Life & Work with Kerwin Cervantez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerwin Cervantez.

Hi Kerwin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I first picked up a camera with the intention of making short films with my best friend, Daniel. We were just two kids looking for an outlet to escape the day-to-day of work and school. We were ambitious in making our passion into our career. Completely self-taught through trial and error and youtube tutorials. Cinematography in movies and music videos fueled our inspiration and that eventually bled into similar interest in photography. Daniel and I secured a job at an agency as photographers in 2018. Around early 2019, Daniel passed away. This was a turning point in my life. I was devastated I had lost my best friend. Someone I shared so many memories with and someone I shared goals with. The rest of that year was a pretty dark time in my life but I knew I had to keep going. Keeping his name alive and fulfilling our dreams.

I moved to Fresno, CA later that year. The art scene in Fresno is incredible and filled with so many talented people. This reignited the passion I had for creating. I’ve made deep connections with some of the people in this city that will always hold a special place in my heart. I’ve been fortunate enough for this passion to have take me all around the state. In May of 2022, I moved to LA in search of more opportunities regarding my art.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Personal and/or financial issues are just a part of life and can cause creative ruts. My first major rut was so bad I considered quitting photography entirely. After I overcame that one, I now understand that it’s normal and any creative rut that comes will eventually pass. Aside from personal issues, some of the struggles of being an artist today include the pressure of social media having you constantly create and push out work or “content” in order to beat the algorithms.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a film photographer who specializes in portraits and occasionally street photography. I’m heavily inspired by music videos, album covers, paintings, and/or movie frames. My art can either tell a story, display an emotion I’m feeling, or just be a creative composition that I found interesting. I think what sets me apart from others is my willingness to experiment. I’m not afraid to mess up if it results in learning something new. I constantly strive to learn new things and see where I can improve my work. I have my own vision but I’m also able to work well with other artists. I’m versatile. I work with models, clothing brands, musicians, designers, etc. I take pride in my collaborations, being able to understand and help execute their vision(s).

What’s next?
I really want to see how far my passion can take me. There’s a lot of things I want to do with this. I want to be able to sustainably support myself through photography. I want to see my art displayed in shows and exhibits. I’m looking forward to the people who I’ve yet to meet and the opportunities that will come my way through my art. In the meantime, I’m continuing to work on strengthening these connections that I’ve already made and just keep on taking photos.

Pricing:

• Medium format session (10 photos) – $250
• 35mm session (30 photos) – $300
• 35mm session (15 photos) – $250
• Digital session (10-20 edits) – $200

Contact Info:

• Website: Krwnphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.rw.n/

Image Credits
Daniel Marquez