Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alvinita Gonzales. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Alvinita with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I get my work ethic from my mother and grandfather!
My mother is a very hard working woman, she always puts her all in everything she does. From baking goodies for a school bake sale, to her job, to volunteer work, to house work, to education, to pushing and encouraging us to explore our own interests, etc. She always made sure that we understood the effort and work that would go into whatever interest we had before fully letting us explore it. Especially when I first started exploring photography more, she bought me my first camera! She always encouraged me to go out and snap away, and to read and watch videos, classes on photography to better my photography education. And when I told her I wanted to do photography as a career, she was very supportive. To this day she still looks at all my photography work with awe and engages with me when I go on a blab about some cool editing technique I learned or how I edited a photo.
My grandfather, spending summers and after school at his house, he was always working on something. He was either fixing, building, or planting something. He was always outside doing stuff. He also always encouraged our interests, from playing in the dirt, to riding our bikes, watching movies, playing superheroes, and reading comics, watching superhero shows. He would show us how to play even hard in the dirt, or what old movie we might like, what comics that might interest us (he collected comics so the reading material was endless to a child), and letting us blab on the phone with him on Saturday mornings about the new episode of whatever show we just watched on tv.
These two, my mother and grandfather, definitely taught me my work ethic. To work hard. To put your all in, even if it’s something small. To never be scared to ask for an opinion or critique or help. To be proud of the work you put in, as well as the outcome. To take a break when you need to, and that it’s okay to take a break, we’re humans we get tired. And that it’s okay to fail as long as you get back up and try again!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a portrait and fashion photographer! I specialize in fashion photography, headshots, branding, couple, engagement, elopement, maternity, and graduation photography.
I am also a magazine owner and EIC. I recently launched an Indigenous and Latino/a/x centered magazine that focuses on fashion, personal and tribal history, how fashion and their history has effected their own fashion style and view on life.
I grew up between two different cultures, being mixed – Mexican and Hopi (Native American) – I got to see the many different and beautiful people, with many different fashion styles, traditions and customs, different celebrations and milestones, etc. Which has and will always make me see the beauty in different cultures, and traditions.
With that upbringing, it shows in my work. My goal with every photoshoot, is to capture the beauty of every person, and their life moments, and/or life stories. I love capturing it all!
As far as news: I have a few spots still open for this year, 2023, for client photography sessions. And am currently taking bookings for 2024! I would love to capture your memories and milestones!
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?
Three helpful things that helped and made an impact on my journey are: 1. Willingness and openness to always learn – I love learning new things, especially about how to better run my business, or how to be a better photographer, business owner, or just a better person in general! Keeping an open mind to learning something from someone, from anywhere, keeps my creative side flowing, and my business side growing.
2. Just getting out there – When I first started my photography journey, before making it a business, I only had my friends and family to photographs and practice my photography on, which can be a bit limiting. So I had to just get out there, find people online in photography groups, to get me to get out more and photograph different people, styles, animals, etc. While also meeting and networking, and learning from all kind of different people how are at different levels of their own photography journeys. I actually still attend a few photography group meet ups. They’re a lot of fun, and you meet people, and learn new and different things!
3. Trying new things – Even if you have a set photography style that you like and do all the time, try stepping out of that comfort zone every once in a while. It’s fun to try different photography styles when you have free time. I try to try a different style of photography a few times a year to help with my creative flow, and to help me to learn new things that may be useful in my everyday photography style and business.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
For my photography business: I am always open to new clients! I specialize in headshots, branding, couple, engagement, elopement, maternity, graduation photography, and fashion photography. I’m also open photographing and collaborating with other businesses who are in need of branding photos!
So if you are in need of any of those, contact me through my website: photographsbyag.com
I would love to capture your memories, milestones, and business photo needs!
For my magazine: I am looking for Indigenous and Latino/a/x people who want to share their tribal and personal history with the world, and how the upbringing has impacted their point of view on life and their fashion style. You don’t have to be a model, or have any in front of the camera experience to be in the magazine! No story is too small or too big to be shared in the magazine or shared to the world!
Magazine Website: tsangemagazine.com
Contact Info:
- Website: photographsbyag.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/photographsbyag
- Facebook: facebook.com/photographsbyag
- Other: Tiktok: tiktok.com/@photographsbyag
Magazine Website: tsangemagazine.com
Image Credits
Monica Bulnes and Josh Riquelme, Angelica Labrake, Alyssum D., Eryn Alexa, Victoria Voos, Kendal Ybarra, Darrius and Hailee G., and Brielle Whittett.
