Life & Work with Joe Mikoli

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Mikoli.

Hi Joe, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been an artist since growing up as a child starting in drawing portraits and creating designs. As of today, I have been in the creative field for over 16 years. I started with graphic design after graduating from Cal State University, Northridge in 2006, I’ve been part of freelance design projects for multiple clients including magazine design in the fitness industry for almost ten years which created my path to fitness/lifestyle photography. I have been doing photography for over eight years now starting from scratch with taking classes, trial and error, learning from other pro photographers and more. I am still improving my photos learning from other pro photographers and taking classes to continue fine-tuning my work. Overall, I am proud of my creative work in photography and design I have amassed over these years that turned into great opportunities with some of the people whom I worked with.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
To be honest, no it wasn’t easy during these 16 years in the creative field. I have had my fair share of ups and downs in the creative industry. I am still overcoming challenges and difficulties with some risk taking and being very competitive in the field of photography and graphic design. 2020 was another challenging example due to the pandemic that occurred around the world and had to come up with ways to avoid stagnation. Throughout my journey, I have always made things a little bolder and a bit different. Along the way, I have made a few great business connections online and met some amazing people in person along the way who have helped me on my path and led me to some great opportunities. As for social media, I still use Instagram as my main platform which allows me to share my creative work with my audience and connect with some of them. Overall, It has always been a learning process and my journey has taught me lessons on how to cope with situations beyond my control. 2020 was an example of it. I am beyond passionate about my creative work and I am thankful for it. Always believe in yourself and the process.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Since 2016, I have been doing more photography for over eight years now. During my photo sessions, I like to capture moments as they happen. Occasionally, one of my challenges is taking what a client envisions and turning it into a reality that keeps me going especially in the outdoor setting. I believe what sets me apart from other people is my simple and fast approach. I love picking up my camera, setting up my light(s) or using natural light, and clicking away at my subject for great results. The new Reflex S light from Light & Motion I invested in 2022 has helped me more with that.

More of my photography work has been published in a variety of magazines/websites including Status Fitness, Strong Fitness Australia, Inside Fitness, Oxygen and much more. Locally in the San Fernando Valley, I also got to see my photography featured on a billboard for a personal trainer which was amazing in early 2022. It was my first time seeing my fitness photography featured on a billboard. My commitment to quality is something I live by. I will always strive for greatness, giving exceptional results and still continuing to grow, learn, and be pushed in any of my projects.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Yes, Absolutely! First, I want to thank Voyage LA for recognizing me again with this updated interview since my last one in 2016. My success of my creative work still comes from all of my clients and social media! Giving them a big shoutout because without their support, my creative work would have gone unnoticed. Lastly, I also want to give a personal shoutout to my family and friends for supporting me in my dreams. I am extremely thankful to you all.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.joemikoli.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmikoli_designphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmikoli/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikoli
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JoeMikoli
• Other: https://vero.co/jmikoli

Image Credits
Personal Headshot photo by Shawn Cain Photography Model credits  Angela Skeels Bianca G. Jamie Nikki Jessica Valencia Kelly Von Schleis Liz Finch October Hartline, Usha Dean