Meet Erick Cruz of Downey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erick Cruz.

Hi Erick, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I would have to say my story has two parts; 1) How photography found me; and 2) How photography brought me out of a very low point in my life. Part one, I originally bought a camera in late 2019 not to take pictures but to make video content. At the time, I was working in the music industry and was looking to make video content interviewing musicians and producers in the area with the goal of demonstrating to the viewer the different ways that musicians/producers made it in the industry. Around that time, a co-worker of mine saw the camera on my desk and asked if I knew how to take headshots. I was honest and said no but that I would be willing to learn if she needed the headshots. We took a few pictures a couple days later and then began my interest in photography. My co-worker became my test model for the next three months and we would try natural light settings and constantly light settings with some cheap lights I bought from amazon for around $80. Then the pandemic hit and we all went into isolation.

During the pandemic we were all glued to our phones and social media and it was during that time that I ran into the pages of several Texas based photographers that were making lots of photography content, primarily teaching people how o use off-camera flash. I saw the images these photographers were making and I was hooked! I knew then I wanted to get my hands on some strobes.

I got my first strobe and started practicing on my kids. They were my models during the pandemic and they helped me get comfortable with flash photography.

Part two – I unfortunately got severely ill in late 2021. This was a very dark period in my life. I went from being completely healthy to developing some mysterious illness. I was in constant pain that never went away. I wasn’t able to sit, not even for 5 seconds, without experiencing pain. Laying down on the bed was also painful. I couldn’t do the two things people do to relax. I felt a sensation of electrical currents constantly running all over my body from head to toe. This illness also effected my eyesight. I developed eye floaters that were distracting to my sight. As a photographer, seeing images in a clear manner is everything! I was now looking at images with floating things in my sight. In the next 12 months I lost a lot. I lost my job, my confidence, my health and I gave up photography for a whole year.

I was faced with a difficult situation. I could either stay in the dark or choose to live. I wanted to live and I wanted to continue to take pictures. 2023 was the year I started taking baby steps to help my eyes adjust to the eye floaters. The eye floaters never went away but it was just changing my mindset and learning to ignore them. 2023 was also the year I decided I should aim to make more revenue with photography. Previous years, I would make a few hundred bucks from headshots or street portraits but nothing really I could say I was proud of. Yes, I was proud of the images but the revenue side wasn’t great. Then one day I went on my daily walk around my neighbor to find pain relief from my chronic illness and I saw a little league baseball team practicing at the park. At that moment it click! Headshots! Portraits! The strobes I acquired during the pandemic! Those images from the Texan photographers! I could offer these young athletes portraits and make them look cool! And that is literally how I found my niche. I was in pain and went on a walk to manage my pain and from there the business idea of offering sports portraiture came about.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I started sports portraiture it was definitely not a smooth road ahead. I had no images to show case. I was literally going up to coaches and saying I could make your athletes look cool but I had nothing to show them. From there I realized, I needed a portfolio. I started offering free shoots to start building my portfolio but even just saying I would do your team photos for free raised some suspicion. I would get a lot of nos, what’s the catch, not interested. So throwing in the word free didn’t completely open the door to teams saying yes take our team pictures. I just had to keep on pushing even after hearing, no we are not interested.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a photographer that specializes in sports portraiture. In the neighborhood, I am known as the photographer that uses the smoke machine in the pictures and color gels.

What makes you happy?
Photography wise, finishing an edited set of pictures because if you think the picture looks cool straight out of camera, then you have to wait to see the finished product. Seeing the before an after is amazing to see the additional touches you can add to a picture to make the image pop.

In my personal life, seeing my family together makes me happy because despite all the challenges we are still a unit.

Pricing:

• Feel free to reach out and inquire.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecruz_pictures/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092707157952
• Twitter: https://x.com/ecruz_pictures
• Email: erickcruzphotography@gmail.com