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

Madeline, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I started Cubrix Photography when the recession began January 2008. My first child was only 1 month old back then when I started taking his photos with little to no props. With no incoming income from my previous web development firm, I have to rapidly think, my camera was my only valued gear I have that makes money. I immediately started posting on Craigslist LA/SF/IE/OC – on a daily basis with my son as a sample portfolio. That’s how I first started to get my first batch of clients.

By 2nd quarter of 2009, I drove to San Francisco once a month to sustain my daughter’s baby formula & diapers supply for Dylan & Kyla. There was a season, I had barely no bookings and I was forced to sell some of my photography equipment so we can go Costco to buy our necessities. By the year 2009, I was nominated and rank top 5 out of 32 portrait photographers in Los Angeles. http://la.cityvoter.com/cubrix-photography/biz/266901. The awards continue 2011 (3/57), 2012(1/61), 2013(1/45) & 2014 (2/29)

Expertise picked Cubrix Photography as one of the top 23 out of 1,336 newborn photographers serving Los Angeles (2017 & 2018)

As of today, my business runs based on “referrals/word of mouth”, I average 10-14 sessions per week including newborns, baby milestones, family, headshots, marriage proposals & special events. I still travel to San Francisco yearly, expanded to Great Neck, NY for past 8 years, travel 2x a year.

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?

I was born & raised in Pangasinan, Philippines. Art has been a huge part of me growing up. My loving mother thought I had a great left hand when it came to an art and sent me to art class at the early age of 7. Since then, I can see art everywhere through my eyes. I developed interests in photography when I was in elementary years, my first camera was Kodak Ultralite (Film). Throughout the years, I was told, there is no money on art. So, I have set aside my passion and pursue a different career path. By 2003, I purchased my first digital camera. Photographing became my hobby, I would capture the beauty of nature, my favorite being sunsets.

Cubrix Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Cubrix Photography is a mobile portrait studio, I travel anywhere in LA & OC. San Francisco/San Jose yearly. Great Neck NY – 2x a year. Newborn photography is my specialty. I also do baby Milestones, Children, Family fine art portraiture as well as corporate headshots, marriage proposals and special events. I bring the portrait studio to you. I am geared with photography light equipment, tons of backdrops & custom made and vintage props.

What sets me apart from others: I am on the spot portrait artist, I have trained myself to see art everywhere. So making an art to my subjects is perfectly simple. As far as children photography, I do have a sense of humor that easily connects my toddlers to smile.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me as a portrait photographer: Is when, you get appreciated, received handwritten love notes, long text from your clients saying how much they loved the photos you took, continuous raves at social media & word of mouth referrals, and most especially a hug from a client after the photoshoot.

Success to me as a working mother: Is when you able to still find the time & strength to play tickle fight when your children asked for it despite how sore your muscles from chasing toddlers, bending your back to get the good low angle shot on newborn and walking back and forth to ensure you capture most of the guests at events and able to handle some crazy drivers from LA going home at my family in Norwalk. Success for myself: I had a dream when I was a very young child..is to become an Artist and I’m actually doing it. That, to me, is a success.

What about “Wow-moments” – any moments that stick out? Any moments when you felt like you had made it? My “wow-moments”. Every time I see a mounted photograph on my client’s home. I feel like I have an art gallery right in front of me.

What advice do you wish to give to those thinking about pursuing a path similar to yours?
*An artist will be always an artist, in spite of everything. Pursue it, no matter what. (No Matter what, you are emphasizing that you are definitely going to do it, even if there are obstacles or difficulties.)

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Consistency and Quality: Delivering high-quality images consistently and on time helps build trust and reliability. Clients are more likely to return and recommend your business if they know they can count on you and your team.

Online Presence: Maintaining a strong online presence through social media, photography awards and content creation boost and enhance your reputation.

Cultivate Your Network, I diligently attend Photography Conferences, my mentors and fellow photographers provide fresh perspectives and practical advice.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

“If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
This is the first lesson I unlearned as an adult and a professional and a professional photographer. Throughout the years what I see, what I heard, what I witnessed (the bad ones only) — I keep it to myself. Let others be the media reporter.

“Failure is the opposite of success.”
I’ve had to learn as I’ve gotten older that if you want to truly succeed, you need to experience failure and mistakes multiple times. You must understand the feeling of all the pressure on yourself and use it as a motivation to continue to achieve your goals. Once we embark on something, if there is a failure, we should try to turn it into a success, no matter if we have to start all over again. I failed many times in my career as a Portrait / Event Photographer and as Mother. For the sake of my family and for the future, I have to get up on my knees again and try different strategies. I don’t see failure as a negative anymore. It’s part of my motivation in daily life.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: cubrixphotography
• Facebook: cubrixphotography
• Youtube: cubrixphotography
• Other: TikTok: cubrix_photography_video