Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariana Perez.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
I grew up seeing my mom holding a camera. Every time we went on vacation, my mom bought a new roll of film to take pictures, print them later, and create a new photo album. I used to hate going through those albums because we had so many. Ironically enough, nowadays, I love going through them. Not only because of all the precious memories we’ve collected over the years but because now, as a photographer, I can appreciate photos so much more. I always used my grandfather’s camera to take photos at home when I came across it (my mom kept it safe). Later, the camera turned into a tool I used to express my feelings. Whether it was taking photos with darker tones or playing with brighter images, something about it resonated with me. It wasn’t until I went to college that I started understanding photography better. I took one photo class, and as much as I loved sitting in it and looking at pictures of history’s greatest photographers and learning their techniques, I dreaded the assignments that required us to go out to the streets to take photos of random people and things. Fast-forward to today; there’s nothing more exciting than when I get excited to do precisely this: meet new people and take photos of whatever is happening. It can range from covering a protest to shooting NYC from a helicopter to covering a red carpet event. Somehow, photography has always found its way back into my life. And every time, I love it more.
Alright, 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 come from a Persian/Spanish background, and I was born in the United States but grew up in Spain. Somehow, somewhere in there, I never felt like I belonged anywhere, but at the same time, I belonged everywhere. In Spain, I was considered American. By age 11, my family had moved back to the States. And although I had taken English classes in Spain, it certainly was not good enough, so I went to ESOL classes. Here, I was considered Spanish. The school wasn’t easy, and integrating into a completely new culture came with challenges. I focused a lot on my studies as an escape, and somewhere along the lines, I bumped into the world of cameras and art.
A few years later, I moved to London to study. This was the first time I was far away from my family. That also came with its set of challenges and bumps along the road. Somehow, the world of cameras and art again appeared in my life. I studied journalism, which became my passion, interned for great international companies, and eventually landed a job in a newsroom as an editor right after graduating from college.
At that point, I decided to move back home. Life in London was amazing, but I greatly missed my family. This transition was probably the hardest. I had moved from a metropolitan city and a busy life where there was always something going on to a small, quiet town. This time forced me to reevaluate everything and recalibrate. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. Today I look back, and I’d do it all over again. Little by little, step by step, I started to build a new life in the States. And, of course, photography was part of it. Holding a pen to write stories and with a camera in hand to capture the people behind those stories helped me recenter again.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
By day I work as a public relations professional. Once I’m done with work, I grab my camera and head out somewhere to shoot photos. I started as a photojournalist, which is still a big part of my work, and now I’m starting to specialize more in landscapes and aerial photography. I’m most proud of my work with other local artists and individuals. In 2018, I approached my local newspaper and pitched the idea to start a weekly column covering news about our Latin/Hispanic community. We have a big community in our city, which was when there was a lot of negative coverage in the news. I wanted to highlight the unsung heroes in our community who came looking for a better life, an opportunity to succeed, and to work hard to provide for themselves, their families, and others. Through this work, I had the opportunity to meet many incredible families, artists, community leaders, business owners, and other individuals, some of which I’m still working with today to continue to tell those stories.
What characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to if you had to?
Passion. I’m passionate about the work that I do, especially when I get to work closely with others. Of course, I still have a lot to learn along the way. But I have the blessing of working with many wonderful artists, creators, innovators, and families. When I hear their journeys, about the path they walked, the obstacles they’ve overcome, and the incredibly optimistic outlook they sustain despite the challenges that come their way, it humbles me. It also reminds me of why I went into this career. I have always wanted to work with people and tell stories. This has been the greatest gift, not only because of all the amazing people I’ve been so lucky to cross paths with and the projects I’ve done but because it often doesn’t feel like work. It’s something I look forward to doing and never get tired of.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.perezariana.com/
- Instagram: perezarianapix
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/arianajourn
Image Credits
Feature photo/headshot credit: David Lebow All other pictures credit: Ariana Perez
