Today we’d like to introduce you to Anabel DFlux.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I began my artistic journey at the age of ten, upon being gifted my first camera. This newfound passion quickly turned into a skilled endeavor and by the age of fifteen, I had opened my own photography service, Deliquesce Flux Photography. By seventeen, my photography service became a full-time profession. By the age of nineteen, I had received an Associate’s Degree in Graphic Design and Visual Communications and by the age 23, a Bachelor’s in Business Marketing with a focus on branding and content marketing. Although photography is a self-taught skill, during this time, I had also collaborated with several well-known photographers, attended multiple workshops and panels and received a few certifications – all in order to increase my knowledge and further my passion.
My love for art and creation has always been an innate feeling and I pride myself on having a natural sensitivity for composition, aesthetic and various other aspects of visual art. This aids in my keen ability to understand what it takes to make a great photograph, not just a good one. The camera is as much a part of me as my arm and became an extension of my body.
Deliquesce Flux Photography began as a canine portrait service, servicing pet owners in the Los Angeles area at local dog parks and community events. I then swiftly moved into the marvelous world of dog sports photography, going on to currently receiving a position photographing for three agility clubs, two scent sports club and one barn hunt organization. However, throughout my career, I have worked with two dock diving clubs, one herding organization, six agility clubs, one flyball club and two-disc dog clubs. My work has been featured and used by the American Kennel Club and the United States Dog Agility Association.
Simultaneously, my teenage love for music manifested in my desire to photograph musicians and their various escapades. Having shot my very first musician portraits at the age of sixteen and my first concert the same year, my music photography career began rolling very quickly. Despite the industry’s hardships and tumultuous statistics, I persevered in my desire to be a part of the music industry, albeit in a photographic sense. Since then, I have worked tirelessly with over 300 bands, had my music photography published nearly 280 times (in print and online) and received Senior Journalist positions at two music magazines, HardRockHaven and Rock Revolt Magazine. I have had my work featured in Revolver Magazine, AP, Blabbermouth, Substream and more. I love promoting all of the musicians that grace the front of my lens and found a deep love for writing about their music.
Modeling photography, family portraits, engagement sessions and other such fun photographic escapades followed quickly in a suit. My goal is to bring out everyone’s unique individuality, beauty, and character in every photograph I take. I have also shot and created multiple fashion editorials for designers and they have been published in over 30 different print magazines and catalogs, often using well-known industry models.
However, potentially the most unique and interesting twist in my career is my partnership and work with exotic animals. Something that most definitely happened on a whim, sprinkled with a bit of luck, I fell into the world of wolfdogs (commonly, but by scientific standards improperly, called “wolf hybrids”) which then led to my work with various species of foxes, dingoes, coyotes and tigers. I fell deeply in love with these incredible animals and have a very strong admiration for the individuals whose entire lives are dedicated to the wellbeing and conservation of our natural world. The connection one feels when looking into the eyes of a wolf is unbelievable. I partnered with marvelous organizations to bring these creatures to photo shoots and use the photographs to debunk myths surrounding the animals, encourage the public to step up and protect their wild counterparts and to raise funds for conservation. Contrary to popular belief, these are not wild animals, they are domestically bred to be a part of the respected ambassador program and are specially trained and cared for to love the company of people.
In 2015, I had officially made her photography classes available to the public and in 2017, I had been offered a position as an educational writer at the famous Digital Photography School. As a self-taught photographer, I feel that I have a different understanding of learning and love to offer that to students that have not had much success with traditional learning schemes and lesson plans. As of 2018, I am now teaching seminars at Canon USA through their live learning program.
Following my bachelor’s degree at California Southern University, I began working as a marketer for various musicians, models and local small businesses. My love of marketing meshes very well with my passion for content creation and I offers a slew of beneficial services for the clients that have entrusted me with their livelihoods- such as brand development, web design, public relations management and of course, visual content creation services.
I love to give back to the community and can frequently be seen donating photography sessions and creating visual content for organizations such as CLEAR Canine Cancer & Lymphoma, East Valley Animal Shelter, Adopt the Arts Foundation, multiple wolf conservation centers and the Judith A Bassett Canine Conservation & Education Center.
Great, 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?
I believe that the pursuit of any passion or endeavor comes with its array of smooth and rocky roads. I feel lucky that when the road was smooth, it was very smooth and encouraging. However, when it got rocky, it took a lot of self-determination and support to overcome the hardships.
The primary struggles I experienced were tied closely to my young age. Having started working as a photographer at the age of 15, I encountered a slew of ageism in the industry. From being cheated on payments with the excuse of “you are too young to charge money”, to losing out on job opportunities, to detrimental comments from industry professionals that attempted to prevent me from feeling welcome in the photography community – it was a difficult overcome as a teenager. However, I am sincerely grateful for having been able to traverse around the stones being thrown to get where I am today.
Other struggles that came to light overtime revolve around the fact that art in the United States has been significantly devalued. Whether it be a cultural phenomenon or the ease-of-access to create “art”, but photography (much like music, painting, sculpture, etc.) has lost much of its value overtime. This results in often needing to fight to retain the value of my work and standing firm on what I do.
Please tell us about Deliquesce Flux Photography.
Deliquesce Flux Photography is a full-service photography, marketing and content creation business. As a joke, I used to state that my specialty is not having a specialty – which has a grain of truth to it for certain. I photograph anything and everything that inspires me. As such, my business is a very adaptable service that can adjust style, content and concept to suit the needs of any clients.
However, I am best known for my work with musicians, dogs,and wolves.
I offer the following services:
– Pets, family and personal portraits
– Animal competitions & events
– Engagement sessions
– Modeling portfolios and acting head shots
– Editorial and commercial work
– Band promotional material and live concert shoots
– Behind-the-scenes set photography
– Photography shoots with exotic animals
– Videography
Education:
– Photography Classes via Skype or In-Person
– The Business of Art Classes via Skype or In-Person
– Photoshop/Post Processing Classes via Skype or In-Person
Marketing:
– Brand Development
– Website Development
– Social Media Management
– Visual Content Production
– Graphic Design & Advertising Design
– Public Relations Management
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood is definitely receiving my first camera at the age of 10. Throughout my childhood, I have also had an immense passion for art and creating. I used to draw, I tried painting, scrapbooking and various other art forms. However, I had never been introduced to photography until the age of 10 – and that certainly ignited something in me. I remember running around photographing everything I possibly could with my little red target point-and-shoot camera and how proud I was of some of the shots I got back then. I recall taking a trip to The Secret Gardens at the Mirage in Las Vegas shortly after and photographing the dolphins leaping out of the water, I think a spark for capturing action photography was born that day.
Pricing:
- Photography Sessions start at $99 per 30 Minutes (and include editing already!)
- Photography Sessions with Wolves and Foxes start at $199 (and include editing already!)
- Marketing and Content Creation Services start at $399 per Month
Contact Info:
- Website: www.DeliquesceFlux.com
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Behemoth, Epica, Cerena Del Mar, Bina Monique, Luna Marie with Maksa of the JABCECC, Holly Rafaela, HeySaylor Cosmetics, Journey the Ambassador Wolf
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
