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

Gabe, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.

In 2017, I embarked on a journey to raise funds for various organizations through my photography. Unfortunately, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, photography wasn’t considered an essential service, leading me to pause my fundraising efforts. However, I adapted my approach and began donating my services and framed fine art prints to local organizations instead. Looking ahead to 2024, my goal is to allocate a percentage of my proceeds annually to support Parkinson’s Research.

Why Parkinson’s? This cause holds deep personal significance for me as my father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 58. Now 65, our family is fighting against this disease with every resource available to us. Despite his challenges, my father continues to manage the family business, Carquest Best Auto Parts in Kerrville, Texas, with unwavering determination and the support of my mother. My partner and I have also started learning the business to provide as much assistance as we can.

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.

I’m Gabe Herrera — the creative mind behind Gabe Rene LLC. I’m well-known as “The Tattooed Photographer” as well as for my unique and creative style in getting my clients comfortable both in front of and behind the camera. What most people don’t think about for photographers is that we’re really a one-stop shop when it comes to running a business, and we often times have to spend the same amount of time with our clients concepting out their visions for their photography or videography needs as much as we spend time making them feel comfortable in front of the camera.

My interest in photography first peaked when I picked up my dad’s camera in 2000, and didn’t take my first of two photography classes in 2006 as courses towards a BFA degree. Ever since then, I’ve been shooting photography professionally since 2010 and formed my own company and brand, Gabe Rene LLC., in 2018.

I previously studied Graphic Design at the Art Institute, but my experience with Adobe’s Creative Suite goes all the way back to 2001 when I was a high school freshman. Although I’ve worn many different hats professionally throughout the years, photography was always and still is my passion, and I’m grateful and happy I get to do what I love as a profession. And now I get to share it with my life partner, Kyle!

Kyle joined my business as he saw me struggling to find assistants and second shooters during wedding season. Today, he is my right hand on all our sessions, events, and everything in between. This year, we started expanding into videography to give our clients more creative media options for their projects. Oh, we also have a pretty dope photo booth called Trendy Booth! Trendy Booth is a luxe open-air Photo Booth with amazing props, and fun backdrops perfect for any wedding, party, and corporate event.

Our motto is “If it fits in a frame, we’ll photograph it” and it’s true! But our lenses are primarily focused on:
-Glamorous Weddings to show the love story of our amazing couples.
-Desirable Boudoir to help build confidence and self-love and even for our couples to share a fun but an intimate session.
-Clients ready to take their brand imagery up a notch and do something outside their norm.
-Content Creators & Artists looking for dope, on-trend, and on-brand content for all their platforms.
-Stunning landscapes & Interiors to set your ranch or custom home from the rest in the busy real estate market.

With clients and jobs taking us all the way up north to New England to photograph a Lake Placid IronMan team from New Hampshire, to Arizona for a destination wedding, and to New Mexico for ranch real estate photography and to photograph an upcoming artist and their live performance with thousands of fans. Kyle and I are always ready to pack our bags to help our clients’ visions become a reality, wherever that may be.

I’m always so excited to work with various companies in producing content for their social media platforms and print advertisements. It really allows me to utilize my photographs and design skills in cross-functional ways for marketing purposes and ultimately meet the needs of my clients. One of my favorite clients was Altstadt Brewery in 2020. They approached me at the beginning of the pandemic to help with an ad campaign for Texas Monthly Magazine. This was such a fun and amazing opportunity to collaborate with their team plus develop, photograph, and design their ads for Texas Monthly.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

Photography began as a side hustle, with friends approaching me to capture moments for various occasions. Word-of-mouth spread, prompting me to create social profiles and expand further. However, it was only last year, shortly before Thanksgiving, that I made the bold decision to leave my secure position as a senior graphic designer at a Telecommunications and Internet provider and fully pursue my passion for photography. It was undeniably scary, but the journey has been incredibly rewarding, and I have absolutely no regrets.

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

My restless and inquisitive mind, fueled by ADHD, constantly drives me to explore new horizons and unleash my creativity. It compels me to break free from the confines of the “ordinary” and passionately create the extraordinary.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gaberene.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/gaberenephoto
• Facebook: www.fb.com/gaberenephoto
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaberene/

Image Credits
Gabe Rene Herrera