Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Perezgrovas.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Maria. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I like photography since I was a child and I have been making photos since always. But I never considered becoming a professional photographer.
I studied Communication with a very strong idea that someday, I would be a cinematographer, just as some of my uncles and aunts are. That was a dream I had. I wanted to make films to touch people’s feelings, to make them smile with a scene or to make them cry or being scared… it was a romantic dream I had, I know. My parents always told me to do something more productive than making movies. They kept calling me “pinche loca” (“you are crazy”) because I was always carrying a camera with me. I guess they wanted me to study Business Administration or something like that; I don’t know. But for me, studying Communication and then a master’s degree in cinematography was a very serious plan. Not a dream, but something I had planned in my mind. So, I started to make short films and taking photos and organizing and producing film contests and theater plays for the school or even concerts, and making more and more short films, and taking more and more photos.
It was a lot of work (not paid), of course, but it was lots of fun and it was easy for me to organize those events because it didn’t matter how exhausted I was from school, I was enjoying it very much. Confucius said “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”, right? People at school called me “pinche loca” every time I came up with a new project or idea to produce, I never stopped doing things. At school, teachers called “hyperactive”, I rather think about myself as “unstoppable” (hahaha). After finishing university, I moved to Florida for one year and a half. I had money saved so I bought my very first digital camera and I studied photography and digital retouching. I started to make better photos and enjoying it even more than before. An advertising agency in Mexico started to show interest in my photos; they started by buying one, then two and so on… for me, that was cool but I never thought that it was a big deal. I was taking pictures as a hobby, just because I wanted to, not for business. I came back to Mexico and moved to Mexico City.
At that time, I don’t remember why but I had made my mind about studying a master’s degree more accordingly with my parent’s idea of being productive for real. So, I studied Institutional Communication. Don’t get me wrong, that was cool and I learned a lot. I liked it.
One day, this agency in Mexico called and asked me if I wanted to make photos of a book they were working on. Of course, I wanted to do it. And that was the first hint for me to start realizing how I really was enjoying photography and traveling and eating delicious and meeting interesting and cool people all around the state of Hidalgo (the state I am from). So, I worked on the photos for the book but I kept looking for a “real job” in a big company. Because I thought I wanted to fulfill my parent’s expectations.
At the same time, this agency called again and asked me if I wanted to try selling some photos of charreria (the Mexican sport with horses and bulls where charros wear big hats) to one of the biggest ice cream companies in Mexico. Of course, I wanted to try it. Who wouldn’t? I didn’t know anything about charreria, anything other than people worn big hats and rode horses. But of course, I wanted to try selling my photos to a big company. Why not? I had nothing to lose.
The company loved my photos, they absolutely loved them. BUUUT… the company was being sold and they didn’t want to let the project unfinished so they decided not to publish what they had in mind. They didn’t buy my photos. I was sad and mad, and disappointed. I was about to delete the photos from my computer when I saw that I had received an invitation to a photography contest. I subscribed 5 of my charreria photos and I forgot about the contest. Two weeks later, someone called me because my photos, my charrería photos, had become viral all over facebook in Mexico. People were voting for my charreria photos. And I won second place in the Simposio Internacional de Fotografía. Tv, newspapers and radio stations started to call because they wanted interviews with me, universities and museums wanted my charreria photos exhibited with them. It started to get big; without noticing I had become the first woman photographer of charreria in Mexico. I didn’t know but that was a big deal in Mexico considering that charros usually are machos. So, I started to travel, even more, I started to sell more of my photos to more people. I started a new photography career without planning it. Without thinking about it.
Suddenly, while I was in a job interview, I realized that I didn’t want to fulfill anybody’s expectations but mine. And that was it, I decided to open a photography studio. Of course, my parents called me “pinche loca” one more time because it was going great at job interviews in big companies… but I didn’t care, not anymore. I spent every cent I had and opened my studio and I started to make politicians portraits and product photography. I was traveling a lot all over Mexico, I was making what felt fine for me and for no one else. It started to go better and better every day. I was enjoying it.
One day, a friend came to my studio and asked if I would want to make his wedding photography. I didn’t want, to be honest. I had never done it and I knew it was a hard job to do that involves a lot of responsibility (after all, a photographer is the memory keeper of the wedding). After we talked, I realized he really reeeally wanted me to make his wedding photography so I said yes. I was so scared I didn’t sleep two nights before the wedding. In the end, I loved making their wedding photos. I got so involved with their story, I cried with their parents, I danced with their family and friends and I had such a great time that I decided I would like to explore that kind of photography. And now, seven years later, I do it for living, and I absolutely love it. I get to know a lot of stories, a lot of families, a lot of people. And my job is to tell the story about them. How cool is it? I’m not a cinematographer but I accomplished one of my biggest dreams in life which is touching people’s feelings; making their feelings memorable. It is even cooler than what I had in mind when I was younger.
Now, I’m a photographer that documents some of the most beautiful weddings in Hidalgo and in some other parts of Mexico, the first woman photographer that documented charreria and that gave a very particular style to photography about charreria. Some of my wedding photos are published in some important wedding media and campaigns and some of my charreria photos are published in some books of poetry and some others of the history of charreria in Mexico. I don’t know if I’m a good photographer or not. What I know is that I had the courage of being me doing what I enjoy the most and I also know that every photo I make is full of the passion of this “pinche loca”. I don’t know how my story can be interesting for someone, but if you let me give you a piece of advice, that would be that no matter what people think or say, just do only what you know is best for you.
People keep calling me “pinche loca”, and I love it because that means I’m doing something right.
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?
It has been as smooth as I let it be. I think attitude is the most important thing to consider when trouble comes. So if you keep a good attitude, you’ll be alright no matter what.
The biggest struggle is always getting the best attitude you can.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I told you already about what I’m doing right now as a photographer. Mostly wedding and charreria photography.
What sets me apart from others is that I get to read people’s feelings without saying a word. I understand that my job is to keep their memories safe, and alive. And I take it seriously. I observe the details others are used to that don’t notice anymore. In photography details are everything. Details bring rhythm and texture to the image.
What were you like growing up?
I could say I was a rebel in so many ways. Even when I tried not to be. I have been never normal, I guess. I have been intense all my life.
Contact Info:
- Phone: +52 017712041092
- Email: mariaperezgrovas@gmail.com
- Instagram: mariaperezgrovas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mperezgrovas
Image Credit:
MariaPerezgrovas
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