Being able to leave a legacy and bring happiness to strangers who turn into lifelong clients is one of the most fulfilling parts of being a portrait photographer. Mauricio Ureña, a wedding photographer based in beautiful Costa Rica, lives by this purpose and is known for creating special memories and experiences for his clients with his impeccable artistry.
We came across his stunning wedding portraits in our Visual Flow Facebook Community and were in awe with his captures and editing style – he is also one of our newest Visual Flow Ambassadors! In this artist feature interview, you’ll get to learn more about how he became a photographer, what helped him define his style, and most importantly, what challenges he has had to face to become the artist that stands before us today.
How long have you been a photographer? What got you started?
“I have been a photographer for 9 years now. I have always had a passion for photography but what got me hooked was seeing my own wedding photographer work. It evoked something special in me that I will truly never forget. After that, I told my wife: “you know what, I’ve always loved cameras, I should buy one that allows you to change lenses” and that’s all that I needed. The rest is history!”
How did you establish and define your shooting and editing style?
“My photography style has been crafted and developed through the years. I like to take photojournalistic and candid images that capture moments, but also there are times in which you need to apply a more classic and posed style. Another thing that characterizes my approach is that I like to get it right in camera rather than relying on editing. This is crucial in order to save time in the post-production process. In terms of editing, I love natural and vivid colors, perfectly light subjects and with accurate skin tones, this is why the Modern Pack from Visual Flow is my go-to preset.”
How do you differentiate yourself from the photographer down the street?
“I really love getting involved and getting a deep understanding of our clients, their history, and what really is important and has value to them. This allows me to create images that resonate with them and are meaningful to them. Now in terms of photography, I heavily use my off-camera flash and light shaping tools to help bring power and emphasis to my imagery.”
How has the Visual Flow Preset system changed your workflow?
“The Visual Flow Preset system definitely changed my workflow forever. As a portrait and wedding photographer who handles thousands of images per project, you need to spend less time editing and more time shooting or marketing. I can tell you that my median time for editing a wedding went down around 40% less than the time I was consuming per project. The Visual Flow system delivers my images to the final product in just a single click!
Invest time and money in knowing the tool from the best education resources out there, and practice, practice, practice. There are tons of free videos as well, but you definitely need to invest some resources in order to master the tool.”
What is the most challenging part of being a photographer?
“There are many challenges, if you are just beginning, the first challenge you will face is how to get clients and market yourself in a very competitive environment. The other challenge is that photography and lighting equipment is expensive, so you need to be very cautious with the investments you make to get the gear you need. But if you asked me, invest first in good education and then in gear. Now if you already have a running business, then getting engagement with your audience is challenging nowadays with lots of content that is being created daily. Also, you definitely need to step up and be very creative in order your works shine since nowadays everybody is a photographer.”
If you’re interested in following Mauricio’s photography journey, make sure you check out his Instagram and view his full portfolio on his Website.
