Today we’d like to introduce you to Sebastian Ramirez.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my photography journey circa 2015, or at least that is when I began to pay more attention to the details. My focus in photography is towards soccer, both action and off the field lifestyle of the sports culture. This isn’t a limitation but where it began. In college, I snagged a couple of severe injuries that took me away from playing for a long time, which brought me closer to a camera as a resort to stay close to the game and my friends.
Photography brought something new to my life, a new pastime that I would pursue and still am pursuing as a career. I started off by trying to capture my friends at play which turned out to be a lot harder than I thought, as I was not too savvy on the proper photography equipment. That setback took me to still life images and portraiture which is what got my foot in the door at getting actual job opportunities. Through Instagram which at the time was still building up to what it is today, I received my first assignment from a soccer brand called Joma. After working with them and pushing my limits and learning more, I began to improve my craft. A couple of years later, I finally made the right contacts to get me on the sideline of my first professional soccer match, and I loved it!
Fast track to where I am today, I have had the privilege to work on assignments for some major soccer brands like Nike, Puma, and New Balance, along with shooting for professional teams like NYCFC and other media publications that would even help me shoot the USMNT. The reality is that it is still a case by case opportunity and being freelance is pretty hard in my opinion, but I hope to land a full-time job where I can come across these amazing situations on a more frequent basis.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road at all. Getting your foot in the door was definitely the hardest part, and I’ve witnessed a lot of things that have opened up my awareness to the business along the way. I still consider myself to be working my way through “the door”.
At the same time, my photography skills have improved because of it. There is a lot of competition so you have to keep up the work. Although it may feel draining or demoralizing at times, I have been trying to remember to have fun with the process just like I did in the beginning because I can’t expect it to be an overnight success.
Financially it hasn’t been easy either. Paying the bills off photography alone is rough so learning time management and how to juggle multiple responsibilities has been another struggle, but I think it’ll be worth it in the end.
Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about you and your career so far?
I am a freelance photographer who specializes in soccer culture across the board, but I am not limited to that.
I am most proud of the people that I have met along the way and the new friendships I have made all across the country because of photography. I’ve developed a love for travel, and I love the inspiration I get from new places and new energy.
What sets me apart from others is my style of photography. It’s hard to put it into words myself, but I’ve always been a huge hip hop culture fan and I try to include that in my sports photography. I try to stay away from bland photos and always look for some form of “edgeyness” that I can bring to the table.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
All the people that have backed me from the beginning deserve credit. From my families help with easing my financial responsibilities to the friends that have taught and experimented in photography with me. Camera equipment is expensive so to have a friend that would let me borrow theirs was a huge crutch. Once I got going with photography, the help didn’t end there. I met new people who introduced me to more people because they believed in my vision behind the lens, who helped get more exposure (and practice). Even now, I have friends that help me on bigger assignments because I’ve learned that it takes a team to grow, it’s not always about the individual.
Contact Info:
- Website: sebasbk.com
- Phone: 6464690420
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: sebasbk
Image Credit:
Photo of myself by Frankie Gonzalez – @iamfrankieflo but (edited by me)
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