That is, that was great.
Speaker C:That's amazing.
Speaker C:But no, another thing I've noticed too, and this is, is crazy to say, but I've, I've witnessed it with my own eyes, is there's like theft because like you said before, they're breaking the, you know, they could get into the locks, they have the combos and my buddy's mags got taken and there.
Speaker C:It wasn't against any regulations or they were just, they were missing and that was, and that was it upon like arrival.
Speaker C:So that's something I've noticed, too.
Speaker C:And I really.
Speaker C:Obviously, nobody wants that to happen to their things.
Speaker C:Nobody would want that.
Speaker C:But I've noticed it, too.
Speaker C:I. I agree.
Speaker C:I think we need to all be on a very similar system with all the states, I think, especially when it comes to, like, flying in tsa.
Speaker C:And I just think there's.
Speaker C:There's too many hands in the cookie jar and things are too confusing depending on, like, where you fly.
Speaker C:And that's why.
Speaker C:And I also think that's why it deters people from flying with firearms, because they.
Speaker C:The biggest reason I hear of why they don't want to do it is because they're almost worried if something's going to happen when.
Speaker C:When they land, where they have to go through a process or something will go missing or something will get lost.
Speaker C:That will be the.
Speaker C:That's the biggest thing that I keep hearing all around.
Speaker C:And so, yeah, I, I agree with you all.
Speaker B:Well, my favorite is the policy.
Speaker B:So I'm just getting angry and angry about tsa.
Speaker B:The policy of, well, depending on what airline you're flying, like, the ammo can be either in its own container or it can be in the mag.
Speaker B:Or my personal favorite, TSA yelling at you because the mag is in the gun.
Speaker B:And they're like, is it unloaded?
Speaker B:Yeah, it is unloaded.
Speaker B:Well, why is the mag in the gun?
Speaker B:Well, where else am I gonna put it in?
Speaker B:In.
Speaker B:I started packing a separate bag just for mags because I got yelled at by TSA so many times because my box was too small to keep everything in, like, the ammo and the mags and just figure it out.
Speaker B:That's all I have to say.
Speaker B:I'm done with my soapbox.
Speaker C:I agree.
Speaker C:It's a.
Speaker C:It's a good soapbox.
Speaker B:Listen, I'm mad at tsa, okay?
Speaker B:Listen, and here's the thing.
Speaker B:Like, we could go after TSA and argue with them, and this gotta get probably cut out.
Speaker B:But we can go after TSA and argue with him.
Speaker B:But you know what they're going to say?
Speaker B:Homeland Security.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:Yeah, that's.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So, okay, I'm going to say this, and then we'll have to get back into the regular scheduled program.
Speaker C:But.
Speaker A:Shout out to my boy, who is the acting AG right now on what happened with the trains and saying, no new regs.
Speaker B:No, no new regs.
Speaker A:That's the mvp.
Speaker A:Now roll back the other unconstitutional stuff and we'll talk.
Speaker A:All right, well, all of that being said, it has been absolutely wonderful to have you on this episode.
Speaker A:Where could everyone find you?
Speaker A:Shout out your socials, all that good stuff.
Speaker C:Oh well, thank you guys so much for having me.
Speaker C:This has been awesome, actually.
Speaker C:I love it.
Speaker C:You can find me just at my Instagram Caliber Row is in the process of being built, so just go to instagram caliber.row R O W Be sure.
Speaker A:To like share and subscribe.
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Speaker A:And be sure to go to gun owners.org goals to secure your tickets to the Goals Convention, happening August 1st and 2nd in Des Moines, Iowa.
Speaker A:We have gotten word that hotels in the area are selling out fast, so be sure to secure yours today and we look forward to seeing you next week.
