Today we’d like to introduce you to Elliott Muñoz.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all started when I was given a Kodak Tele-Ektralite 600 camera. You see, my father was an electrical engineer. He traveled around the state of Mexico designing and developing electrical systems and plants for developing communities. My mom, sister and I would sometimes travel with him to these small far-off towns and settle in for months at times. In his spare time, we would all go exploring and site seeing, he would take his Nikon 35mm camera with him and I wanted to be like him. On my 5th birthday, I received a simple and easy to use 110-film camera and like they say, the rest is history.
I took pictures for fun and loved capturing people most of all. It wasn’t until the summer of 2009 that I realized I could make a living doing something I loved. I took a position with Pegasus News in Dallas, which then got acquired by The Dallas Morning News. As I grew my photography business, I was able to photograph for the DMN and had the opportunity to photograph several events & famous people. The most famous person I’ve had the pleasure of photographing one on one was our First Lady, Laura Bush.
As with anyone in their trade, I’ve gotten better and more focused. I love shooting anything from product, pets, architectural, and events. However, I still love photographing people the most. If you were to ask what style of photography I prefer, I would immediately say photojournalism. Capturing moments in time where people are frozen in their truest, most unrehearsed way.
That being said, I also enjoy capturing moments that I envision. Perhaps a wedding where I can create a portrait that will capture the mood and emotion of the special day. Maybe it’s a picture that I’ve art directed for a client that’s in need of marketing material for print or social media. I too love the opportunity to be creative and capture something that people can relate to. One thing I love hearing from people with regards to events is when they mention that they “love re-living the event through the pictures” or when they mention “I feel like I was there.”
I am now looking at celebrating ten years of Elliott Muñoz Photography. It has not been easy, and I don’t expect it to get any easier. Being a freelance photographer has its ups and downs, but I love getting ready for any job. The routine of charging batteries, organizing memory cards and cleaning lenses, always knowing that every job may be similar, but never the same. I love it.
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?
One of the most challenging things I’ve had the pleasure to acknowledge is how horrible I am at selling myself. I find it hard to sell myself, and I find it much more manageable when my work speaks for itself.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Elliott Muñoz Photography story. Tell us more about it.
When I lived in my old neighborhood of Bishop Arts District, I was part of Go Oak Cliff’s board of directors. Go O.C. was a group of people who organized events for the neighborhood with an attempt to create awareness and fun, family-focused events that catered to ages from 0 to 100. Go O.C. did more than create events for the neighborhood, it helped raise money for schools & the community. I had the honor to help with such events as: Blues Bandits and BBQ, Bastille Day, Brew Riot, and Bishop Arts Mardi Gras Parade! As a photographer, my job was to capture every minute of these events… not to mention, to help set up and break down!
My photography business has mostly revolved around corporate photography. Headshots, corporate events, conferences, and marketing material for print, promotion, and social media for nonprofits, architectural firms, and hospitals. It’s a privilege working for corporations that trust me to capture exactly what they need. I occasionally still get the opportunity to photograph food, product, and families. I feel honored to be able to take the photographs of families year after year and see the kids grow. With so many great photographers sharing their talent, the greatest compliment is returning clients. It is humbling to have the opportunity to work with the same clients for years, as you build trust and rapport.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Looking back, moving to Oak Cliff was probably the best thing that happened to me in 2009. I was shooting an event for Pegasus News at the time. The event was a 50-year anniversary of the Beatles party. It was being held at a store in the Bishop Arts Neighborhood, the Soda Gallery. I had never been to Bishop Arts before that day. But on that day, I fell in love with a community. A few months later, I moved there and never looked back. If not for my photography career getting started at the time, I would have not had the opportunity to meet some of the best people in my life who I now call family and my wife.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.elliott-munoz.com
- Phone: 9729776143
- Email: elliott@elliott-munoz.com
- Instagram: elliott_munoz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliottmunozdallas/?ref=bookmarks
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