The Process with Andrei Barb
The Intentional Design Behind a Meaningful Creative Career
On paper, Andrei was exactly where he was supposed to be.
And for a while, it felt that way in practice, too. He could navigate the hospital’s labyrinth of hallways on autopilot, the sound of his footsteps an integral part of the building’s persistent mechanical rhythm. He belonged there.
But one night, during a routine evening shift almost a decade ago now, an unsettling thought interrupted his steady pace:
I have to do this for the next 40 years of my life?
The thought weighed heavy on his mind. Those same hallways—the same fluorescent rooms and familiar cycles of care—for his entire career. It all felt so permanent. What troubled him wasn’t so much the work itself, but the realization that this path, however reputable and rewarding, might never translate into something truly fulfilling. And if he stayed, he’d eventually lose himself to that predictable mechanical rhythm.
That night introduced something Andrei couldn’t unfeel: staying would cost him more than he was willing to lose.
“And so that’s when I decided, ‘I need to find something else.’”
A sense of obligation
To understand the arc of Andrei’s career, it helps to first understand what motivated him to pursue a career in medicine in the first place.
It would be impossible to tell Andrei’s story without acknowledging the role of his mother. When she left her home in Romania, bringing her young son with her, she chose a path of remarkable courage.
Growing up, Andrei came to understand the uncertainty of one place while living within the opportunity of another. As a result, stability became something he valued long before he consciously chose it, and it manifested as an internal drive to “make something of himself.” Naturally, he gravitated toward a career that felt steady and secure, setting aside the possibility of pursuing something he’d always been drawn to.
“There’s always been a part of me that’s been a little bit creative,” Andrei admits. “I loved drawing as a kid, and all throughout school, people thought I’d become some kind of artist. But I fully abandoned that when I started studying respiratory therapy.”
At first, this decision felt right—reputable, even. “It felt like the path I was supposed to be on,” he explains. But over time, the safety of that decision revealed its own cost. As the dissatisfaction caught up with him, the “what ifs” he’d long avoided finally demanded attention.
“At the time, photography was just a hobby,” Andrei explains. “I didn’t even know you could make real money from it.” Still, drawn toward something more creative, he decided to take the risk and see where it might lead. Walking away from a steady income meant letting go of certainty, and with it, the discomfort of stepping into something less predictable.
Those early years of his creative career were humbling, as the romantic idea of doing what you love quickly met the realities of making it work.
Gratitude for the unglamorous
By the time Andrei moved to Calgary, his photography career was anything but stable. “I had nothing,” he recalls. “No connections. No community. No idea how to make money. At the beginning of any creative career, that’s not what’s on your mind.”
After years spent on the “safe route,” what occupied Andrei’s mind was closing the gap between where he was and where he wanted to be. Today, with an incredible body of work that clearly reflects his progress, his advice on building your skillset and confidence as a photographer is cut and dried. “You need to get your hours in,” he insists. “There’s no shortcut.”
In the early stages of his career, Andrei said yes to whatever work came his way, treating the so-called “less prestigious” jobs as opportunities to learn and refine his craft.
Even now, despite his extensive experience, he continues to approach this kind of work with the same openness—a gratitude shaped by an appreciation for what those unglamorous jobs did for him.
“Every job will contribute to you becoming a better creative,” he explains. “Everything is laps. Everything is reps.” Through repetition, preparation became second nature, and imposter syndrome began to loosen its grip (a little).
His perspective is a reminder that the work others often overlook can be the very work that keeps you in the game long-term. Not every project will be your dream project, but there’s real value (financial or otherwise) in every job you do.
A well-defined palate produces tasteful work
One of the most striking qualities of Andrei’s work is how clearly his signature style comes through. His photography and unique creative direction are recognizable. But surprisingly, creating a “signature look” was never something he consciously set out to achieve. Instead, Andrei believes that distinguishable art is the byproduct of a more holistic and indirect process.
“It comes down to actually building your taste as a creative,” he explains, adding that it’s become somewhat of a new obsession of his. Andrei describes pulling fragments of inspiration from photos that deeply resonate, then piecing those elements into something entirely his own. “You admire something, you appreciate it, and then you try to make your work resemble it in some way.”
Taste, as he sees it, is built through mindful presence. Before you can decide what to catalog as “tasteful,” you have to first slow down and intentionally see the world around you. By being acutely aware of the beauty in your life, you expand your ability to recognize and collect all the joyful elements that will eventually inform your creative direction. And as Andrei sees it, this skill of intentional awareness is far more important than the mechanics of how you shoot or edit your photos.
“At some point, I realized that the photo itself is the easiest part. What’s in the frame matters more. That’s what you’re actually giving the viewer to look at and study. You have to understand that your job is to make people look at things, so it’s not the way you capture it, it’s what they’re looking at.”
With this in mind, technical ability becomes far less important than the ability to instinctively choose an interesting subject. Andrei jokes, “If you’ve done your job well, you should be able to put your camera in a monkey's hands and get back a great photo.” (And we don’t need to test that theory to agree with it).
Developing “good” taste might sound daunting, Andrei sees it as something far more intuitive. Taste is inherently subjective, so if the goal is to create authentic, recognizable work, then your taste = good taste. Honing in what you personally have an appetite for will naturally lead to stronger work and a consistent portfolio that feels like an honest representation of you.
It takes a village to tell a story
When asked how he tells such visceral stories through his photography, Andrei is quick to shift the credit away from himself.
“I don’t think I can take full credit for the work I’m making now,” he admits. “There’s only so much you can do on your own.”
That self-awareness—an understanding of both his strengths and limitations—has become one of his greatest assets. Rather than limiting his work to what he can execute alone, he leans on the talented creatives around him, allowing their diverse skill sets to shape and elevate the final result. This collaboration doesn’t just strengthen his storytelling, but makes the act of storytelling a far more fulfilling process.
Perfect days-ing
When asked about a mantra or philosophy he lives by, Andrei is quick to mention the film Perfect Days, a 2023 drama directed by Wim Wenders. The film follows a man living a simple life as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, offering a deeply moving reflection on finding tranquility in routine and beauty in the everyday.
The idea resonated so deeply that Andrei and his friends began using the phrase “perfect days-ing” to describe moments of similar realization in their own lives.
“Nothing spectacular has to happen for it to be a perfect day. It’s about noticing the things that often get overlooked, and appreciating them. The day-to-day moments, the parts of life you probably wouldn’t think to share on social media.”
For Andrei, taking the time to appreciate what’s often overlooked opens the door to finding beauty—even on the difficult days. That mindset, he says, encourages a more intentional relationship with time and energy, offering a way to stay grounded amid the noise and negativity in this industry that can so easily take over.
By slowing down and noticing the beauty in everyday life, Andrei creates from a healthier place and continues to refine his creative taste.
Redefining Success
Beyond financial stability, success for Andrei is about feeling content with his work on his own terms, regardless of what conventional success might look like.
“Success is being able to feel proud of the work you do, despite what that work is,” he explains. “You don’t have to be shooting the biggest jobs to feel fulfilled, what matters most is finding happiness in the process of making things.”
His perspective is an important reminder for any creative navigating today’s output-obsessed online space. At any given moment, we’re just one swipe-to-refresh away from a brand new batch of educational content, promising us we can efficiency-hack our way to success (an unlikely story). But in order to find the outcome rewarding, we must first take pride in the process.
“I think what I’m most proud of is the way I feel when I get to work. I think it’s a very rare feeling. I know that so many people wake up in the morning and dread their job—I was there once too.”
For years, uncertainty around sustaining a long-term career in photography followed Andrei. Though he began pursuing photography full-time in 2016, it wasn’t until three or four years ago that the fear truly began to lift. Looking back now, he’s filled with gratitude for the work he’s created, the collaborators who’ve enriched his process, and the clients who’ve trusted him to tell their stories.
“I don’t feel like I’ve ‘made it,’” he admits. “But I do feel like I’m on a path that makes me happy—and I’m proud of that.”
In closing
Choosing to do things your own way isn’t always easy, especially in a creative landscape that feels increasingly optimized and less “human” than ever. Despite that mounting pressure, authenticity underpins everything Andrei creates. His story is an important reminder that when you create from a place of self-assurance, you create your best, most authentic art.
Authentic taste leads to original work.
Authentic collaboration results in stronger stories and tighter bonds.
And an authentic definition of success—rooted in the principles that actually matter to you—leads to a deeper sense of satisfaction in both your work and personal life.
There are a number of reasons for which Andrei’s story stands out, but what feels most notable is the intentional design that’s gone into his creative process—the way he’s thoughtfully customized it to build a meaningful career that aligns with his conscious re-framing of success. It’s a commitment to authenticity that we deeply admire.
In sitting down with Andrei, we’ve come to understand that how you create, who you create with, and how you define success are intentional choices that have the power to fundamentally effect both the quality of your work and the level of satisfaction you feel from it. A reminder that the work becomes truly fulfilling once you design and uphold a creative process that represents you.
big FASHION
Produced by: @roamcreative.ca, directed by @byandrei and @chrisronak, HMU & Model: @kayleekonowalyk @kayleeashley.beauty, set Design: @chrisronak & @byandrei, produced by: @roamcreative.ca, styling: @victovaughn & @kayleekonowalyk, colouring: @byandrei, cam op: @chrisronak, wardrobe: @vespucciconsignment.
Follow Andrei on Instagram (@byandrei) to see how his intentional process shows up in the work he shares.