We were lucky to catch up with Rico Mejia recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rico, thanks for joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry? Any stories or anecdotes that illustrate why this matters?

The biggest issue I see is that corporate America no longer values what we as visual artists bring to the proverbial table and don’t comprehend the skill sets needed to execute a project flawlessly and bring it to fruition.

The demand placed on creatives with shrinking budgets, wanting more for less, shorter turnaround times and demanding the copyright to our work is just astronomical! There was a time when creatives were respected and appreciated and the large budgets were a reflection of that respect. I am confident we will see those times again because the everything is cyclical. Others may disagree but the optimist in me refuses to believe that point of view.

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?

Thank you for asking. For those who don’t know or are familiar with my work, my name is Rico Mejia, an LA native and for past 2 decades I’ve been working as a Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle and Portrait Photographer. My work can be described as bold, striking, edgy and cinematic.

I create appealing visual content for brands, labels and individuals who need strong and bold content in order to remain relevant and be washed away in a flood of social media postings.

In order to stand out from the myriad of content being consumed at an ever increasing rate, businesses need strong content to grow and thrive. That’s the service I provide.

What I’m most proud of is the growth and progress I’ve seen in my work over the years. Every artist must feed the hunger in order to grow. Younmust also take risks and not be afraid to fail. You only fail if you don’t try. What I’d like for everyone to know is that, I’m extremely passionate about my work and I’m humbled and grateful to be able to do what I do. I give thanks to the Lord everyday because I couldn’t do what I do without him.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Thank you for asking. With over 20 years as a working photographer, I’ve built a deep foundation in lighting, composition, camera work, color, and visual storytelling.
I’m now passionate about sharing that knowledge. I’ve seen so many emerging photographers with incredible raw talent who just need a stronger technical foundation. That’s why I’m developing a three day workshops designed to teach essential lighting skills, working with models and efficient post production workflows. Having hands-on instructions with opportunities to work alongside top professional models, will tremendously elevate their game and will assure them the confidence needed to go after bigger clients with much more ease.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the freedom to do what you love most, being paid well for it is a real blessing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lightisartstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightisartstudio/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ricomejiaphoto
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricomejia/
• Other: https://kavyar.com/rico-mejia

Image Credits

Images 1&2: Location: Salt Flats, Utah. Designer: McKenzie Designs. Model: Vivian But. Photo Assistant: Jonathan Paz

Images 3&4: Location: Optimist Studio, Westside LA. Models: Caitlin Wood, Patienxe. Photo Assistant: Brandon White