Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Juan C.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Juan C. , appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
To me, risk doesn’t always look like a giant leap. Sometimes it looks like choosing to live a life that actually feels true to who you are. It means turning down the noise, making space to hear your own voice, and deciding to move in a direction that stays connected to your soul. That’s the kind of risk I continue to take every day.
I’ve always been someone who notices things—light where others don’t, quiet in-between moments, the small details that carry meaning if you’re paying attention. I don’t just see, I feel. I listen. I slow down when something deserves it. Photography has never just been a skill or a tool for me. It’s a reflection of my soul. It’s the language I needed to express what I couldn’t always say out loud.
The longer I held back from fully giving myself to it, the more disconnected from my spirit I started to feel. It wasn’t a loud disconnection. It was quiet. Subtle. Like something important in me was slowly fading. So I decided to take the risk—not to leave something behind, but to stop leaving myself behind. I didn’t start with a perfect plan. I started with intention. I began sharing my work, taking on clients, creating galleries, selling prints, and leaning into the kind of work that felt like it belonged to me.
I don’t create to impress. I create because I need to express what I see and feel. Because this is how I process life. Because this is how I stay present. I want people who come across my work to feel something sacred in the ordinary. I want to live a life that is honest—not just in what I say, but in what I make and how I move. Choosing this path helped me see myself more clearly. It reminded me to move slower, to pay attention, and to actually live the kind of life I say I believe in.
I chose to create because it’s what feels true. And I knew that if I didn’t, I would regret it. Not all at once, but slowly, in small ways that would’ve added up over time. I would’ve ended up living a life that looked fine from the outside but never really felt like mine.
The risk isn’t failure. The risk is living a life that was never really yours.
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 Juan Nava. I’m a photographer based in Phoenix, Arizona. I work with individuals, families, and small businesses who want images that feel real and grounded, and still beautiful. I sell prints through my online shop, and I’m also developing photo courses for people who want to learn without pressure.
Through my work, I help people hold on to moments they won’t get back. That’s what I’m really offering. Whether it’s a connection between family members, a season of life, or a small moment that means more than it looks, these things don’t wait around. Most people don’t realize how valuable that is until it’s too late. I try to catch it while it’s still here.
When I shoot, I keep things simple. I don’t rush, and I don’t over-pose. I want people to feel like themselves, not like they’re acting for a camera. I work best with people who care about presence, who want something they can return to later and actually feel something from.
What sets my work apart is the pace and the intention. I want to make honest work with people who value that.
If that sounds like what you’re looking for, we’ll probably work well together!
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn the belief that progress had to be loud or fast to be real. I used to feel like if I wasn’t constantly creating, growing, or showing results, I was falling behind. This mindset likely came from a mix of work culture, social media and algorithm pressure, and the way we’re trained to measure success based on how visible it is.
That pace didn’t match the kind of work I wanted to make or the kind of life I was trying to build. It left me burned out and disconnected from what mattered. I let go of the idea that slower meant failure or that doing less meant I didn’t care enough. Because the truth is, I care deeply. I had to learn how to create from a place of presence, and not pressure.
Now I trust the process more and I pay attention to what feels right, not just what “looks” productive. That shift helped me build something more solid and more honest, even if it took longer to grow. I don’t feel the same urgency to prove anything. I just try to stay true and keep showing up.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
Most people don’t realize how much of the creative work happens before anything is made. The time spent thinking, noticing, wrestling with an idea, or just trying to stay connected to yourself. That part is invisible, but it is everything. It’s not just about putting out content or mastering a skill. I believe It’s about staying honest while doing it. That’s hard to explain to someone who’s never had to make something personal and put it out into the world vulnerably, without knowing how it’ll be received. For most creatives, this isn’t just a job or a hobby. It’s part of how they process life. For me, it is how I stay grounded and sometimes that’s the part people overlook.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://juancnava.com
- Instagram: @jnxva
- Youtube: @jnxva
Image Credits
All images by Juan C. Nava.