We were lucky to catch up with Claudio De La Rosa recently and have shared our conversation below.
Claudio, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
If I had to single out the source or the foundation of my my work ethic, it would point to my parents. As the oldest, I got to witness the initial struggles of them getting acclimated to an environment that was not their own; learning the language and the lay of the land. Like many immigrant families who come to this country in hopes of providing a better lifestyle for their kids; my parents had to work blue collar jobs. One thing I noticed from early on that no matter how challenging it got, they got up and did the work. My mom got her Associates degree while tending to 4 kids. They lead by example and showed that with hard work and discipline you can achieve your goals. As I got older and started navigating my own career, I knew that no-one else will do the work for you. Showing up is half the battle. I knew that if I wanted to excel in my career I had to show up for myself. I had to practice and immerse myself in the craft and get better by simply doing the work.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Currently, I am freelance photographer who enjoys capturing people and their essence. Our identity is not defined by a single quality, we can be talkative, other times more introspective, we can be spontaneous and loud or show a calm confidence. My photography speaks to the different elements that makes us, us. Being an active individual who enjoys sports, my work tends to reflect more of the active lifestyles we live.
I did not always know that I wanted to pursue photography as a career. I was in banking for 12 years, where I was a VP for one of the larger US Banks. But I felt unfulfilled and needed something that would break the monotony of the corporate life. In 2016/2017 I purchased a dslr camera and began experimenting with photography. Today, I can say I have worked with brands like the NBA, Nike, Spotify, and teams like the Brooklyn Nets.
You my find my work at: www.claudiodelarosa.com
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Authenticity; I think is the singular most important quality you can have. Be you and let people see that side of you, it helps build a rapport and people like being around folks they feel comfortable around.
Networking and your social capital is paramount to your success. You can be the most skilled individual at your craft but if you don’t have a support system that will help and guide you; you may not reach your destination.
Work ethic, people get celebrated in public for what they do in private. Regardless of your path, you have to do the work and work on your craft daily. You only improve by being intentional. For me, this means doing something photography related everyday.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
If you are a producer, creative director, art buyer/director, model, or just a fellow creative; let’s talk. I love meeting people and hearing their stories. The photography industry is forever changing and collaborations are the engine of it all. I am happy to bounce ideas, share insights I have gained over the years.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.claudiodelarosa.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/claude.dlr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiojdelarosa/
