Today we’d like to introduce you to Angelica Mejia.
Angelica, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Growing up I was always obsessed with old photographs, whether they were family photos or strangers I had never met. Made my big first purchase when I was 20 years old. It was a Canon EOS Rebel 2000, 35mm Film Camera. Though I didn’t have a clue about photography, I knew that capturing photos of memorable events was important.
Someday, those memories would be priceless.
Needless to say, I carried that camera with me everywhere I went. Though I didn’t know at the time, I want to believe that it was always in me to be a wedding photographer. Next to my obsession of old photographs was my collection of favorite movies like The Wedding Planner, My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Wedding Singer, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Runaway BRIDE, and the classic Father of the BRIDE.
After I photographed my first wedding, I promised I would never again photograph another wedding. Not having the proper training or mentor, I felt like I had failed.
Needless to say, my clients loved their wedding photos! One of their guests asked me if I would photograph their wedding and I couldn’t say no. Through tons of research, youtube tutorials, photography communities, trial and error, and practice, practice, practice, I eventually got better.
Being a self-taught photographer took a lot of hard work and determination. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Being able to photograph such unique weddings with different people, different cultures is so amazing to me. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it in a heartbeat!
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Photography to me is more than just clicking a button. It’s art. My style is best defined as colorful yet dramatic. Rather than just focusing on my subjects, I observe my surroundings and incorporate my subjects into it. I get my dramatic images by using natural light, direct sunlight or by using flash.
My ultimate goal when photographing people or weddings is not only to WOW my clients but to provoke some sort of emotion in them. It is such a beautiful feeling to see my clients crying tears of joy when they view their images for the first time. I’m happy that I can be the one to document moments that will never happen again.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
Success isn’t about money. To me, it’s about my relationships with my clients. Success is knowing that you’ve exceeded your client’s expectations. And success is also being able to say that after 11 years, I don’t work to make a living, I make a living by doing something I love, something that is more of a hobby than anything else.
In order to succeed as an artist, one of the most essential qualities is humility. Once you feel that you know everything, that’s when you stop growing as an artist. The truth is, there is always room for growth, no matter how great you are at what you do. There is always somebody out there that is better than you. If you can keep a humble attitude, it’ll allow you to continue to challenge yourself. To make the next photo session or wedding better than the last.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.virnezstudios.com
- Phone: (626) 632-0463
- Email: info@virnezstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virnezphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virnezphotography/
- Other: www.virnezphotographyblog.com
Image Credit:
Main photo: Tanya Parada from Parada Studio
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