We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Catrece Ann Tipon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Catrece Ann below.

Catrece Ann, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Growing up, I always gravitated toward pictures. I loved the way that one picture could stop a moment in time. It allowed me to remember small moments I wouldn’t always be able to remember. It allowed me to stay in that moment. Whenever I was able to, I would take whatever picture I could use my mom’s flip phone camera, which eventually turned into using my parent’s digital cameras. I ended up breaking 3 of them, unfortunately. My parents got so tired of me breaking their cameras that, they decided to invest in my hobby and buy me my first Canon DSLR camera in College. That’s when I instantly knew, this is what I was meant to do. I took pictures of whatever I could, and learned what I could, through books, youtube videos, and articles online. I wanted to dive deep into the world of photography.

I practiced with anything I could get my hands on, a stuffed animal, my friends, dolls, nature, etc. I wanted to be the next Annie Lebowitz. I wanted to be one of the few Filipino-American women to make a difference in a primarily male dominant field.

What stood in the way of jumping straight into photography was my nursing studies. My parents wanted me to be a Nurse, and I decided against my own wishes to pursue that, but I never stopped learning on the side. With each free moment I had, I went to Washington D.C, and took street photography, architecture, people, and nature.

My determination was what kept me going as an openness to learn. I was humbled by the process because I didn’t have as much time as people pursuing it as a career, but I never stopped, I kept moving forward and learned through so much trial and error. I never gave up on myself.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Filipino-American nurse, photographer, non-profit leader, and choreographer based in Baltimore.

Born in St. Louis to 1st generation Filipino-American Immigrants and raised in Maryland, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and minored in music at the Catholic University of America. As my passion for photography grew, I decided to pursue it alongside my nursing career. I value the diverse communities of people that surround me, whether I am taking care of them in the hospital, giving people opportunities to learn more about their art and their skills, capturing their personalities through portraits, or teaching them how to use their bodies to tell a story.

As a photographer, I aim to inspire self-confidence and to help clients tap into their beauty, strength, and power as an individual, I love that portrait photography allows me to meet and learn from people across different backgrounds, which opens my mind to the many facets and complexities of being human.

I have 16 years of formal dance training and am a Grade V Pre-Professional level dancer in the Cecchetti ballet technique. My education also included Tap, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, and Hip-Hop. I also specialize in Filipino Cultural Dance and Contemporary dance, which I taught and choreographed for five years during and after college.

I run a non-profit organization called Asian Pasifika Arts Collective, based in Baltimore, MD. Asian Pasifika Arts Collective (APAC) is a nonprofit organization that uses art to advocate the representation of Asian Americans and Pacific Indigenous Americans in everyday life while building cross-community relationships.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being able to experience both sides of the human condition. Becoming a photographer has opened up so many more opportunities, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It has given me peace of mind. I’m able to release myself from the stresses of my full-time job and use my creative outlet as a way to decompress, to be able to ground myself and be free. I am able to express my creative side freely, and openly while giving that energy to others in a positive way. I am able to make a personal impact on a person’s life by showing them their potential. When I see someone smile because they never thought they could look that beautiful, that gives me the most amazing satisfaction. That reaction reminds me that what I am doing is exactly where I need to be in life and in society.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

In my personal opinion, I think the biggest struggle that people may not fully understand is the feeling of having more than one direction in life. We don’t have to be perfect in whatever “creative” endeavor we decide to pursue. Life isn’t just a straight line of milestones that we need to achieve. If this personal endeavor, whether it’s a new hobby, job, book, art piece, etc., personally gives you joy, then you are doing the right thing. I thought once I graduated college, Nursing was going to be my end all in life, but by taking a chance and putting myself in a position to pursue my art, I was able to experience what it’s like on the other side of science.

Contact Info:

• Website: catricephoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cat_rice.editorials/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cat93ricephotography
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/cat93ricephotography/ This Instagram is for my general business inquiries. https://baltimoreapac.org/ For my non-profit work.

Image Credits
Dakota Lee (Model and Event Producer) (@eventsbydakota) Astrid Kallsen (Model) (@astridadventure) Charles Warari (Model) Maddie (Model) (@madsthegoat) Smoovie J Wiz (Model) (@smooviejwiz)