We recently had the chance to connect with Agnes Lopez and have shared our conversation below.
Agnes, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is a normal day like for you right now?
Each day starts the same with a morning coffee in my studio with my husband. After that it could be anything.
Some days are in my studio taking headshots and other times I’m on location for an editorial shoot.
Recent shoots have taken me to Georgia to photograph an ICE facility for the Financial dTimes and to Ponte Vedra to photograph a home for the Wall Street Journal. If I don’t have any shoots, I’ll typically spend the day invoicing and editing.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Each day starts the same with a morning coffee in my studio with my husband. After that it could be anything.
Some days are in my studio taking headshots and other times I’m on location for an editorial shoot.
Recent shoots have taken me to Georgia to photograph an ICE facility for the Financial Times and to Ponte Vedra to photograph a home for the Wall Street Journal. If I don’t have any shoots, I’ll typically spend the day invoicing and editing.
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I am a Filipino-American editorial and commercial photographer whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The Financial Times, MIT Technology Review, The Local Palate, on the Food Network, in cookbooks, and campaigns for national food brands. She was awarded the gold medal for her food photography in the cookbook category of the Independent Publisher Book Awards for The Chef’s Canvas Cookbook.
For the past seven years, I have been hard at work directing my first documentary, JAX Filipino Chefs, following the journey of eight Filipino-American chefs as they set out to change the culinary scene of Northeast Florida with their food.
My portraits of Filipino World War II veterans, The Faces to Remember Project, were recently on display in an exhibit at the Richland Library in Columbia, South Carolina. More about the project can be seen at www.thefacestoremember.com.
During the pandemic, I launched a new talent agency, Pose Well Models, that focuses on providing a diverse and inclusive roster of models for today’s brands and ad campaigns. Some clients include Adidas, Vrbo, Apple, Disney, BMW and many more.
I am an advocate for the Filipino American community and serve on the Board of Directors as the Secretary of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO). I am also a founding board member of Jax Filipinos, a non-profit dedicated to sharing Filipino culture with the Jacksonville community through arts, education and community outreach.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
It may sound trite but traveling to other countries made me realize there is so much more out there and gave me an appreciation for how people in other places live. Trips to Morocco, Argentina, Japan, and of course the Philippines helped me understand the difference between being a tourist and a traveler; a traveler embraces other cultures and ways of life.
I try to keep an open mind and over the years have grown so much as a person because of my curiosity about other cultures and also from reclaiming my own.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could say one kind thing to my younger self, I would say to drop the impostor syndrome and trust that you know what you’re doing with your camera!
It took a while to believe that I was as capable as I had shown. I’ve been a full time photographer for over 22 years and I am proud to have made a living with my camera.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am committed to finishing the documentary I am making, JAX Filipino Chefs, no matter how long it takes. We have been filming for the last seven years and the end is in sight. We wrapped up filming recently and are deep in the editing process.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I believe I am doing exactly what I was born to do. My parents encouraged me to go to art school but I resisted and studied business in college, which turned out to be a good decision because it helped me build a solid foundation for my photography and other businesses. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and see myself as a business first and an artist second.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.agneslopez.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agneslopezphoto/
Image Credits
Copyright Agnes Lopez
