If you are longing for adventure and bold, beautiful experiences, take a moment to soak in the scenes that Ricardo Rodriguez chooses to capture with his camera. Rodriguez often shoots documentary-style photos, landscapes, and portraits. His work is vibrant, awakening both the eyes and heart.
Rodriguez has loved photography since he was a child using his first Kodak waterproof disposable camera. His passion quickly became a lifelong pursuit that included photographing scenes in Puerto Rico – his true home. Rodriguez says:
“I really can’t see myself living another life where I wasn’t from Puerto Rico. It’s my home that I love and will love forever.”
He continues to describe his passion for photographing Puerto Rico: “Everything from the people, the music, the food, the beaches, mountains, towns, everything about it I love with all my heart. Being Puerto Rican is something I am extremely proud of, and if you ask any other Puerto Rican, they will say the same thing.”
“I always photograph what I love about Puerto Rico: its architecture, the parties, the people, the food, street art, etc. I use my platform as a photographer to showcase how beautiful, and amazing Puerto Rico is and always will be.”
Ricardo Rodriguez
Along with his photos of Puerto Rico, Rodriguez also enjoys shooting unique, colorful portraits of people. He explains, “Portraits capture the energy, aesthetic, vibe, characteristics of the subject, and that is what I always base my criteria on.”
At the beginning of a project, Rodriguez often creates a mood board and music board to help stimulate his creativity. He explains, “I make a playlist of the project (or persona the project is based on) with 15-20 songs that capture the feel and tone of what I’m going to be working with. The music board is the most important aspect of my creative process since it communicates what my project is about, how my project will be perceived, and how it should be perceived.”
Overall, Rodriguez hopes to use his art as an avenue for self-expression. He describes his mission: “My whole life, I’ve been the person who always struggles to express what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, what is going on with me. Eventually, I discovered photography to be my gateway into expressing these things and being able to let out what I’ve kept inside for so long.”
“I want to show that we can express ourselves in any way we want and any way we can through art. I want to prove that when words fail, art is what best helps express our ideas and thoughts.”
Ricardo Rodriguez
As a Latin American, Rodriguez hopes to have opportunities in the future to work with other Latin American artists. He says, “I’m really passionate about being Latino, and I want to be able to work with Latin American artists to show the world just how amazing we are.” And Rodriguez’s vision and work are truly amazing since he allows viewers to experience another culture through his eyes.
