Today we’d like to introduce you to Javier Gonzalez.
Javier, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My interest in the arts started at a young age. I recall doodling in my school journals and thriving in art class. Little did I know this interest would shape my life and become central to my career. My family and I immigrated from Mexico to the suburbs of Chicago before finally relocating to Austin when I was a teenager. In those earlier years, I remember my parents were always taking pictures with their point-and-shoot cameras that they’d get developed at the drug store. I remember the joy of sitting down with my mom and flipping through the family photo albums together. I wanted to be able to capture memories of my family and the places we went, to contribute to these prized family albums, and when I was old enough, probably around twelve, I started taking the pictures.
Our apartment was always filled with family photos, so from a young age, I just saw how valuable photographs really are. When I decided to pursue an art degree in photography from Texas State University, it seemed like everything was aligning. That was in the early years of Instagram, and I saw how members across the world were organizing events known as Instameets to foster communities where they could share their interests with others. That kind of creative community was something that I had long wanted to be a part of in Austin but hadn’t found yet. So I organized an Instagram community account by the name of IG Austin Texas. We’ve been sharing the work of local creatives and hosting meetups since 2015. Our meetups offer the platform I’d wanted for myself in those early years. We host them at beautiful places across town, collaborate with local businesses, hire models, work with organizations, and have a great time! It brings me great joy to see people come together, share their passion for photography, and walk away having met more local creatives.
My interest in photography and community building piqued someone’s interest in me on Instagram, and I became a suggested user in 2016. At this point, I hadn’t even heard of the term, “influencer.” For me, the platform had just been a place to share work and make new friends, so when I found myself gaining followers in the thousands over just two weeks, it felt crazy! Suddenly, I was being offered partnerships with national brands and my work was getting noticed by people from all over the world. From that point on, I knew I was onto something. I worked my day job part-time while I built my portfolio, and after investing in equipment and saving up enough to survive while I waited for my photography work to pick up, I took the leap. I left behind the comfort and stability and reached for my dream of becoming a full-time photographer. At the moment, I’m going on my third year of running my business full time. I feel blessed by all the support and opportunities that have been bestowed on me and I’m thrilled to see where this path will take me next.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Yes and no. I feel very fortunate that my photography has been well perceived from the jump and that people gravitate towards my ability to capture people, events, products, and life in a unique way. My struggles as a professional photographer come more from me having no real background in business. Coming from a modest family, I was always inspired by how hard-working they were. Even though we couldn’t solve our problems by throwing money at them, my family members were resourceful in so many other ways. So I got really good at researching and figuring things out. These days, I view everything as a giant puzzle with rotating pieces. At times, they make sense, but I can also shift them and discover new outcomes.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work is influenced by my obsession with physical space. I love seeing how light interacts with surfaces and how hues shift depending on lighting conditions. In my early years, I took a huge interest in minimal art. Focusing on stripping imagery of its elements and focusing on just the colors and shapes and playing with perspective. I’d say I’m also well known for my ability to make people feel comfortable. I’m personable and somewhat soft-spoken and have a natural ability to make connections with people. It’s important to get people to the point where they fully embrace themselves in the moment so that their portraits truly radiate their authentic essence. I love when I can bring a smile to their face and capture it.
Any big plans?
My partner, Loria Mendoza, and I opened up a creative business together during the pandemic named POV Studio. As people of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, we are focused on providing an inclusive space to foster and create visual, textual, and performance art. Some days we’re a photography studio, some days we’re an art gallery, and some days we host creative workshops from writing to performance. We also host events that highlight the amazing artists in this city, especially queer and/or BIPOC artists. We’re both working hard on building up our studio while continuously figuring out how to support more people along the way and give back to the community. As a person who has faced adversity, I try to be of service to others and give back.
Contact Info:
- Email: javiglzphotography@gmail.com
- Website: www.javiglzphotography.com
- Instagram: Javi_Glz
