October 15, 2016

Meet South Central Photographer: Brian Quiroz

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Quiroz.

Brian, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started my freshman year in high school. I had walked into a class filled with movies poster and wedding photos. It was a filmmaking class and it really grabbed my attention. I learned how to write a script, a little bit of editing and how to use a camera. Towards the end of my freshman year my teacher Mr.Bryant talked to me about how one of his former students was going to teach a photography class after school and of course, I was ready for it. That is where my obsession with photography started. During this, after school class, I was taking photos for other after-school programs to help me learn and grow as a photographer. Now, I am attending Santa Monica College which is known for their film and photography program. Attending SMC helped me learn even more about cameras and how to use them better. I had an image selected for their Student Photo Show, even though it was just one it made me proud because they had over 500 images to choose from. I did a couple of photoshoots with some models and also did a wedding and a baby shower. I am currently on the newspaper staff at Santa Monica College as a Photographer.

Has it been a smooth road?
At first, it was hard. I did not have a camera to use during the after school photography class. I actually did not get my first camera until my first year of college. After getting my camera it was a little better. I still had to take photos for my classes, and for my free time, I looked for models to do a photoshoot with so I can grow as a photographer on my own. As of now everything seems great for me, I am now part of the newspaper team, which I wanted to be part of for a while, and I am also booking photoshoots to help me continue to grow as a photographer.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plan for the future is to work for a sports magazine or even a sports time. That is one of my biggest plan for the future, but I would not count out having my own studio. I am looking forward to meeting photographers who are interested in sports photography as well. I am also looking forward to network with other people related to the photography industry, like graphic designer, filmmakers, and writers. I plan to travel the world with my camera too so I can show everyone the beauty of the world through what I see on my camera. My biggest change would have to be getting ready for any possibility and not to be afraid of taking risks.

Let’s explore some of the challenges you’ve faced along the way. What was the most difficult part of your career so far?
The hardest part of my life was not having a camera and having people telling me they want me to take photos. When I was in high school people from clubs wanted me to take photos but since I had no camera I couldn’t take it. That would of help me a lot at the time to gain more experience with a camera and taking photographs of events.

Do you ever feel like “Wow, I’ve arrived” or “I’ve made it” or do you feel like the bulk of the story is still unwritten?
One moment that made me realize that I am doing something right was getting an image selected to the Student Photo Show 2015 semester at Santa Monica College. Before I was always doubting myself, thinking if I’m doing this right. I just wanted to make sure to myself if I was going for something that people think I’m good at not just my parents or myself. I thought the Student Photo Show was the place to see, I submitted some images and one of them got picked from over 500+ images that were submitted. This was a big moment for me.

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