We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Roxanna Carrasco. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Roxanna below.

Roxanna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

I started taking photos in 2012, as a sophomore in high school in a small town in Southern New Mexico. I didn’t have many resources so it was lots working with what I got. In a town where a career in fashion photography sounded unfathomable, I was constantly exposing myself to different kinds of media so that I could stay inspired. I would collect magazines such as Vogue, I-D, GQ, Dazed, and Interview. I would flip through the pages and a part of me knew that I was meant to dedicate my life to the world of fashion photography, it’s where I felt I belonged. A photo career that begin with high school senior portraiture shifted into fashion photography during my short time in college, where I thought pursing a degree in business would help my photography take off. After failing a Calculus final, that’s when it clicked. I needed to get out of that small town asap if I wanted my photography career to even happen. I dedicated 2015-2019 to building my fashion photography portfolio. After travelling all over the country and collaborating with models and designers from San Diego to New York City, I decided to finally leave that small New Mexico town and move to Denver, Colorado in 2021. I sent my portfolio to local publications and landed a job with a local magazine as a contributing photographer and my career took off from there. The first year in a new city can be difficult, especially when you feel like you’re starting from ground zero after having been shooting for almost 10 years. The magazine opened many doors and put me in rooms with the creatives that I always dreamed of working with. Musicians, designers, brands, etc. All while still growing my own brand in a city where no one knew my name…yet. I took my job at the magazine very seriously, accepting any photo gig that was offered because all I wanted to do was get out there and shoot. I kept pitching myself to designers, brands and magazines because I had all these ideas and knew that what I offered was worth putting out there. A year and a half later, I got promoted to Photo Editor and officially became a full time photographer.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a fashion photographer based in Denver, Colorado. I shoot anything and everything that involves fashion whether it’s on a runway or in front of a backdrop. My work is best known for shooting avant-garde looks in ordinary places. Like a model walking her pet cat while wearing a long pink gown or a drag queen wearing couture in a coffee shop downtown. At every photoshoot, if I’m not shooting on my Nikon Z II, you can always count on me taking polaroid’s. My models like to call them “Roxie-roids”. I strive to make my models feel powerful when modeling in front of my camera. I want them to feel like they can do anything, all while looking fabulous. Having started my photo career in a small town, I’ve had an eye for making the ordinary look extraordinary, which is what I think sets me apart from the rest.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

My side-hustle didn’t turn into full time until after almost 8 years of shooting. When I started photography, I was working jobs in retail and in the hospitality industry. Looking back, I’m thankful for all of those years in customer service because they’re what made me the professional, dependable, and hard working photographer I am today. Making the jump from a 9-5 to a career in the fashion industry can be scary because it feels as though you no longer have the safety net of a steady paycheck. When I started putting ALL of my time and energy into growing my photography business, that’s when it started to take off. The biggest milestone occurred when I started showing up for myself rather than for someone else.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

I’ve learned to treat every single person that I’ve worked with with respect and professionalism. Some of my biggest clients came from recommendations from models/brands that I’ve worked with by putting my name in rooms that I wasn’t in yet. Social media has always been a great tool to find new faces to work with too, but networking in person and attending events in your own community can be a great source to find new people to work with.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.roxie.photography
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxieeeee_/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/roxanna-carrasco-679303b6

Image Credits
BTS photos by Ryan Robson Roxanna Portrait by Adrienne Thomas