We recently connected with Ivonne Salais and have shared our conversation below.
Ivonne, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?
I am a romantic of creation, I have always loved taking pictures of all the things I see and do. When my daughters were born, I started taking pictures of them with the iPhone, I did not achieve the effect I was wanting, but I had the intention. During that time, buying a professional camera was very expensive and difficult for me to get. Although I really wanted to get it, it couldn’t be a priority in my life.
Then, at the start of 2019 and before the pandemic started, my husband surprised me with a camera (Are you kidding me? We are not rich!). I couldn’t believe it! My husband saved money to support my hobby and my dream. He has always believed that I could achieve many things, I just needed this one tool.
The next day, I took some photos of my pregnant friend with my new camera and I was amazed at the change in effects. Taking pictures is not easy, yet that day I felt complete with my camera.
During the pandemic, I took online classes to further learn how to use my camera. It was like learning to drive a car for the first time, or being able to make a turkey at Thanksgiving. A fun challenge for me.
When I first opened my page on Facebook I was afraid of letting the world know I was starting a business. I thought about what they might think… “This lady is already a grown up, she is over 30 years old, she is a mother, she just wants to attract attention, it will not work, there are already many photographers.” Still, I had to take a leap of faith and remember the moment my husband gave me the camera “You can do it.” And I did it.
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 background and context?
I can say that I am a natural light photographer, I love taking photos at sunset, it is one of the most wonderful moments of the day. I believe sunset exists to say goodbye to your day for a new one to come!
I love meeting new people with the excuse that I am going to take some pictures of them for their families, children, etc. Achieving a connection with my clients is extremely satisfying.
I take family photographs, where they take totally free and relax, of couples ,where they can enjoy each other, of children playing and mommies hugging their bellies in a sweet wait for their newborn. I love learning any ideas they have for their photos.
Let’s say…. like lifestyle photography, I always tell my clients before they start the shoot, “Let’s have fun!”
I am pleased to be able to acquire beautiful moments,and memories that are valuable treasures for every family. Seasons of life, seasons of the year that help us to continue walking in life. It fills me with joy to see their social networks with their photographs, or when they send me their prints decorating their houses. This has become invaluable in my life.
Honestly there are many photographers that I admire a lot, there are many creative ones and each one with a unique style!!! I love this community; talking about style, my style of photography is dark & moody, it is very free and I try to make it minimalist, just with people and their emotions.
I love making them laugh so I can get a spontaneous smile!! I love black and white photos, I feel that those photos only show emotions and moments, therefore in the gallery that I give to clients and on my instagram you will find many black and white photos.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative?
Who said that having a business you had to be creative? I did not know this, and I ran into a big wall on this road, before, it was a game of colors, things, words and movements. Now I know, I have to be strategic and achieve something that is beautiful. Praying to God, watching anime, kdramas, eating pinterest, listening to indie music, and going outdoors helped me in a GREAT way to fill me with creativity and ideas.
The path to find creativity is satisfying and beautiful. I know this when I hear my two daughters say: “Wow mommy, this is beautiful!”
Those sweet words from my 7-year-old and 9-year-old daughters are my drive to continue even on sleepless nights.
Is there a mission driving your creative journey?
One of the things we have is TIME, time goes by very fast, technology advances, children grow up, they leave, jobs change, the landscapes of the world change and countless things change. We, as human beings, cannot stay behind in this era of technology. My mom always tells me: “technology eats us”, and I think it’s true. So, I continue to use my time to study and learn new things. My advice is that you let your mind continue learning things, it is very important for health and creativity. Seek mentors and wise people for advice, especially from those people who have already traveled more than us. Believe me, you never know what you might find.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ivonnesalais.com
- Instagram: @ivonnesalaisphoto
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ivonnesalaisphoto
2 Comments
Nestor Vargas
Incredible history and amazing talent. Your pictures are really awesome!!
Melanie
I love your talent Ivonne!!!!
Is Amazing what God is doing in your life!