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Vic Román

Editorial Portrait Photographer
  • Portfolio
  • Personal Work
    • Limelight
    • Handlebars
    • Everyday Is Exactly The Same
    • A Forest
  • Editorial Work
    • Portraits of Bands
    • Glam Rock Bridal / Lipstick N Leather
    • Ricky "The Rocket" Rogers / Ink Army
    • The Avenue / Vera Wear
    • The Cayla Jean Fashion Blog
    • Patricia Cirillo / Dancer's Edge
  • Video Work
  • Blog
  • about
  • contact
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Living life's adventures one frame at a time.

Living life's adventures one frame at a time.

  • The Struggle
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Collaboration.

Vic Román April 10, 2017

So let's say there is a project floating around you head. You want to get that done. Right? You may need a wardrobe stylist, a hair/make up artist, a model or 2. Are you going to shoot it at a location or in a studio? Do you have a studio? Are you gonna rent one? Endless questions and you are broke. No money to put into this project. Nada (none).

What can you do? Collaborate. Yes. Collaborate. Put the word out. Form a crew. Create something. Hit up your local makeup artist, hair stylist, model or whoever's help you may need in creating your vision. Sounds simple. Hit up some people, make something awesome. Mission accomplished. 

You can find people to collaborate with on many outlets via social media. A popular one is Face Book groups. Find yourself a group that fits your needs. For example if you are wanting to make a project involving skateboarders and you know none, one possibility to join a group , make friends network, ask around tell them what you want to do with the project and such. Models is what you be needing? There is a group for that. Get social. Network. You will be surprise on how many people would love to be on board your project. However not everyone will want to collaborate.

Unfortunately many other creatives or people in the industry are not so keen on the idea of collaboration. They see no value in it. They are blind to the possibility of networking with the right folks or building an awesome portfolio. They are clueless to the fact that personal work ( work created for oneself and not for a client ) is where it's at.

Money is their motivator. Dont get me wrong, money is not bad thing. Most of us need it to survive. So their main goal is to make money even if they dont have the skills to obtain it. Example: A person buys their first camera today and minutes later they open a FB page with a business name involving photography and want to charge everyone and build a porfolio from it. with no experience what so ever. But that is another story for another blog post.

It should also be noted that not every project coming your way or offer to collaborate is a good thing. Learn how to tell what is a good fit and a bad one. One of the photographers I admire, Chase Jarvis , has more info that will help you do just that. And can be read HERE.

So now you've determined the people involved or potential people involved in your project are a good fit. It's a win win for everyone and that's a good thing. Maintain that networking for future projects and collaborations. Go ahead and be social. I myself like to hype about a project after I have worked on one. After its been completed. Why? Cause it by that time has become a reality. It happened and I can talk about it and all the cool people involved vs hyping about it before it has been completed then it may have never been completed.

Collaboration ( also know as TF,TFP ) in certain circles can truly be a wonderful thing. It can help all parties involved gain experience and level up, Now I am not talking about the "Hey if you do this for me ... blah ,blah blah I will tell everyone you did a good job" kinda experience. I am speaking of legit great minds coming together to create awesome work kinda experience.

The models above have all collaborated with me on projects. It's been years since I have worked with any of them stiIl, I keep in contact with them via the socials (instagram/twitter/facebook) . One is now a music artist, another travels the world doing what she loves another a full time mommy and another is madly in love. They are part of my photographic family. They have helped me create work.

Plenty of models,wardrobe stylist, hair/make up artist and other creatives, e.t.c. are willing to collaborate with you right this minute. Find them. Get that project done!

In The Struggle
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Location.

Vic Román December 8, 2015

Get out there and scout your own locations. Walk, drive, ride a bike. Look around . Scout. You will be surprise of all you can do in a small area. 

In The Struggle
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Inspiration.

Vic Román September 6, 2015

 I have come out of my slumber only recently. For more than a year an a half I have been uninspired. I hated everything and didn't want to pick up my camera. Of course I shot a couple things during that time period with huge gaps in between projects. Huge gaps.Being uninspired is horrible for a creative. I knew I had to break free from it's grasp. Before it consumed me.  

What Inspires Me?

Being a photographer it's obvious I love other photographers work.  I have a small group of a few photographers who's work truly inspires me and I have tons of respect for. Zack Arias, Jeremy Cowart, Peter Hurley, Joe McNally, David Hobby, Joey L, Giulio Sciorio and Joel Grimes. All shoot some genre of portraits. All have different styles. All have their struggles.

 I often look and appreciate their work. It offers a form of inspiration.

However inspiration to me doesn't only come from photographers. Filmmakers also inspire me to create. Love the works and guidance of Robert Rodriguez, Quintin Tarantino, Spike Jonze , Tom Anthos and The Frugal Filmmaker. I have made several music videos and didn't ever think I would be able to do such things.

BMXers, surfers, skaters, artists, musicians, grandma's and granddad's all inspire me. Have you seen this dude? Yeah! He inspires me. Every little bit of my life and the cool things of the world around me inspire me. They drive me to create. 

We all get uninspired. It's inevitable. Learn to roll with the punches. Claw your way out of the pit. Battle the koopas and rescue the damn princess!

-Vic

In The Struggle Tags inspiration
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The struggle is real. Life in the gutter.

The struggle is real. Life in the gutter.

#thestruggleisreal

Vic Román August 29, 2015

 

"Everyday I'm hustling"- (goes that song from Rick Ross).  I feel you Rick , we gotta hustle, life's hard. Especially the life of a photographer that wants to make an honest living with his/her craft. There is money out there and sure I want some of it. Do I sell out and shoot the things I hate to shoot? Or ,do I rot here waiting for my time to shine? Am I in this to shine? Or ,do I just want to create?

I remember as a child looking at the images in National Geographic and Time magazine and being mesmerized. I didn't know a thing about photography but those images sure did their job on me very well. They got my attention. I recently attended a photo seminar #themomentitclicks by Joe McNally and Kelbyone. Joe, who has shot for National Geographic and who just so happens to be one of the photographers who's images mesmerized me as a child and can very well be the reason I'm a photographer today mentioned at the seminar that as your turning the pages of a magazine and a certain image makes you stop to look for even a few seconds,that image did it's job.

Thats it. Thats all I want. Create/capture images that cause that effect. Make you stop and look for a few seconds. I walked into that seminar with my head down thinking to myself "What am I doing here?" , "Why am I still shooting?". seeing all these other photographers in the same room blasting their businesses and extremely expensive gear, "Why am I not as successful as them?", " Do I really want to be like them?". The point is, seeing the rise and fall of my photo studio has taken a toll on me over the past year and a half.

It had affected my enthusiasm tremendously. Having to go back to a real job. Giving up what I love to do for what I need to do. I hated life it sucked and photography reminded my of my failures daily. Do I give up? Maybe, or slowly get re-organized. Yes, thats it, get back up and get re-organized. I stopped moping around about the blah blah blah failed this and that. Lined up some shoots and started doing work again.

So, when I saw that Joe McNally was going to be in town and with a great seminar on lighting and creating those images that make you go hmmmmm ...  (shameless C+C Music Factory plug). I decided to get schooled by Joe. An added bonus was having 5 images critiqued by Joe. Have my photos critiqued by the master of ALL things that strobe and flash, Joe McNally? Yes please! Like a Vivitar 285 with fresh new batteries , I left that seminar recharged and ready for my next struggle.

It's back to that hustle.
#thestruggleisreal
-Vic

In The Struggle Tags thestruggleisreal
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Vic Román  | (407) 374-3580