We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eliasim Orellana AKA GoatGod from GoatGodByDesign a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, GoatGod thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I think to me the biggest risk was starting my mobile-photography business. I was and always will be an artist first. At first I was not sure if people would understand what I do and how I do things. A regular photographer is there to capture the moments as is, while on the other hand I try to capture the best of what was; The memories that truly stick with you the most out of any situation; i try to capture in photographic or video form. Think about how you remember how awesome a moment might have been in your mind. I try to capture that idea and present it to you or your customers in a way that will be immortalized forever. If you have a passion for what You’er doing, that may seem intriguing. It was definitely an uphill battle to find like-minded people, business, agencies, organizations, that had the same passion as I have and are more concerned with the results I put out, rather than the devices I use to get to said results.

GoatGod, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a mobile-photographer, Which means I shoot and edit everything mostly on my phone. I have always been a futurist. I was well aware of the trajectory that mobile computing was headed. As time goes by the gap between mobile technology, computers, and large sensor cameras are closing. A great photo is becoming less and less about how large a sensor is, and more about how well the software can analyze a picture and digitally upscale the image to be hand in hand with any large dslr or mirrorless camera.

I completely understand what i just said may sound blasphemous to anyone who spends thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars on a photographic setup and years trying to learn how to even use said devices. But the truth is times change, technology changes and evolves. Long gone are the days where the entry for great photography was limited only to those who were able to afford expensive and hard to use cameras. We are living now in the age of computational photography. It is the process of photography being reliant on A.I software to enhance the size, quality, and clarity of pictures to industry standards. It’s not just all talk. You see it in billboards, magazines, television, advertising, and movies every days. A small overlooks acknowledgement at the bottom of a screen or photograph that sais. *Shot on a cellphone”

With that said photography is less about the camera and more about the photographer. Anyone can point a camera and take a picture. Any young teenager can hold a camera at a 40° angle and take a decent looking selfie. It takes true artistry to take the mundane and capture the extravagant. To take something simple and show the sides of it that are truly phenomenal.

I’m in the business of working with models, professionals, agencies, companies, organizations, and making them shine, even C.E.Os have a side greater then what a standard headshot can capture. All it takes is the right photographer who understands how to capture and highlight that side of them, or their organization, that is not only fun but palatable to both the public and other professionals.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Yes! I love challenges, I love difficulty, I even have a thing for danger. When someone tells me that they have tight time constraints, or tell me that they don’t know if it’s possible to make something look cool. Or even if they tell me other photographers are too scared to do something, I run towards those opportunities.

I remember I wanted to do an Egyptian themed shoot in the middle of the texas summer for an Egyptian style brand. The idea was to make their products look like they were on the side of a lake in the middle of Egypt. We found a lake side in grand prairie TX where we took hundreds of pounds of set props, costumes, make-up, products, and beverages. We had to hike a quarter mile in 110 degree weather to find the perfect spot. The pictures came out so great people didn’t even believe it was my photography, people really believed it was stock photos of africa. What people didn’t know is that I literally almost passed out of heat exhaustion. I made it back to my car with my last breaths and passed out for a while while the air-conditioning and my last water brought me back to life. The crew had to help drag the rest of the equipment. But I didn’t let the experience scare me. If anything it was a rush. An experience of a lifetime to capture a vision i had by any means necessary even at the cost of my own health. It was quite exhilarating.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part is seeing the excitement on the customers face when they see the first glimpses of their vision come to life, when questions and doubts turn into hope and confidence, when a model reconnects with their outer beauty that they forgot or didn’t even know they had, or when a company has no idea how their image could possibly be cool, then seeing those first few photos and getting reminded of why they loved their profession to begin with; those are the moments of awe and wonder that I truly cherish. Being able to inspire others to be able to express their creative side even if all they have is the smartphone in their pocket is what I truly live for.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.goatgodbydesign.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/GoatGodByDesign
• Facebook: Www.facebook.com/GoatGodByDesign
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/goatgodbydesign
• Twitter: GoatGodByDesign
• Ticktock: @goatgodbydesign 
• Other: Mainstack: Mainstack.me/goatgod