We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emanuel Suarez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Emanuel , appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I learned photography (both portrait and toy photography) through my experiences and schooling. Both played an incredibly vital role into the knowledge I hold today.

I truly feel my learning process could’ve been sped up further by connecting with others who also were actively involved in photography. I did a lot of it on my own (even while in school when there were others around me.).

I think the most essential skills I have learned were the basics (lighting, posing, gear/equipment, how to manually shoot, etc). It almost seems cliché to say, but I earnestly feel that in order to really flourish into your own creative representation, you have to understand and respect the foundations of the art form. I’m a firm believer in understanding and following the rules in order to have the ability to break them.

Referencing my earlier sentiment on connection, I feel that my obstacle was ultimately my shyness in connecting and networking with others. Had I intentionally made effort in finding others who were also active and passionate in the trade, I could’ve learned a lot more from friends/peers in a collaborative sense, and gain (and share) experiences to further our creative growth.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Emanuel Suarez and I do Portrait and Toy Photography

When I was in High School (2005/2006), a best friend of mine had wanted a new profile picture for her myspace page. She handed me her point-and-shoot camera, and I began to take photos for her. To my surprise, I really enjoyed the process, and it absolutely sparked my interest. What turned into a one-off photo shoot for her profile page, turned into a fun hobby of doing photo shoots for any occasion we could think of.

That session turned into me purchasing a point-and-shoot camera of my own, and having photo sessions with any of my friends willing to model. I would go to all sorts of locations around my hometown and the Twin Cities, The basics were starting to instill in me (posing, natural lighting, etc)

Not too long after, I saved money for my first DSLR camera and began my degree in Photographic Imaging Technology at Dakota County Technical College (switching from Graphic Design). It was there that I learned further the ins and outs of photography (Manually shooting, editing, posing, composition, etc) During that time, I was also booking senior photos, weddings, family photo sessions, etc…both my schooling and shooting opportunities helped fuel my growth as a photographer.

After graduating…my skills, opportunities, and shooting gear would continually evolve into what it is today.

Photography is not my only hobby. I am also very passionate about Star Wars, Comic Books (Marvel), and Anime. In loving these properties, I’ve also developed a huge love for collecting action figures/props/collectibles…fueled by my love for all of the above since I was a child.

During COVID lockdown, I began shooting my action figures in a more serious and creative sense . Having been heavily inspired by David Valdez aka @FathersFigures (Instagram) a renowned toy photographer and friend, and David Betting aka @sometoyphotos (Instagram), another great toy photographer and close friend….I was hooked on a new hobby that was a culmination of all of my interests. I created an Instagram page (@efx_photos) dedicated to my toy photography and have since gained a humbling number of followers (about 1400+) and have gotten numerous shoutouts on dedicated toy photography pages, Instagram features from toy companies, and was even randomly selected to have a single page feature in Exclu Mag’s 2020 *The 100 Project’. (an annual featurette of 100 toy photographers from across the globe).

It’s one of the most supportive, talented, inspiring, and encouraging communities I’ve even been involved with, and while I am currently taking a small mental break from that specific form of photography, I know that when I’m ready and willing to come back, there will be open arms waiting for me

I currently also volunteer at our local Church (ZOE Church in Burnsville, MN) doing photography for the social media team and am thrilled to have a church home where I am able to use my talents to serve and grow in my faith.

All of these avenues are something I wholeheartedly love. I am extremely grateful for the different outlets I have in fueling and nourishing my creativity. I used to work solo, but my wife (married 7 years) now helps me with a lot of my portrait sessions…as an assistant and a second shooter and has grown with me creatively. She is my best friend and biggest cheerleader in regards to my passions and hobbies and I am SUPER grateful to have her love and support. We also have our beautiful son, Elijah, currently 11 months old, who I hope to raise in an environment that nurtures and encourages his creativity.

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

I think that…creativity ultimately fuels and affects everyone very differently.

I love and enjoy my photography and I get SUCH fulfillment out of it…but I also fully recognize it can have a mental toll on me as well.

For me personally, when I get in a creative mindset, it does take a lot out of me mentally. Like a battery…where I have a full charge ready to create at the beginning of a photo session. However, when I get done with the session, I usually find myself needing to recollect…And I mean that in a general sense.

With that being said, when real life gets in the way, it’s hard to also get in a creative mindset. Especially for me. If I have a long day at work or a rough week emotionally/mentally…it takes tons of effort to get into a creative space. I can pull it together for a photo gig (ie; portraiture) but for anything just for fun (ie; my toy photography) it’s easy for that form of expression to take a back seat.

For many, creativity is an escape…but also for some (like myself), it can be hard sometimes to escape *to* creativity…because you need a full charge before entering that mindstate.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of doing what I do is the expression of my creativity and ultimately, what it does for others. Whether it’s a newlywed couple or the latest Iron Man action figure… when I produce the photo in its final form, it is extremely fulfilling seeing what I created…and seeing how others perceive it.

I see examples of that whenever a couple picks a specific photo for their engagement invite, or a family getting a large print of my photo enlarged and framed to hang in their home,

I see it from my fellow toy photographers when they comment on the photo I produced and go out of their way to share the photo with others in the community

It’s one thing to feel validation and pride in your work but to also see that same feeling affect others in a similar manner is a truly remarkable and encouraging experience      

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/efx_photos/

Image Credits
Personal Photo taken by Angie Beranak All other photos by Emanuel Suarez