Today we’d like to introduce you to Eduardo Lara.
Eduardo, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My interest in photography started about three years ago. I was studying to be a forensic technician at Grossmont College by learning how evidence is discovered, collected and how criminals are processed. One of those courses I had to learn how to photograph and document everything in a crime scene. I was immediately drawn to the technical aspects of photography.
The following semester I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in art, so I dropped forensic science and studied art. I learned a lot of digital drawing/painting and animating; as well as their own rules in color and composition. One summer day, I was on Youtube and noticed a recommended video called “8 Camera Hacks in 90 Seconds” by a YouTuber called Peter Mckinnon. Without hesitation and pure curiosity, I watched the video. Then, I watched another, and another, and another. After a marathon of watching his tutorials and vlogs, it was time to apply what I learned. I grabbed my mom’s Nikon and went out to Coronado, La Jolla, and Downtown San Diego and applied what I learned from those videos. When the time came to register for classes, I made sure I got into Introduction to Photography.
Throughout the semester I started to perfect my craft and got my professors attention. She suggested that I should take on the photography program. In Fall 2018, my path to a degree in photography started. It took me one year to finish that program. In that year, I have made some connections with friends, classmates, and professors. I learned how the greatest photographers think. I learned what makes a “good” photograph. I started small and with each day that has passed that year, I grew. I’m still growing as a photographer and I don’t intend to stop.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The struggles I have dealt with were fairly small ranging from access to darkrooms, materials needed to get that perfect shot, or just time. I’m sure there will be obstacles, and I’m sure there will be times where I will “rage quit”. All I can say is bring it on. If there is a challenge, that means I’m on the right path.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
My art was never meant to please others. My photographs can vary from toy photography to these deep meaning distorted photographs. I mainly shoot what I want to see. As wide a range as my photos are/can be, the one common denominator is how I can push the limits of photography. For instance, I’ve destroyed some 35mm film with bleach, fire, and even ripping it to shreds. One project, I used 1970s expired photo paper with a solarization technique and soaked some of the prints in a selenium solution that gives the black and white paper a red rust colored tone. When I started to photograph I asked myself “ what will look good for Instagram?” Now, I ask myself, “Is this what I want to see in ten years?”
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I would like to focus on my plan, which involves creating a web page to sell my photographs and expanding on my portfolio. My ultimate goal is to have a balance of working as a product photographer for one of my favorite companies (Funko), as well as, make my mark in the history of photography.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eduardolara.myportfolio.com/
- Email: gamblerphotos@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gamblerphotos/
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