We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Roberto Garcia a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Roberto , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I did media studies and specialized in cinema while starting to do photo assignments, which put me in the direction that I am currently working. It´s been a natural process where I did several photo jobs until I started focusing on architecture and interior photography.
Keep on studying and specializing more. I think it´s been key to traveling the world, reading as much as possible, and being interested in art in general. Opening one´s mind will give you a greater understanding of what you do.
Educating the eye. Learning cinematography and composition. Understanding how a 2d image works in order to express a tridimensional idea.
Myself. Getting better takes time and sometimes the process is hard, but you have to keep on believing in yourself and follow your heart. The main obstacle was myself, so people can make the right connections.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a Spanish photographer who was living in Barcelona, Spain, and decided to move to Los Angeles in 2015. At the time being, I was working in advertising photo production in Barcelona while doing some interior photo work on the side.
When I moved to LA, somehow I couldn’t manage to find work in photo production because nobody knew me.
So I had the opportunity to work with a famous hospitality company on a regular basis. That was the starting point.
In the beginning, I wasn´t paying too much attention to the way I was working. I worked fast and was enjoying meeting new people every day.
But little by little I started being more aware of my work, my craft, and my knowledge. Therefore, I started paying more attention to the way I was photographing while starting to read and study more about interior and architectural photography.
I also started investing in better equipment. Pretty much, my portfolio and word of mouth took me to shoot better projects and meet more interesting clients. But this doesn’t happen overnight, it is a process.
When I work I do my best to translate my client’s ideas into beautiful photographs that they can use to showcase their work. A good photo can last many years and can bring new business to my clients.
I like being close and personal with my clients while being professional at the same time. But at the end of the day, we are all people and I love teamwork.
I am happy to get published in several magazines such as AD in the US, Livingetc in the UK, and Para Ti Deco in Argentina, among others.
These days I am studying for a Master’s at the University of Malaga in Image and Communication of Architecture which is broadening my knowledge even more.
I truly recommend always keep on learning and working on personal projects.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
My website´s portfolio, working on the SEO and google business. I don´t believe much in paying advertising rather than working hard and the magic of word of mouth.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I believe life is two steps forward – one step backward. It is not a straight line. You must see things from different perspectives, nothing is personal, nothing is permanent, and nothing is perfect is an old Buddhist saying. I find this to be true. We sometimes take things personally, but we must understand everything happens for a reason and we must always move forward and learn from every situation.
In my case, I had to work on places where I didn’t have much feeling or connection with it. Nevertheless, I always tried my best and do things with love out of respect for the client who was paying. I think people can see this and that´s how you can create a faithful work relationship.
Sometimes you have to deal with people who are different than you, however, I always try to be respectful and professional. I think good values are as important as being a good photographer.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.robertogarciaphoto.com
- Instagram: @robertogarcia.photography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertogarciaphoto
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertogarciaphoto/
Image Credits
Copyright Roberto Garcia Photography