Meet Rick Perez of Good Time Rick

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Perez.

Rick, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
During my freshman year of high school, I started buying disposable cameras and taking pictures of my friends and I hanging around the suburbs of San Diego, California. After printing the photographs, I would cut them up and put them together in a collage. I would go through one camera a week and change out my collage monthly. I was obsessed.

Noticing this obsession, my Dad purchased a digital camera for me on my 18th birthday. I took it everywhere and started to become known as “the guy with the camera.” If you hung out with me, you better believe I’d be taking your picture.

My post-high school years were spent studying Psychology at CSU Monterey Bay, two hours south of San Francisco. Although I was there to become a guidance counselor, all I wanted to do was to take pictures. The natural beauty of Monterey and the people I surrounded myself with ignited a creative fire within me, a feeling I had felt before but was starting to put a name to it.

After my friend called me an artist that was it, I began to realize my talent and natural desire to create. There was no way I was going to pursue a career in Psychology; I was destined to be a photographer. After I graduated, I was accepted into the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, New York, where I hoped to study fashion photography. After a few weeks of attending, I was forced to drop out because I could not afford the tuition; I would owe as much a doctor.

Nevertheless, I was in New York City, the creative capital of the world, and was going to make the most out of the city. I grew so much as an artist during the six years I lived in New York. I was suddenly in a place where everyone understood me, and we all encouraged each other in our creative paths.

The landscape of the city was astonishing and ever-changing, and my eye evolved as a result. I began shooting the parties my friends, and I would go to (do you see a pattern?), and the nightlife photography turned into shooting rock n’ roll shows, and I found my niche as a music photographer.

Despite all the wonderful things it offered me, I knew that after six years my love affair with the New York City was over. The metropolis began to weigh on my soul; the winters put me into sadness, I yearned for my family and most of all, I felt like I wasn’t progressing anymore. I learned all that I could from the city, so it was time to move back home.

Now in San Diego, I am able to take what I’ve learned and applied it to a different setting and with different people. I have found a good group of creatives to collaborate with, and they keep me motivated. It’s exciting to discover a new underground music scene here and work with different bands. Everything that is different from New York is inspiring me, something I had hoped for when I left.

To be honest, I’m still figuring out what my next step is but I am thankful I’m able to find something that I love and keeps me happy to be alive. Photography has taken me all over, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me in the future!

Great, 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?
New York City really made me question myself as an artist. I was constantly taking pictures and experimenting with different types of photo shoots, creating cool images but with no purpose.

A friend once asked me “What makes your art important? Why should people look at your photographs?” And ever since I constantly try to understand what I see and why I see it. Now I can recognize my style and what I’m good at and stress that importance.

My current struggle is learning how to see photography as a trade versus photography as an art. Once I can see photography as a trade, I can make a full time living off of it.

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I focus on music, portrait, and lifestyle photography.

Sabina Miklowitz best described my photography like this:
“What you excel at is grit. Your shadows are deep, your highlights are few, your subjects may not be glamorous but they are young and energetic, and they come alive at night… best imagery has always been your event coverage of musical performances and the underground party scene.”

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I have been fortunate enough to discover my style and knew what I want to see in an image and get from my subjects. I think that it makes people trust me.

Contact Info:

• Website: GOODTIMERICK.COM
• Email: info@goodtimerick.com
• Instagram: @goodtimerickphoto
• Twitter: facebook.com/goodtimerick

Image Credit:
Lethal Shadow, Summer of the Nudes, Stuyedeyed, Retail, Sydney for RECKLESS, Grim Streaker, Stray Monroe, Tyler

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