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

Ricardo, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Recently I gave a small workshop for a local business that offers, amongst other things, classes for kids about upcycling clothes, home decor, etc. The class was about teaching kids on how to take better images with their phones, small cameras or tablets. This workshop led to being asked to participate as photographer for a local Children’s Business Fair. The plan was to cover parts of the event but also to make headshots and branding images for many of the participating kids. The idea was that they could use these images in their social media profiles, business websites, etc. It was a very uplifting experience to see the excitement of these kids and their families, learning how to be successful or how to pave their road to success and financial independence from such an early age. It was very inspiring. I was pleasantly surprised to see their commitment to the entire event and the process of being photographed in a professional context. They were all in, showing their personalities from the moment they set foot on the set we put together for this event. And how well they conveyed who they are in just a handful of images. I was mind blown how they stepped in with such confidence, no self-awareness. Just trusting the process. The results were stunning to say the least. They made it so easy. I enjoyed the experience and I am happy I had the opportunity to be a small part of this

Ricardo, 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’m a Professional Photographer based in Land O Lakes, Florida and I specialize in Modern People Portraits, Branding and Headshots. I work with people who want to celebrate who they are, their families; celebrate their achievements, their personal and professional milestones; to showcase their business image and brand with a fresh and modern look. Or simply want a boost in their confidence, or want to pamper themselves with a fun, celebrity-styled photo session experience. I grew up in a home where photography was always a very important part of our memory building. My father always had cameras strapped around his neck and he wouldn’t miss any moments whenever we were visiting relatives, traveling or enjoying important dates, like birthdays and Christmas. We have kept albums and framed pictures that take us back in time and let us appreciate our very special journey and remember many loved ones that are not around us anymore. In this day and age, I’m super passionate about getting pictures off client’s phones and hard drives and bringing them to their walls as beautiful framed prints, or as heirloom pieces like albums or folio boxes; so they can be cherished and enjoyed and then passed down for generations. I want people to own and pass a legacy.

I have found that when clients have their artwork displayed on their walls, they are just so happy, and they’re seeing their loved ones light up at seeing themselves together with their family in these sweet and cherished moments.

I work hard to achieve their vision with timeless, clean, elegant, engaging, and evocative images that convey emotions and showcase personalities. Some people come to me for images that will elevate their online and professional presence. Others come to treat themselves with a gift that will be cherished by them and their families. Whatever the case, they’re up for a unique experience that takes them beyond just standing before a camera for the typical mugshot. Doesn’t matter if they’re camera-shy or a selfie-addict, I enjoy making my subjects comfortable in front of the camera and make them look like seasoned pros.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative?

Transformation. That is my way to summarize my journey. There is personal growth that comes from things like learning to connect with your subjects; how to interact with them; how to lead them to manifest your artistic vision through a single image. There is artistic growth by honing your skills, learning what works for you and what doesn’t; what you feel defines or represents you the best; developing a shooting style through the way you manipulate light, or how you pose people, or what colors you gravitate around the most. It takes time, but these are things that unveil little by little right in front of you; and it is an extremely exciting and interesting experience. Creating is a way of meditating, you focus your thoughts in a single thing; it purges, purifies and cleans your mind. Creating is a way of freedom that has no boundaries. It can change people’s perspectives just as much as it changes your own.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Having a mentor has been essential in the past year to give me a clearer idea on how to channel my creative habits into a sustainable business. People always refer to the wealth of knowledge the internet is. But there is a problem with it: internet is chaos. There is really no order, no structure. A mentor gives you that. You learn to weed out things that are not essential, that can be distracting, even outdated. A mentor facilitates a path on how to do certain things; helps you prioritize. I love two books that I believe are essential to help you with your mindset, and they can apply to any job, personal project or your life in general: “The four agreements” by Miguel Ruiz and “The Gap and the Gain” by Dan Sullivan.
There is a third book that I also recommend if you want an extra boost, extra inspiration: “Creative Calling” by Chase jarvis.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ricardogroenke.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rgroenkem/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ricardogroenkeimages

Image Credits
Image #1: Model @xoxtabsxox Image #2: Model @bekahblazin20 Image #3: Model @__londonrain Image #4: Model @juliabrescia Image #5: Model @jsebas____ Image #6: Model @s0fifii Image #7: Model @glamfarmgal Image #8: Model @shotswith_bre