Today we’d like to introduce you to Everson Taveras.
Everson, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was a kid growing up in the Bronx, I loved movies. You could say I still believe in the magic of film. But when I was younger, I didn’t know why I liked watching movies or spending the extra time to check out the special features. I couldn’t know. I was focused on other things, like how to become the next Hemmingway.
I did everything I thought a writer was supposed to do because that’s what I thought I wanted to be. I went to college. Wrote for a newspaper. Published essays. But it wasn’t until I moved to California in 2017 that I found out life had other plans for me. I realized writing wasn’t the whole story. It was just part of the bigger picture. Like I said, I loved movies ever since I was a kid, but now I knew why. Whether it was the result of the time I’ve spent appreciating visual arts or working out of a photography studio as a copywriter, I felt compelled to take a leap of faith and begin a new chapter of my life. Instagram and other apps like Meetup helped a lot in the beginning. Then in 2018, I was discovered by Owen Geronimo, the director of San Francisco Fashion Week. After taking a brief glimpse of my photos I had taken during one of the organization’s events, he asked me to return to shoot a runway show the next day. Fast forward today and now I work on the media team of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony as a photographer.
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?
It’s been far from a smooth road, but that’s what happens when you take the road less traveled. As a writer turned photographer, you have concerns about professional credibility of course. People think this is just a phase or hobby. But people do change, that’s why I’m a photographer now. Perhaps in the future, I become a director. Regardless, I will always find a way to create stories, because I love people. The biggest challenge I face is finding projects that best fit my work as a documentary photographer. There are many photography jobs that pay if you know how to market yourself and where to look. But I became a photographer because just like my past experience as a reporter, I believe the truth is its own story.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Chiron Pictures – what should we know?
I run Chiron Pictures, a professional photography service based in Los Angeles. I started the company earlier this year following the George Floyd protests. It’s like a news service with a personal touch, except you get exclusive, raw images you won’t find anywhere else. Documentary photography is our specialty, however, commissioned work can be specialized if desired.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My vision. Without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Image Credit:
Everson Taveras
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