Today we’d like to introduce you to Xochitl Gonzalez.
Hi Xochitl, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I acquired my first camera as a Christmas gift back in 2014 when I decided to take a photojournalism class in high school. I was always an artist at heart, but through photojournalism, I quickly fell in love with capturing slices of life and the immense beauty I saw in the world around me. I remember feeling as if I had unlocked a magic power. The ability to take a precious moment in time, freeze it forever and share it with the world. At first, my muses consisted of flowers, insects, and the sky with its many hues and patterns. I would take my camera to the park and sit for hours in a field of wildflowers just completely mesmerized by the tiny worlds around me. Soon, I began to venture out into portraiture and experimenting with human muses. The idea of creating moments in time to capture became extremely appealing to, whereas photojournalism consisted of capturing unaltered moments that were already in front of me. I began trying to take creative visions that I could see in my mind and brining them to life, which I feel is when I truly knew that I would never put my camera down. I fell so deeply in love with the process of creation and pushing my own boundaries of what beauty and life itself could like. Art opened my mind up to the concept that this human experience can be anything we create and can transcend the limits that have been set in place for us. Photography truly saved my life in that aspect, and I cannot even fathom a world without it.
Lately, my lens has been focused on the local music scene in Dallas. I’ve always been a huge music fan; in fact, I was enrolled in band and choir all three years of middle school, I like to think that if visual arts hadn’t stole my heart, music would’ve been my next pursuit. With that said, I’ve been blessed to personally get to know several talented musicians, such as MurieL, in the Dallas area, and have become fascinated by their journeys and talent. The Dallas music scene seems to be an endless well of insane talent, and I have become more and more obsessed with capturing it. As we all know, in this day and age, personal branding and marketing is pretty much essential to anyone trying to achieve financial freedom in the creative industry. I have found that often times musicians and other creatives are so busy working on their craft that the “self-branding/promoting/ online content creation” aspect has to take a backseat. This is where I come in.
I think we all reach a point in our lives/careers where we want our work/craft to serve a higher purpose, and I know that for me, that sense of immense fulfillment comes from creating for other creative individuals of all types and helping them bring their wildest visions to life. In this new world of social media, I know how valuable my craft can be to another artist, whether it’s photographing an artist’s show or offering them band photos/videos/promo content, and I’m always blown away by just how grateful they are to receive something from me that already brings me so much joy and fulfillment to begin with.
Alright, 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?
I would say the road has been as smooth as it’s needed to be. At this point in my life, I have so much more appreciation for the bumps in the road and how they have shaped my craft into what it is today. The biggest obstacle to conquer for me was my own belief in myself. Sometimes you can have all the resources in the world, but the disbelief in yourself and what is possible in this world will keep you stuck in your own mental prison. Throughout my young life, I have struggled with deeply rooted self-confidence/ self-image issues, body dysmorphia, anxiety, and depression. What has changed my life is taking those things and channeling them outward through my craft with the intention of healing myself and others instead of inward with the intention of isolation detachment. The realization that our individuality and uniqueness is where true empowerment and happiness comes from changed my life forever and I try to bring that energy/essence into everything I do.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a photographer/ digital artist. I have a passion for creating but most importantly, creating for other creatives and those who feel that their creative vision doesn’t have a place in this world. I specialize in conceptual/ non-traditional portraiture, which often includes heavy color shifting and composites,
What’s next?
As far as the future and big changes go, March 1st was my first official day as a full-time independent artist after working for a multimedia company as a full-time assistant for almost 3 years. Taking the leap to quit the best job I had ever had up to date, was terrifying, but I told myself, “Sink or swim” after living 90% of my life in my own shell, I owed it to myself to really go for it and truly fight for the ultimate fulfillment of my creative dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.xochitl.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xochitl.psd/
Image Credits
Xochitl Gonzalez
