When did you know the photography/video industry was for you?
I’ve been doing photography for a few years now. I started it mostly as a hobby and an emotional outlet. I did a lots paid assignments but it really wasn’t until the beginning of 2016 when my fiance, the father of my daughter passed away when I decided to be serious and turn my photography hobby into a business. Sometimes difficult times in life give you perspective. In my case, it showed me that life is fragile and short. I was depressed and had the responsibility of raising two kids on my own. But I couldn’t stand the idea of having to work a 9 to 5 job, doing something I didn’t like and missing so much in my children’s life. It was mostly a decision based on Self Care, and I think the best one I’ve ever taken because even in the hardest day I feel grateful to be doing something I absolutely love to provide for my kids and I’m able to be present in their lives.
How did you get your current position?
You mean sitting in front of my desk surrounded my snacks still wearing my pajamas while writing tutorials, editing and parenting at the same time?
There were many things I dreamed about when I started doing photography. I wanted my pictures to be on covers of magazines (checked), I wanted my pictures to be on the cover of a music album (checked), I wanted to teach, and this last one was always the most difficult one to reach in my head because I thought my broken English was going to get in the way, but I currently write tutorials for magazines and teach 1:1 photoshop sessions. So it’s all good!
As I mentioned before, I love photography; I love photographing people, I love photoshop. You just have to put your work out there, write down goals, datelines for those goals (that’s very important) and go for it.
How did your training or schooling prepare you for your job?
When I stepped into the Photography world, I didn’t know anything about it. I’m mostly self-taught. I just wanted to learn as much as I could, as fast as I could. I remember sitting in front of my computer for hours watching tutorial videos on Kelby Training (now Kelbyone) and Youtube on Photography, Lighting, and Photoshop. In this industry you have to stay current with software, gear, techniques, developing a personal style, evolving your personal style. There’s so much talent out there. It’s not just about taking a beautiful picture with your camera, editing in Photoshop and posting on social media. You have to stand out. When you do this as a business, you have to make cold calls; you have to do paperwork and find different approaches to clients. Those things you learn on the way, or at least I have learned that on the way.
What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your career?
Myself. I think we usually are our greatest obstacles. Our fears, insecurities, our egos usually get in the way, especially when you do something creative. We pour our hearts into our art, and that makes us vulnerable. I’ve had my share of nos in my short career, but the magic is to turn them into a yes or at least learn from them. I’ve found that from every no I got, I got stronger and it made me work harder to show them wrong because that’s kind of my thing. So it’s all a matter of choice. Do I sit and cry as a baby and complain how the world is mean and don’t get me? Or I can empower myself by learning and show the world I’m awesome and I got this!
I’m still learning to get myself out of the way when times get tough and go for the things I love without fear.
Who would you name as the most influential person in shaping your career?Why?
I will always be thankful for the amazing Photography community that got my back at the beginning of 2016. I never thought that spending so much time joking, commenting on people pictures, supporting each other art, posting my own would become such an important thing in my life. All these people I mostly met through Google Plus were the light in the darkest days of my life. Their support and encouragement were vital to turn my hobby into a career and pretty much into getting myself out of the dark hole I was in. There’s also somebody very special that believed in me from day one and still now is one of biggest cheerleaders, Kalebra Kelby.
If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?
Definitely wine. I wouldn’t mind having hotel chains, and airlines sponsoring so I can travel the world, but if that’s not posible I’ll take the wine.
