Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Torres.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all started for me when I was seven years old. My Grandmother (my primary caretaker), gave me my first camera as a Christmas gift. I was a latchkey kid and I had a few hours everyday to get into mischief, I could never stop myself from peeking at the Christmas gifts. I’d carefully peel off the tape just enough so that I could see what was hiding inside. As a kid, I had zero self-control, zero. When I saw that one of my gifts was a camera, I was SUPER excited! I had always been a visual kid, I was constantly looking at images in magazines, editorial pictures and ads were my favorites to look at. I would study the pictures for hours, looking at all the details. I was especially intrigued by light. needless to say I was thrilled that I was going to have my own camera. So Christmas day came, I opened it…it was a hot pink 110 film camera that said “Barbie” on the top of it. I pretended to be surprised, they had no clue I had already opened it (I think)? Haha! That started my picture taking fetish. I followed my cat around, photographing his every move. I would say I got hundreds of pictures of him that first couple of months. Quickly got bored of that and moved on to Human subjects, documenting everything from family trips to detail shots of my grandmother’s garden. I seemed to gravitate to anything that made me feel happy. After a few years, I got a real 35 mm (very cheap plastic one) and started dressing up my friends and photographing them doing things in an editorial style.
As I mentioned before, I grew up with my Grandmother. My actual mother was absent during most of my childhood, my father as well. I used my camera and my imagination as an escape from a not so perfect reality. I would say the camera became my rose colored glasses and got me through a not so perfect childhood. Although the years spent with my Grandmother Eva were some of the best years of my life. I was nurtured and loved in a beautiful way. I continued to Photograph many things throughout my entire childhood and eventually in my early teen years ended up landing a job in a small local studio in Bakersfield, CA. I was about 15 when I met Tom Wilson aka as TC. The introduction happened through a Fashion Merchandising class that I attended for summer school. The last day of the class we had a fashion shoot, and I was completely fascinated!! TC who conducted this photoshoot could see that I was completely intrigued with every aspect of this process and invited me to help him in the dark rooms on occasional weekends. I was thrilled and jumped right on the opportunity, he became my mentor and an Angel in my life. I look back now and realize he didn’t need help, he just wanted to help me. I appreciate his presence in my life. He was God sent! I worked with him in his studio for about three years, and learned so much about film in that time.
By the time I was seventeen, I had been through so much. I had bounced around from relative to relative and I was ready to just be on my own. I had never really had one stable home, so I was fiercely independent and determined to take control of my life. I moved to Los Angeles at the age of 17 and began my adult life. Well that went interesting…
I carried my 35mm Canon T-60 with me everywhere and shot everything and anything that peaked my interest. Skateboarding culture, music, dancers, b boys and girls, cityscapes just EVERYTHING! I became a mother at the young age of 19, which changed my life dramatically! Being a young mother created so much stability in my life, which I am grateful for. Through all of it, I continued to enjoy Photography. I briefly went to City College (LACC) and started taking psychology classes, which is a subject that has always piqued my interest. What I realize now is that in order to be an effective photographer photographing Human subjects Psychology is a part of the job. The minute I learned that I was going to be a mother, I quit school and decided to get a full-time job. I figured since I already had studio experience that I should start there. I worked at a cheesy mall studio called Expressly Portraits. You may laugh if you can recall… cheesy props, screaming kids, pushy sales, it was ALL THE WAY BAD! But I got to shoot Medium format (Mamiya RZ) , develop film, and make prints in the dark room.
After a few years there, I moved on to do Customer Service at Image Experts which was a very popular and proper photo lab in Hollywood. It was located on Hollywood and LA Brea blvd, and so the clientele was far more upscale. I was around serious professionals and motivated to get my start in the profession of Photography! I knew I couldn’t just up and quit my job since I had a young child and that I would have to make my moves slowly. I started taking on shoots independently, on the weekends. I was shooting a lot of weddings and portraits. I got really good, really quick and left a great impression with my clients! These were the roots of my “building years” Since I worked in a proper photo lab, I was able to get discounts on my film which really helped with my profit margin. I was learning and making connections and gaining clients, it was slow but it was working! My next job would be my last. I landed a job at Pix Camera Store in the Miracle mile area. I LOVED this place. It was a Camera Rental store. It was favored by all the coolest top notch Photographers in Los Angeles. I met so many great Photographers and made so many valuable connections. I managed the film department for about six years.
As a perk to the employees Chris Ford (the owner of Pix, who is very dear to me) allowed all employees to use the best professional equipment for free! This is when I could really build my business. There was nothing stopping me now that I had access to everything I needed. I learned lighting, learned how to use different cameras, lenses and so on, it was a fantastic position to be in. Those years I was really pushed to my limits. Being a young mother, working full time, building and freelancing was extremely exciting and exhausting all at once. This was the biggest period of growth for me, I learned and grew so much both personally and professionally. I will always be grateful for my time at Pix.
I have built my career one brick at a time over the years. Eventually, my clientele had become so constant that I was able to become fully freelance (which was terrifying at first), but my ultimate goal. I have had an array of clientele ranching from Magazine, to Music, to families and Corporations. I enjoy working with Human subjects and have an editorial portrait type of style, yet I can adapt to whatever assignment I am given. I find adaptability to be key in always having work come to you!
Over the years, I have maintained so many business relationships. I’m published, I’ve been featured in writeups and in television, and have done speaking engagements about my journey. I feel extremely grateful for the way my life has turned out. I have no formal education in Photography, I am self-taught with the exception of my mentor TC and a few others along the way. I’mproud of myself and I am happy with my choices, and I’m happy with my journey even though it wasn’t easy.
I’m in a very good place in my career and I look forward to all of the exciting opportunities that are coming my way! I’m happy to say that I now have artist representation, I joined Lafayette Creative Group in 2018, inquires can go to: wwwww.
Has it been a smooth road?
Not always, I’ve worked my ass off to get to this point. Along the way, I have learned from my mistakes. In the beginning, I have had to take Photography gigs that were way underpaid and required hours and hours on my feet. I’ve faced criticism from some people regarding my career choice, but I have always chosen to follow my passion.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Angela L. Torres Photographs story. Tell us more about the business.
My clients have always told me that I feel like family and always bring great energy to our projects together. I would say I’m most known for effectively telling a visual story in a beautiful and natural way.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
So much has changed in the last 20 years. I can’t predict what direction it’s heading, nothing would surprise me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.angelatorresphotographs.com
- Phone: 323 251 3668
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @angelatorresphotographs
Image Credit:
Sarah Baxter, Osob and Sarhra Maxwell, Jenna Johnson, Gary Dourdan, Black Shakespeare, Kahlil Nelson, Janelee Rodriguez
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