We recently connected with San Herman “Sanzei” Lopez and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, San Herman “Sanzei” thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I learned by observing first and photographing second. Since I was a child, I was drawn to balanced compositions in everything around me. When my mother handed me a 35mm camera at the age of eight, she gave me more than a tool. She taught me to observe. Film required patience. Every frame carried weight, so I had to think before pressing the shutter. I became attentive to light, to how it shaped a face, how it carved space, how shadow could hold as much presence as illumination.

My background in other arts strengthened my sense of structure and composition. When I returned to photography seriously in 2015, I approached it with discipline. Repetition became my teacher. Failure became necessary.

Knowing what I know now, I would have sought rigorous critique earlier. I created art in isolation for too long. Honest feedback from artists outside my circle would have sharpened my growth. I would also have printed more. Images reveal different truths on paper than they do on screen. Sharing my work is something I still struggle with today, but I am working on it.

The most essential skills were not only technical ones. Understanding light and post-processing matters, but patience, consistency, and the ability to evaluate one’s own work with honesty were far more important.

The greatest obstacle was interruption. Financial limits made film difficult to sustain. Digital made things more accessible for my creative process. Life responsibilities and doubt created distance. Yet those pauses clarified why I return to the camera. Photography is not convenient for me. It is a necessity.

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.

My work centers on fine art landscape photography, shaped by a background in design and a commitment to restraint. I am less interested in spectacle than in atmosphere. Transitional light, spatial balance, and negative space are central to how I construct an image. The landscape becomes a place to dwell, not to conquer.

I produce limited edition prints and exhibition work, and I have been selected for several exhibitions and featured in curated platforms and publications. Still, my craft itself is not commercially motivated. If my photographs address anything, it is the pace at which we consume images. I want the viewer’s gaze to slow and remain present.

What sets my work apart is refinement. Post-processing is integral, allowing me to shape tonal subtlety and structural clarity with intention. Over time, the work has become quieter and more disciplined. I am most proud of that evolution toward patience and precision.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect is learning to see more clearly over time. Photography has sharpened my awareness of light, space, and subtle shifts that might otherwise go unnoticed. That discipline of attention changes how I move through the world. I also love seeing when people connect with my work, the expressions, pauses, and quiet engagement in galleries and exhibitions. When a viewer lingers, it affirms that the images have created space for stillness and reflection.

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

My creative journey is guided by a desire to share my vision and help others appreciate the world’s subtleties and quiet atmospheres, showing that there is beauty in all, through the lens of photography.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://santos-lopez.pixels.com/
• Instagram: @sanzeiphotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanzeidesigns/
• Other: https://www.turningart.com/artist/santos-lopez
  https://www.saatchiart.com/santoslopez

Image Credits

Black & White Image, Vexed: Image of Jerbez Robinson, stand-up comic, back during the COVID lockdowns and BLM protests. I asked him to show his frustration, and this is what I captured.

Black & White Image, The Call: Image of Luis Lopez, artist in the South Florida scene, captured in Fort Lauderdale in the 2010’s.