We were lucky to catch up with Rafael Rios recently and have shared our conversation below.
Rafael, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
In a time where everything is digital, I’m focused on creating tangible objects capable of encapsulating moments and memories—pieces that can transcend generations and that won’t depend on a screen to be appreciated.
At my tintype photo studio, Ojo Creativo, I specialize in alternative photographic processes. Currently, we offer portraits using wet plate collodion, an old photographic technique which dates back to the late 1800’s. Working with this technique demands meticulous attention to detail: the photographer must ensure the collodion’s temperature and viscosity are optimal, balance the pH levels and gravity of the silver nitrate bath, and verify the accuracy of the developer and fixer mixture. Additionally, factors such as lighting, camera bellows integrity, and subject positioning must align perfectly. When done correctly, this process results in a unique image printed on either aluminum sheets or glass with black & white and sepia tones. These are durable photos that preserve magical moments for several years to come.
I’m also the owner of Errant, a jewelry brand specializing in crafting pieces through various casting techniques. Similar to the tintype photo process, sand casting allows for the spontaneous interplay of elements, resulting in interesting textures and forms. Pouring precious metals like gold and silver into a mold that I create by pressing a hand-carved wax design into sand evokes an ancient tradition dating back to the Bronze Age around 3200 BC.
Keeping these techniques alive is important for me. The process of creating is as important as the final piece itself. In my view, craftsmanship is invaluable. I feel fortunate to be able to create unique works of art with my hands while offering my clients heirlooms that will last generations.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Rafael Rios. I’m a photographer and a jeweler born and raised in Guatemala, but living in San Diego for the last 8 years. Growing up, my family owned a neighborhood photo studio. Throughout these early years I learned the value of running a business and the importance of working with my community.
When I started college, I wanted to dive deeper into photography, but Guatemala didn’t have any photography schools at the time. I did some research and found a school in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I saved a small amount of money and ventured south to study commercial photography. I learned about lighting and all aspects of production. I ran out of my savings in the first two months, so I needed to find a creative way to make money until I finished my education. I started by printing some of the best photographs I had taken of the city and selling them to tourists around downtown. I ended up meeting some of the most amazing artisans in these open-air markets and learned skills like leather working, sewing, beading, and jewelry making.
After finishing school, I used everything I had learned to elevate my family’s studio in Guatemala. I took over the business and began focusing more on commercial photography. After a few years of doing client work, I decided I instead wanted to connect with the more human aspect of photography like capturing portraits and gearing the lens more towards documentary work. I sold my equipment and traveled around Latin America with a 35mm film camera. I was able to later publish some of this work in publications like The Guardian and Global Witness.
Throughout my journey I always gravitated towards creative communities and many of my friends were musicians, muralists, cinematographers, photographers, silversmiths, and leather workers. As an artist myself, I was always interested in learning more about different art mediums. While traveling through San Jose del Cabo in Baja California, I met my first jewelry mentor. He owned a jewelry store in the center of San Jose and needed help running the store. He took me in as an apprentice while I was working in his shop and I began learning all of the basics of silversmithing.
A few years later, I was traveling in Colombia and exploring the Museum of Gold of Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast. One of the museum employees noticed my enthusiasm while I admired Ancient Tairona jewelry and mentioned that the most talented goldsmiths were about 5 hours away in the middle of the Magdalena River. I ended up in a magical remote village called Mompox, historically known for its fine metalsmiths. While visiting the jewelry shops, I was amazed by the beauty of filigree art that they specialized in, a technique where very thin wires of silver that are interwoven and twisted to form intricate texture and detail. I ended up staying in Mompox to learn filigree and in the heat of this small tropical town, I was able to design a full collection of around 30 jewelry pieces. These experiences formed the roots of my foundation as a jewelry designer and continue to influence the work I create today in my studio.
Also in Colombia I met a photographer named Sean Hawkey who was having a talk about the tintype portraits he had taken of miners in Peru. He explained how he used the silver from the mines to create his own silver nitrate, the most important ingredient for the wet plate process. Being both a silversmith and a photographer, everything came full circle for me and I decided it was the perfect technique to pursue after my travels.
When I settled down in San Diego, I started volunteering at The Aja Project, an educational organization that teaches photography, social justice, and art to high school students around San Diego. We worked with everyone from teenagers in Juvenile Court and Community Schools to young immigrants adapting to their new life in this country like me. While working for this organization, I met artist and educator Rizzhel Javier, who ended up teaching me the basics of the tintype photo process. My love for this photography medium grew and I eventually opened my studio space, Ojo Creativo, where I began practicing the technique. I began with my community, photographing my friends who then told their friends, and eventually the word spread. Three years later, I’ve had people travel from different cities to get their tintype portraits taken. When you come to my studio, you get to experience the whole process. People love watching their images come to life in the same way they did almost 200 years ago. Honoring the values of my family’s neighborhood photo studio, my joy still comes from serving and connecting with the people in my community. Both of my studios are located in the heart of Barrio Logan, a historical neighborhood that reminds me of my roots and my connection to Latin America. Here I am still able to connect with amazing musicians, cinematographers, photographers and other jewelry makers who all have unique stories to tell. I’m grateful that I’ve found this corner of the city to grow my business alongside a strong community.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
When I opened my tintype photo studio, it was with the intention of practicing the technique. I started by photographing my roommates and close friends. They would post the photos on social media and then their friends started to reach out to me wanting to get their portrait done. I took note of that impact and now for every photo I take, I will always post a story about the process and final result. Most of the time, I tag my clients or ask them to tag me, so my growth has always been organic and community-based. I like to think that if I can reach at least a handful of my clients’ followers, that can potentially leave me with one lead.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Social media. Word-of-mouth has been the best way to reach new clients, and all of this is thanks to my clients for sharing my work on their platforms. I also do pop-up events for both my tintypes and jewelry where I give demonstrations of the creative process. This helps bring attention to the business and allows me to reach different communities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rafariosphotos.com/ and https://errantgem.com/
- Instagram: @ojocreativo @errantgem
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tallerojocreativo and https://www.facebook.com/errantgem