We recently connected with Argel Rojo Vazquez and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Argel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Well, we all learned photography since we were kids, before with the film camera and now with our phones. But I was always fascinated with magazines and movies. I took classes and went to college for film and after years working on it I found myself wanting to focus in photography so I went back to school. I enrolled at Pasadena City College to learned and focus on it.

I don’t think speed up a process should be a thing. We all have different times, we all deal with life, family, partners, our insecurities, our fears. Becoming an artist involves so much more than just learning the technique that you can find on a TikTok video.

I think that for a photographer the best skill is passion for the images. Develop your eye, find your own voice. Everything has been done by everyone except you, put yourself on it and it will be unique.

The obstacle to learn more is money. Essentially you can do photography with you phone but if you want to evolve try new techniques, cameras, materials, processes, etc. You’ll soon realize that you need more than the phone or a digital camera. You need to invest in lenses, lights, studio, materials, etc. This also depends on the style of photography that you do, but you also invest time and money to keep learning things. There’s always something new that you could learn.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Argel Rojo Vazquez, I am from Mexico and I’ve been living in LA for the past 8 years. I’m a photographer and I’ve been doing it professionally since 2019. I was always in love with magazines. Fashion magazines but also there was a Mexican magazine called “Eres” that every issue the cover would be so different and I loved that, I loved how can you be so versatile. I also was obsessed with music videos and I started doing them so I went to film school. After many years working in productions I felt the need to focus in photography, so I did it.

I love to photograph people through portraiture of fashion photography. My style is very editorial, full of color. I love to give strong presence to the person in front of my lense. For me it’s all about how can I portrait the best version of you. My only goal for every shoot it’s to make images that you and I feel excited about and proud to share it with the world. I aso do album covers, it’s so fun because you can be as creative as you want, or very experimental, there’s no rules. In the opposite side I also do product photography for artists. I go to their studio and photograph their art work. We create images where their work feels elevated. Elegant and clean would be the words that describes my work with them.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I got the capital for my business from school. I used to use a camera from the school to do my assignments, since they had better ones that the one I owned. The school gives every year scholarships for the excellence and I applied. for it. With the money I got from it I bought my professional camera. Later the school organized a photography contest which I also applied. With the money I got from it I was able to buy my lighting equipment. But it’s all coming from the hard work that I do and the passion from creating exciting images. With that I was able to get better clients and used some of my earnings to get other stuff I need.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

For me it’s “word of mouth” that have actually make my business grow and to get new clients. You star with one that trusts you and he gives your name to another one and from there it’s already a business but for me the key ingredient has been to always try to give your best no matter what.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.argelrojo.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/argelrojo
• Twitter: @argelrojo
• Other: https://argelrojov.myportfolio.com/

Image Credits
Photo 1 Photography Argel Rojo @argelrojo Model Nico Romero @nicodexico Creative Director/Hair stylist Nathan Unce @nathanunce Stylist Fran Rodriguez @f_and_m Makeup by Janelyn Marcelo @makeupbyjanelyn Hair Assistant Mikel Mitchell @fantasies.only Photo Assistant Chuck Morris @chuckie3.0 Special thanks to @lagvintage Photo 2 Terra Nova for Viktor Luna’s Look Book Photography Argel Rojo Model Kinshasa Giani @kinshasagiani Dress and styling by Viktor Luna @viktorluna Makeup and Hair by Mattie Marie @mattiemariemakeup Photo Assistant Chuck Morris @chukie3.0 Photo 3 “Nervous” Single cover for Tolliver Photography Argel Rojo @argelrojo Singer Tolliver @Tolliv3r Photo 4 Home Sweet Huddy in the picture from left to right, Derek Lyons @darklines, Alison Huddy @alisonhuddy, Jason Huddy @jasonhuddy, Lisa Renée @bylisarenee and Kimberly Renée @rrteamla Photography Argel Rojo @argelrojo Photo Assistant Chuck Morris @chuckie3.0 Photo 5 “Kotomitl” Models Angel Lin @angelmydarling and Zak Scherbak @zaksbk Styling by Fran Rodriguez @f_and_m Makeup and Hair Mattie Marie @mattiemariemakeup Photo Assistant Chuck Morris @chuckie3.0 Location @vibrancylab Photo 6 Nicole Models Nicole Costen Ruiz and Jesse Costen Ruiz Photography Argel Rojo Photo Assistant Chuck Morris Photo 7 Detail Art by Chloe Park Photo 8 Detail art by Rachel Shillander @la.lland