Today we’d like to introduce you to Perla Diaz.
Hi Perla, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
While growing up on the East Coast, the only example of what you could do creatively with your career was my art teacher. As much as I loved art, that wasn’t enough for me. On top of it, partying and substance abuse was my full-time “hobby.” It wasn’t until I attended college at Florida State University where my creativity blossomed.
Money was tight in college and traditional jobs were taking too much time away from my studies. I had two more years left of college, and I already decided I wasn’t going to professionally pursue a career in my field (psychology). Parties were getting old to me, and I felt something deeper that needed to be fed in my soul. Tallahassee (FSU) was teeming with underground creativity, art, and culture that was my creative catalyst. What happened is hard to explain, it’s like overnight I took a complete 180 to a new life.
For extra money, I started thrifting and reselling clothes with my own creative twist to them (painting, sewing, dying). I sold these items off my website and Instagram, calling it “Planet Perlz.” I had absolutely zero experience or knowledge entering the creative field and followed my heart. I ended up being pretty successful, being able to support myself, save money, learn about the creative world, e-commerce, fashion, and photography in real-time. Like I said, I took a 180- I found myself wanting to go to parties, less and less and found myself creating any time I absolutely could.
During these years, it was the good old days of Instagram of authentic growth and creativity. It exposed me to the creative possibilities on the West Coast. I told myself my last two years, “I’ll do everything I can to start making connections out there to move after graduation and ‘start living.’”
With the money that I had saved from Planet Perlz, I moved to Los Angeles with two best friends from home. However, once I got here, my passion for my clothing business subsided and it became more and more clear my favorite part of it all, was the photography. I closed the business and decided to focus on it in its entirety.
It’s sort of been a wild and at many times, dark ride since. I’ve experienced everything from best friend breakups to toxic jobs and relationships, high cost of living, difficulties being away from family. I got myself into situations I shouldn’t have been in. I felt “behind” coming here because I was 23, and most of my peers either had traditional schooling in these fields or had known exactly what they wanted to do and be since their teens. My mid to late 20’s was a super interesting time period full of experience, introspection and constant reframing my worldviews, purging what wasn’t meant for me, and accepting what was. There were so many moments I wanted to quit and move back home, questioning my purpose here.
However, through all the difficulties, my struggles have become part of my inspiration. Anytime I feel like I’ve lost myself, I actually get closer to finding my true self. With every struggle I get to know myself more and who I authentically am, what stories I’m inspired to share, and the beauty in people and the world I want to showcase. Anytime I’ve taken an odd or side job, I’m always back to photography. And for that, I know Photography is my purpose. It sort of feels like it’s the area I get to blend my innate interest in human psychology and passion to connect to people and show people their inner beauty (both light and dark) in which some of us deny, but we all possess.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not as smooth as I anticipated. I had this naive thought process that once I moved to LA back in 2016, I’d “make it” in a few years.
Like mentioned earlier, I experienced best friend breakups, toxic relationships, jobs and bosses. It was difficult for me to break out of the 247 hustle culture. Also, a huge adjustment for me was the culture clash between the East & West Coast.
It’s a challenging, but very rewarding experience to set yourself on a path to become something you haven’t seen an example of. Everything from mindset to skill set, I’ve learned I’ve learned through experience. I felt I needed to be everywhere and try everything or else it didn’t give my creative dreams or a potential learning experience a chance. I’ve done everything from being in front of the camera, on production teams, social media management, website and digital marketing, and more.
Looking back, I now see that I’ve put extreme pressure on my creative and emotional outlet to make money, to support me, to be the pathway of my dreams… all while trying to constantly learn, improve skills, and make the best decisions for myself. I saw a side of the industry and humanity that I didn’t think existed. I stayed in toxic situations for too long because I felt like at the time, that was reality. I didn’t know what was meant for me, and I molded myself to situations that didn’t deserve that access and attention from me. I learned I needed to advocate for myself, to fill my cup before filling others, seeing the most progress the more I learned to say NO.
I know a lot of artists out there have struggled with similar challenges learning and experiencing on the go, but to be honest, we don’t produce the best work under a survival mode mindset.
It’s an interesting path being a creative or any sort of artistic freelancer. It’s difficult for me to do duties I’m not emotionally connected to, or don’t see a larger purpose for- which has been both a blessing and a curse. Other people get to check out and do their tasks at their jobs, but as a creative or freelancer, I learned that if I struggle with anything personally it affects my job, how I move, and my output because I am my biggest critic and competition, and my own boss. As a freelancer and your own boss, if you lack boundaries in yourself, you’ll lack it in work. If you lack confidence in yourself, you’ll lack in work, and so on. Life’s really about perspective.
In order to see the light again, I’ve had to face and do some deep healing of childhood, generational and past traumas. As I continue to experience and learn, I’m constantly reframing my worldview that doesn’t support my future, best self. I had to find the courage to accept the depth and vulnerability in myself in order to see it in the world. I learned to let go of people and experiences that don’t support that. I’ve had to find my confidence in MY vision, I’ve had to honor MY voice. I’ve learned the utmost importance of self care and love. I can say now, life is beautiful and joyous again, full of light and possibilities! I’ve fallen back in love with love, I’ve got some super special and supportive friends, clients, and a partner I can be my most vulnerable and intimate self with. Finally, I’ve found the purpose I’ve been looking for.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Since I’ve learned on the field, I’ve tried so many styles of photography from interior, portraiture, event, product, beauty, editorial, fashion, lifestyle. I’m grateful for that because with each category I’ve learned, I incorporate my favorite aspect into my workflow now. As I’ve learned to honor myself more and more with my work, basically all the work I do falls under portraiture. When I’m present with my subject, getting to know them, and creating authentic portraiture, I can easily lose track of time. And for this, I love being hired for editorials showcasing a person. I still dabble in different styles like behind the scenes, fashion, events, and lifestyle, but it almost always is more focused on my subjects.
I definitely have a natural knack at photographing women and their femininity. To me, it’s a familiar environment as I grew up with 4 sisters, a beautician mother & grandmother. Quality time to us means glamming each other, doing each other’s nails and hair. From friends to family, I’ve always been surrounded by strong women. When you’re with a group of girls who are supportive, it truly feels like the rest of the world doesn’t exist.
I also really love working with other artists whether they are music makers, traditional artists, designers, and more. “Creativity is the highest form of intelligence” as artists bring something physical into the world that once existed in their heads. There’s always a takeaway when you learn about other’s creative process. Also, most artists are happy to show a very vulnerable side to them, which I realize is key to my best work. Something that fell into my lap that I absolutely love is behind-the-scenes photography for music videos because it allows me to be a fly on the wall and capture things as they are. Also, it really improved my work being on sets where I don’t have any sort of control. You have to adapt to get the best shots. Some of that work has been used for single art, billboards, and banners for Spotify and Apple music. I feel blessed to be able to work alongside some of my favorite musicians, as music is definitely one of my passions.
What sets me apart is I’m able to bring emotional intimacy out of my subject, highlighting my subject’s authentic self. If you shoot with me, you’ll feel like I’m family (the unconditionally loving, nonjudgmental one). I truly love, and I purposely seek to highlight strengths in others, even darkness because it’s also a part of us all that a lot of us prefer to abandon. I see people and situations for what it is, and wherever they are it is beautiful and exactly where they need to be. I love to honor that part in their journey.
I think for some people, the vulnerability is off-putting because it makes them take a look inside that they may be afraid to go, themselves. My biggest difficulty is capturing people who aren’t being authentic to themselves and are asking me to photograph their ego instead. Those are the types of jobs that feel most like “work.” I’ve had to learn to not water myself down to be digested by others and to honor my vision with the right type of clients. I now know, the right people will value it.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Perseverance and emotional vulnerability. Not being afraid to let go and rebuild, like a phoenix rising from the ashes!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.perlaxdiaz.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/perllllz
- Other: www.instagram.com/planetperlz
Image Credits
All photos by Perla Diaz.
