We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nuria Rius a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Nuria thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?
I worked as a Photo Editor for about ten years for an art magazine (photography, music, skateboarding, etc). Even if I studied Photography and all that I wanted was taking pictures all day it helped a lot me being on the ‘other side’ to understand what the commissioner wants when they reach out.
Not only this: because this period of time happen to be for a small and independent publication where I also produced and organised other things such events, music shows, art exhibitions, etc. while I was working on a daily basis, creating a bigger network, working in a team: it helped to grow and develop other skills that helps me now at the moment working as a fashion and portraiture photographer.
Nuria, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I started taking pictures when I was a child. My mum used to give me a point and shot camera that she had (she’s never being a Photographer but she takes pictures of everything) and I was taking the camera everywhere: when I was hanging out with friends, on the street, school, summer camps, etc.
But it wasn’t a good start: I remember one day I went with the school to the “Camp Nou” (F.C Barcelona stadium, I am big football fan) I was probably 8 or 9 years old and I was waiting outside to see all my fav football players to leave on theirs cars and I wanted to take pictures of them and I did it. I was super exited! When I went home I told my mum and dad naming all the players I saw and I was so hype.
Then the day after I went to the lab with my mum to process the roll and guess what…. There was no roll!
The camera was empty. I wanted to cry so badly.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I never liked to have a Monday to Friday 9 yo 5 job. I did it. But I knew it wasn’t for me. I coudn’t picture myself all the time in front of a screen and sitting on a chair.
I don’t mind working evenings or weekends if what I do makes me. happy.
Working as a photographer you will always been asked to work any day anytime.
But I love having the freedom to build my own schedule. I don’t mind if my day off it happen to be on a Monday.
And I never minded to have to support myself.
My family couldn’t pay my Photography studies so I worked night time in a factory to pay for them.
After that to start my Photography career I worked in restaurants, bars, shops (as many artists) but it has been always rewarding to become the person that I am now. And even if you sometimes can think that ‘the other side job’ doesn’t teach you anything it always does. 100%
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
In my opinion what always help me and I find very inspiring is visiting other photographers’s exhibitions. I feel blessed and thankful that I love in a city that have always a good amount of shows.
I also like visiting other disciplines, like painting, sculpture. Regarding books I personally like reading some biographic books about authors that I like.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nuriarius.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nuriarius/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nuriarius
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/riusnuria?lang=en
Image Credits
Selection of commercial, editorial and personal work.