We recently had the chance to connect with Miguel Valencia and have shared our conversation below.
Miguel, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
Honestly, what I’m most proud of building is my perspective. The way I see the world through my lens. The streets, the ghetto and those personal interactions I have in the background. People see my photos, but they don’t see the patience, the countless moments I didn’t capture, or the discipline it took to train my eye to notice what others overlook and simply the hustle it takes to get this far and have what I have.
I’ve built a mindset that finds beauty in chaos from the cracked sidewalks, tired faces, random reflections, and the rhythm of real life. Nobody really sees that foundation, but it’s what makes every shot possible.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Miguel Chromatic Valencia, and I’m a street photographer based out of Southern California.
My work focuses on capturing the real, raw, and unfiltered energy of the ghetto lifestyle moments that most people walk past but I try to freeze forever.
What makes my work unique is that I don’t chase perfection I chase real life . I shoot with intent , not just a camera. Every photo I take tells a story about people, struggle, suffering and, or survival in the streets the beauty that lives in realness.
“Chromatic” isn’t just a name, it’s a reflection of how I see life — full of color, emotion, and movement.
My brand represents connection through authenticity. I’m currently working on expanding my visual storytelling into short films and community projects that highlight local talent and culture.
Most importantly I just released my book “The other side of San Diego” based on my gang pictures.
At the end of the day, I just want my work to remind people that there’s moments we overlook. But also that I came with the business!
Sometimes people don’t want give it to me or admit my influence and sometimes even within the industry but I’ve broken into it now and I’m doing quite well.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
One moment that really shaped how I see the world was the first time I went out to shoot with nothing planned no setup, no direction, just me and the streets. I remember watching people move, smoke meth, struggle, hustle… and realizing that every person out there has their own movie playing, their own story unfolding. But also me once again gambling on myself banking that I will make it as a photographer and becoming published.
That moment taught me that life doesn’t wait for perfect lighting or the right angle it’s happening right now. Since then, I’ve tried to see the world through that lens noticing what others miss, appreciating imperfections, and understanding that we must put in the work and take action for what we want.
It changed the way I shoot, live and breathe but it also changed the way I live. Now I look for meaning in moments most people don’t think twice about better yet purpose for who we are and natural shots without direction.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
All the time. I would question myself. What the fuck is the point. Why keep doing what I do. Will I ever become published. Will this pay off. Who gives of fuck about the work I do.
Yeah, there was a point where I almost walked away from photography completely. When I first begin I was working long hours, struggling to make ends meet, and it felt like nobody cared about the work I was putting out. I’d be out in the streets all day shooting, then come home exhausted, wondering if any of it even mattered.
Eventually my photos would become published, featured and recognizable among industry heads and magazines and opportunities opened up. This thing I’m doing is actually connecting with people.” That gave me enough fuel to keep going.
Since then, I’ve promised myself that even on the days it feels like nobody’s watching, I’ll still create. Because you never know whose life your work might touch. Or if they may live tomorrow and what opportunities for you may come.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
The way I see it, fads come and go fast they get loud, trend heavy, and disappear the moment something new hits. Foundational shifts move quietly but change everything for good.
In Chicano lifestyle photography many artist look the same and do the same shit, and some set up models to look like a lifestyle they do not live. It becomes corny.
For me, the difference shows up in intention. A fad is about attention; a shift is about impact. When something truly changes the way people create, feel, or connect, you can sense it. It doesn’t just trend it sticks.
In street photography, I stay rooted in the human side. Raw uncut and doing stuff people are scared to take chances or don’t know how to go about shooting. Because I was really there you feel me.
Technology, styles, and filters evolve, but storytelling never goes out of style. Real moments, real people, real emotion that’s the foundation. Everything else is just noise passing through.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I was for reals. That I made shit happen. That over time people hated but continued to rise and they didn’t. I hope people say that I saw them like really saw them. Not just through a camera, but as human beings with stories, struggles, and beauty that deserved to be remembered.
I don’t need people to call me the best photographer or the most successful. I want them to say, “Miguel cared about truth. He captured life as it was, and he made people feel seen.”
If, years from now, someone picks up one of my photos or books and feels a connection to a stranger’s story, or feels inspired to look at the world differently, that’s the legacy I want. That’s the story worth leaving behind. That hey I was one of the best to do it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theothersideofsandiego.com/
- Instagram: @chromatic619
- Other: https://Blurringbooksnyc.com
Image Credits
All Miguel Chromatic Valencia
