Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrian Tapia Rivera.
Hi Adrian, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I got my first DSLR camera in November 2014 when I was living in Querétaro (a beautiful city in the center of Mexico) after selling cool shirts to my friends and saving enough money to buy a “fancy” camera. I learned by myself reading articles, watching tutorials and experimenting.
I already had an idea of how Photoshop worked because I discovered it when I was 12 years old and started using it to make bubbly eyes and funny faces on my friends’ photos or even montages.
When my photos started getting better I started with “voluntary cooperation photo shoots” where my friends would just give me as much as they could afford. I did pretty well to be honest.
A year or so later I moved to Mexico City and started studying photography in a school where their branding was good and I was sold but then I realized their academic level wasn’t enough for me. My photos would always stand out when we showcased them in class because I was ahead of everyone since the first day. I was too passionate to just go home and stop thinking about photography so I’d always do my own research and experimenting.
Nine months later while I was still in that school, a life-changing opportunity knocked on my door and I ended up moving to San Diego where I slowly started doing photography more and more often. I started connecting with people in the industry and it slowly transitioned to be my full-time job.
Fast forward to today, I’m living my dream! I’ve worked in Milan and Paris Fashion Week, I’m now in-house photographer for Art Hearts Fashion, a production that holds fashion shows 5 seasons a year in New York Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week and Miami Swim Week. I’ve worked with some big celebrities, models, companies, brands and incredibly talented people in the industry which I’m infinitely grateful for because it’s their trust in me that that has brought me where I am today. I go back and forth between LA and San Diego depending where the clients are but hopefully sometime soon I’ll move to NYC because since I went there the first time in 2017, I fell in love with it.
I currently do Fashion and Commercial photography, sometimes events and other stuff and I’m still as passionate as I was that day back in November 2014 when I got home from school and opened the box to my first DSLR that changed the course of my life in the greatest way I could think.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
There’s always bumps on the road but it’s all about perspective. I had some terrible experiences happen to me but as difficult as they would be, I’d always try to find a positive side and take them as learning experiences which have helped me grow but having the right mindset is key to this. The world doesn’t hate you. We all go through rough experiences. It’s a matter of whether you let it affect you or you become better from it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a high fashion and editorial photographer known for all the traveling I do all over the world shooting with big models and influencers and for creating high-end photography for magazines. My proudest achievements are getting published in the cover of Harpers Bazaar, L’Officiel and Glamour as well as making it to Milan and Paris Fashion Week.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Being such a perfectionist has been one of the biggest factors for me to build such a strong portfolio. I’m very picky with my photos and pay very close attention to detail; from the planning to the editing. Also finding something you’re passionate about will make everything a lot easier.
Pricing:
- Express Photo Shoot $150 – 20 min
- Basic Package $350 – 45 min + 5 edits
- Advanced Package $600 – 1.5h + 10 edits
- Magazine Publication Package $999 – Ask for Details
Contact Info:
- Email: adrian.t.r@hotmail.com
- Website: www.adrianthephotographer.me
- Instagram: instagram.com/adrianthephotographer
- Facebook: facebook.com/adriantapia.photo
- Twitter: twitter.com/theph0tgrapher
