Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriela Cordova.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Gabriela. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Well, I can say I have always loved photography. When I was younger, I had this $25 hot pink digital camera I bought with birthday money. I took pictures of everything that caught my eye… everything. I also had a bunch of film cameras that I would never develop. Fast forward to high school, when I had an iPhone 3 and actually started to go out. I took photos of mostly scenery and architecture that caught my eye and just started to edit after each photo I took. This is something I still do actually. My friends would always ask if I could take photos of them, not having any experience of doing portraits I’d always say no. About two years ago, I got offered to shoot a wedding, something I had zero experience in. So, I did it. having to borrow a camera that I had no idea how to use and just going for it. Let me tell you, it was difficult but I surprisingly succeeded. After that, I just went back to casually taking photos of things and not people.
About four months ago, I randomly took an interest in taking portraits. So, I borrowed that same camera and did a shoot of a friends family/maternity portraits. That being my first actual shoot, I was surprised by how natural it came to me. I was pretty impressed with myself, so I made an Instagram account which is “gabbscordphoto” and posted a few of the photos. After that, I started to get messages left and right. After that, I have done a hand full of shoots and absolutely loving everything about it. I know I’m new to the photography world but I am so eager to see how much I will improve over time.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has been a somewhat smooth road with a couple of takebacks but you just have to get over them and improve your work. Some struggles would have to be just finding your theme or style. There are so many great photographers I wish I could be like but honestly, everyone is so unique so it’s most likely never going to happen. So, you just have to find it yourself, after trial and error you will eventually find your “look” and make it happen.
Another struggle would have to be editing software, you don’t need to get the biggest and most expensive thing out there, just as long as you know how to work with what you have and be good at it, that’s all you need. Another struggle everyone would have is getting your name put out there. You just have to be consistent and advertise yourself as much as you can. When it comes to photography, I feel like it’s more of a local thing. Start off with taking photos of your friends and have them put your name out there and it gets passed on through more and more people. Overall, you just have to work for what you want to be and once you get there, set another goal.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
What I’m most proud of is how far I’ve gotten this quickly with “gabbscordphoto.” Starting off, I thought I was gonna do a couple of shoots and that’s it. Just as a little hobby here and there. Now, I have way more shots and actually getting paid for it and on top of that being my own boss. My favorite thing about photography is the feedback I get from my clients. That’s what I do it for, I could care less if I get paid or not. As long as my clients are happy with their photos, that’s enough payment for me. I believe what sets me apart from others is probably not even owning a camera yet, as silly as that sounds. But I’m still making it happen somehow.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
The most important piece of advice I could give is to make sure your clients are having fun. I believe anyone can point and shoot a smile but not everyone can capture laughter and emotion. Something that is a goal of my mine in every shoot is to see that person bloom within that hour or 30 min. they’re there. What I love about looking through my photos is seeing the progress of emotion throughout them. What I strive for is to tell a story through my photos, so when my client receives these images, they can have memory within each one. That there is the most important piece of advice.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbscordphoto/
Image Credit:
Gabriela Cordova
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
