Big Photo Hunt Member Spotlight: Photographer Leo Lopez

Leo Lopez is a photographer and educator based in Spain’s Canary Islands, after spending a year living in Australia and Thailand. His recent evolution—from observing quiet moments through street photography to setting up stylized shoots with models and planned locations—marks a meaningful shift in how he approaches photography.

In this episode, Leo and I dive into his creative journey: how his background shaped his style, why teaching photography has made him better at it, and whether most photographers are actually introverts. We also talk about his recent projects, like shooting Muay Thai fighters in Chiang Mai and the female surf scene in the Canary Islands. Plus, I share my love for the dreamy photography coming out of places like the Amalfi Coast and Capri.

If you’re on your own photography path, exploring new genres, or just curious to hear how another Big Photo Hunt member is growing as a photographer, this one’s for you.

Show Notes:

Leo Lopez’s Instagram: @palidotropico
Leo Lopez’s Website: palidotropico.com
Next Episode: Atlas Packs Co-Founder and Sports Photographer Allan Henry 

Transcript

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:37:10

It's very easy to stay behind the camera, not wanting to do anything. But you have to step out of the camera, you know, and take your chances as well. So what I did the next day is I went to a Muay Thai gym, I did my Thai lesson and I talked to the guys and I told them, hey guys, I want to take pictures. I would like to do a little documentary of you in the gym. And they were like, we're busy, but there is a fight tonight. And they told me, and you can be with us in the corner, so you have to go for it sometimes, you know, and you have to be willing to just asking for things, ask for it. 

00:00:37:12 - 00:00:40:09

And worst case scenario, you can send them the pictures. 

00:00:43:14 - 00:01:04:27

Welcome to the Big Photo Hunt Podcast, a show where we talk with aspiring and professional photographers to help us all grow and improve our photography together. I'm your host, Ken Deckinger. If you're one of our community members and you'd like to be a guest on the show. Please visit Big Photo Hunt for more information. 

00:01:15:13 - 00:01:51:24

There's a saying in the startup world that you shouldn't fall in love with your product, but instead you should fall in love with your users. Or in our case, our members. And I tell you this because as I'm building this startup and as a photographer on a journey to also build my photography skill set, I've realized that I love you. I mean, I don't love you like, love you, love you. I love my wife and my kids. And when he's not eating the trash, my dog, Jake the dog. But I'm also so thankful to know you and all of our big photo hunt community members. 

00:01:52:05 - 00:02:22:18

Where I'm going with all this is that I want to talk to more of you on this podcast. I've developed friendships with many of you, and I can use this tool here to help introduce you all to each other, and that makes me happy. So on that note, my guest today is Big Photo Hunt member Leo Lopez. I love his story, I love his motivations, and I love the fact that Leo, you're now gonna take over and introduce yourself to all of our listeners. 

00:02:23:01 - 00:02:24:02

It's all you, my friend. 

00:02:25:18 - 00:02:56:05

All right. So, yeah, I'm, uh, I'm 34 years old, and I'm a photography teacher in an art school, and right now I'm teaching in the Canary Islands in Spain. And I just came back from a trip of one year in Australia and Thailand. I have been a professional photographer. Sometimes that's been on the side, and that's something I've been doing at the same time that I've been working in corporate, like in marketing or as a freelancer. 

00:02:56:28 - 00:03:33:06

And right now, alongside my teaching job, which is something that I really feel passionate about and kind of allows me to be close to photography in a different way. Right now, the relationship that I have with photography is is artistic. It's a way to express myself through image, and I have evolved from a more, let's say, meditative way of looking at photography, creating images that make you feel like a piece and more like an observer. 

00:03:33:24 - 00:04:05:02

You know, I started with street photography, and then I went to create some more hypothetically pleasurable images, you know, with analog photography and portraits and then a bit more complex images that needed a model and a specific Acidic. So the way I have evolved, I guess, is like I became more of an observer, you know, trying to understand things and wear around me to a more creative role, like active. 

00:04:05:11 - 00:04:37:08

Can you tell me what interested you about leaving something like, say, street photography and moving to what you called more pleasurable images that needed, say, a model and a setup? I happen to be a big fan of street photography. I love it for the spontaneity of it. To be able to capture the moment in time and tell a story. I'm not very good, but I go out and I learn each time. And for me, the idea of shooting a model in a setup that everything is kind of already there and ready for me. 

00:04:37:14 - 00:04:45:15

It's just so it's just personally unappealing because I like the craziness and the tension of just being in the street, not knowing what's going to happen. 

00:04:46:00 - 00:04:46:17

Yeah. 

00:04:46:29 - 00:04:56:04

And I have total respect for you, and I have total respect for portrait photographers and model photographers and all that. I just don't have the patience to do it. I don't have I can't, I can't sit still. 

00:04:56:06 - 00:05:32:19

Yeah. I that's a very interesting it's a very interesting point because, um, I guess I've gone through the same doubts myself before taking on this kind of work. It's a very interesting point of view, because now I get to be on the other side and kind of explain why. So, um, is to be clear, when I started doing photography professionally, I started doing events, you know, I was living in Edinburgh and then I moved to London and I was doing like ballroom dance weddings, you know, these kind of social events and also a lot of, uh, art exhibitions. 

00:05:32:21 - 00:06:00:28

So I was always around the world of art. I really liked the spontaneity that you said I would try to go, like behind the scenes, and I would try to get my portraits, but also those funny, unexpected images that were happening. Right. And and it was in London when I started doing street photography, I met this photographer randomly in the street and he told me, you get to use a fixed lens for a couple of years, three years, and then you'll start being good at it. So I started doing that. 

00:06:01:00 - 00:06:05:06

I hear that a lot, and I know a lot of teachers will will teach you to do that. 

00:06:05:08 - 00:06:40:14

Yeah. And I can tell you that my street photography experience was how to say it was a step up the game. I became so agile at composing and managing things that were not in my control. And I started creating a bit more beautiful images around the sea, you know? But it was the same. I would not try to control in any way what was happening. I always just had to be very alert, you know, and like in this meditative state where I was very aware of my surroundings and then I would try to get the right image. 

00:06:41:15 - 00:07:13:03

So then after some time with a lot of work, I was working in Madrid, and then I got my studio And, you know, I was forcing me to do what everybody else was doing. And every time I got into my studio, I didn't feel. It didn't feel quite right. You know, I got some interesting models, but I didn't like working with flash. You know, it just gave me this very artificial. I don't know. It's kind of nice to look at from a technical point of view. But on the other side, I felt that thing that you're saying. 

00:07:13:05 - 00:07:55:07

You know, it was just like, this is not right. This is not me right now. And I stopped doing photography for a couple of years because I think I kind of burned myself. You know, I did a little bit for a company that I was working for. You know, I had to create all the branding and do video and photo for the company, but I wouldn't do anything on my own. I was not motivated. But then I when I write to when I start being a teacher, I start getting this spark again. You know, I start like, okay, I want to go, but what should I do? You know, because I always was putting a lot of thought into it, and then I kind of release myself, and all of a sudden I found that I wanted to create beautiful images. 

00:07:55:09 - 00:08:26:03

You know, I started creating some artistic nude with ash on top. You know, because there was a volcanic eruption in the island that I'm, I'm living right now. So I arrived in two days later, a volcano exploded, you know, and a couple of months after that, I decided that I wanted to create something related to this. And I had this image in my mind of a belly covered in, you know, black ash. And I did that. And a part of me was like, wait a moment. 

00:08:26:05 - 00:08:58:25

What are you doing? You know, this is not the way you used to photograph. And then it was like, well, it's beautiful and I like it. And, you know, when I'm having very good feedback from people. So I decided that I wanted to create images that were beautiful, kind of dreamy, which is something that I developed on my prior photography when I was shooting more like an observer, but I wanted to have somebody in it, and I wanted to create this kind of endless summer. Uh, I said, equally pleasurable to see images. 

00:08:59:07 - 00:09:35:01

And I discovered that in order to get that, I needed a model. You know, I needed to decide a location. And the way I approach it is like a conversation. We have set up this moment, but I would not expect anything to come out in a in a specific way. It is true that you know when you have the picture, but I kind of was able to get to an agreement with myself and enjoy what I am doing. This is something that was on my mind and I want to express it, you know, but on the other side also allow those photo shootings to flow. 

00:09:35:22 - 00:09:53:14

That's the way I have evolved. So I guess you can see the line that I it wasn't like studio plan Plant photography. It's more of a trying to get something in between, something that is not planned and something that is meant to happen. 

00:09:54:08 - 00:09:59:23

So did you go to school for photography or did you switch to it later in your career or your life? 

00:10:00:09 - 00:10:36:19

I kind of like I, I, I remember the, the first little trip with the school that I took my camera with me. I remember some kind of little fascination about it. Then I stole my sister's video camera and I started fooling around with it and editing video. And then when I went to uni, I studied media, and we had a couple of subjects, you know, related to photography. So I think I learned the basics, like the theory there. But I, you know, I was very persistent with the camera because I remember the first time I didn't know why I was getting like underexposed or overexposed. 

00:10:36:21 - 00:10:53:21

It's like it didn't make any sense to me in the beginning. So I just kept trying and trying and trying and trying and trying until I had control of what was going on. Right. And then after that, I started taking more pictures. And but I was also like in between photography and video. 

00:10:54:05 - 00:10:57:29

And now as a teacher, you feel like you're closer to it. 

00:10:58:20 - 00:11:21:26

Yeah, totally. Teaching is a bit draining because all your ideas, you're giving it to others, right? So I am actually putting all my skills so they can create the best project ever. I'm giving them all my resources and everything that I know. I'm trying to pass it on to them. But I have a couple of projects going on, you know, and that keeps my photography alive. 

00:11:22:14 - 00:11:23:18

The teaching doesn't. 

00:11:24:02 - 00:12:01:23

Well, it does, but it kind of leaves you to be trained. So when you get home and you're like, oh, right now I'm going to look for reference for myself and you're like, oh, I've already seen too many images today, you know. And because the thing with teaching is, the way that I do it is more like coaching one on one. I do my presentations and stuff, but I do a very, I would say, tailored approach with each one of my students because I'm more of an art, an artist than a like a technical photographer and trying to get them to express themselves through photography. 

00:12:01:25 - 00:12:23:15

And that requires me to do a lot of individual adjustments, you know, and get them the right reference and the right artists to follow. And I also do a lot of research on their behalf because they don't have some of them. They don't have the skills yet. But anyway, before starting to teach this year, I already had a couple of projects in my pocket and I'm committed to them. 

00:12:24:03 - 00:12:27:28

These are projects of your own or projects that you've been commissioned for? 

00:12:28:12 - 00:12:58:15

Uh, on my own. Okay. No. Yeah. It's like I bought a water case, and I really want to get, you know, I want to get with my camera industry. But I want to get in with this small. Uh, there is a small community of surfers here, but it's a very small community because all the spots are very remote and all the spots are amazing to surfing because of the background that you have. So I want to get in there, you know, and I want to create something around this. 

00:12:59:07 - 00:13:17:15

There is a big group of girls, you know, which is not very common in surfing. It's like increasingly more common. But there is a big group of girls and there are all the time around with the boat or with the boards exploring. And all of them kind of have this arty way of life. And I'm going to try to mix all that together. 

00:13:17:24 - 00:13:33:09

How do you get in there to shoot them? Do you know them, or how do you approach that? I always wonder, you know, if there is something really interesting, a community, for example, that's really interesting to me to photograph, how do I make that inroads into that group? 

00:13:34:22 - 00:14:09:02

So I know one person which is the right person. I know the right the right person that is going to introduce me to the rest of the people. But I got to say that, you know, I never trusted Instagram like it's taken me a long time to trust Instagram as a useful tool in the world of photography. And now, because I've been taking care of it for the last year, that's a very nice cover letter. So if I refer them to my Instagram, they're going to like what I do. They're going to see a lot of waves, a lot of see nature, uh, beautiful portraits y ty. 

00:14:09:04 - 00:14:37:28

So they're going to be, wow, this is cool. And I want to be part of it. And if you're honest about your intentions and if you talk to people and don't use them, if I want to dive into experiences because I want to be with them and I want to tell a story that is going to be my story and their story, and also being ready to show up a lot of days, and maybe one day you're not taking any pictures and you're just hanging around with them. It's going to open a lot of doors, I think. 

00:14:38:05 - 00:14:42:21

And also, I imagine that they probably want photos of themselves. So it's kind of cool too. 

00:14:42:23 - 00:14:44:04

Exactly. Yeah. 

00:14:44:06 - 00:14:51:27

But if someone goes in there and they're kind of like a douche bag, then that's a whole different story because they're just like, ah. And you also that's reflected in the photos too. 

00:14:52:01 - 00:15:10:12

No. You're right. Social skills. You know, they play a big part in this. And I think I used to be very shy, but not anymore. And you know, being in social situations for me, even in those that some people feel very uncomfortable, it's all right for me. So normally I get my way. 

00:15:11:15 - 00:15:23:07

Do you find a lot of photographers or not? A lot. But do you find that there's a good sized group of photographers that are shy and or prefer to kind of be in the background? 

00:15:24:07 - 00:15:25:10

I would say so. 

00:15:25:21 - 00:15:57:15

I have found that and I've taken that for granted because I have a you could probably tell I have a very large personality. And so for me, I just sometimes take it for granted that not everyone is as outgoing as me. For better or worse, sometimes I just need to shut up. I have to tone it down because I feel like sometimes, not always. But in a lot of cases, the photography community tends to be people that like to observe, as opposed to maybe diving into things. I like to dive into things, but I also really like to observe. 

00:15:57:17 - 00:16:08:25

Sometimes that's really cool to kind of just like let things happen and watch and let it unfold and photograph. Yeah. So speaking of observing, we've talked about your Muay Thai photography before. 

00:16:09:13 - 00:16:10:00

Yeah. 

00:16:10:08 - 00:16:18:00

Tell me about how you found yourself shooting this Muay Thai. What Muay Thai is and that whole experience. 

00:16:18:19 - 00:16:52:06

That's it. Yeah. Pretty good point. After talking about introverts and photographers. So Muay Thai is  Thai boxing. It's a very common and well spread sport in Thailand. And if you travel to Thailand, you're going to find plenty of fights being advertised in the streets with not only Thai fighters, but a lot of people go there for training and fighting and, you know. And the way I got in touch with it, it was totally random. It was full blown raining in Chiang Mai in Thailand. 

00:16:52:29 - 00:17:28:20

I was there on my own and I was going to go to meditation retreat. But before that, I was spending three days in the old city. You know, it was monsoon season there, and it was like, you know what, I don't care. I'm gonna get out and I'm gonna bring my camera with me, you know? Because sometimes it's like, oh, should I bring the cameras? Should I leave it here? You know, it's it's a country that I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to find, you know? But I was like, I'm gonna bring my camera and that's it. So I started roaming around the streets. You know, I used, like, an observer, like a hunter, and also, you know, being ready to experience whatever. 

00:17:28:22 - 00:17:59:13

So I kind of got into a place with a concert with live music, hung out with some locals, and then at some point I found my t fi being advertised with a Spanish guy in it. So I was like, oh, I just gotta go there. Right. So I jumped in a tuk tuk and I told him, you know, take me there. And when I arrived there, it truly amazed me because he was crazy. It's like a very small fairgrounds with a lot of people kids, older people, a lot of teenagers. 

00:18:00:01 - 00:18:34:22

And I had my camera with me, and the first thing that I did was just order a beer, you know, observe the place. I didn't know that I was going to take as many pictures as I finally took. And then I started taking my camera on, and I realized that I was very far from the ring. So I started to get closer and closer and closer. You know, I didn't ask for permission. I just allow myself to be seen with my camera, but also trying to be very respectful and mindful of the people that were around me. And I started taking pictures like crazy because I was just by the corner. 

00:18:35:02 - 00:19:08:22

You know, I had the fighters on top of me and all the atmosphere. You know, you surrounded me. The smell, the sweat, the music that they play, the sound of the strikes, you know, the public hearing. It was crazy. And then all of a sudden, one of the fighters organized in teams in the two corners, in the opposite corners of the ring. And one of those teams is kind of made me a sign. And they were, like, welcoming me to their corner. So they let me be in the area that is reserved for them. 

00:19:09:04 - 00:19:42:00

And I started taking pictures like crazy. And they were very nice, you know. And they were like, you know, they didn't speak any English, but it was just such a good time. And I was just being careful when they were swapping contenders. You know, when they were like taking the breaks, you know, do the recovery. And it was crazy because both the teams and the referees allow me to stay around the ring. You know, people have paid a higher price for the ticket to be there, and I just didn't. So it was it was an amazing experience. 

00:19:42:02 - 00:20:14:03

I was wondering where you were situated and how you got there, because I saw the photos and you were right there. I mean, you were at the ring. There was a guy that I interviewed. His name is Joe Guerrero. I don't know if you heard that episode, but we talked about this olive oil wrestling that he once witnessed in Turkey, where these guys were like, yeah, they were like these leather straps around there, like underwear or that's all. They wear something and they dump olive oil all over them, and then they wrestle. 

00:20:14:12 - 00:20:34:20

And he was photographing that. And it was actually a fascinating conversation. And I want to do that. I want to go, No, I don't want to do the olive oil wrestling. That would be actually, I, I would probably I would that would. Yeah, I'm gonna pass on that. But I do want to photograph these kind of things because they're cool. I think there's just such great opportunities. 

00:20:35:05 - 00:21:07:26

Yeah. Actually I'm going to the first point that you talked about photographers being introverts. It's very easy to stay behind the camera not wanting to do anything, but you have to step out of the camera, you know, and take your chances as well. So what I did the next day is I went to a muay Thai gym, I did my Thai lesson and I talked to the guys and I told them, hey guys, I want to take pictures. I would like to do a little documentary of you in the gym. And they were like, we're busy, but there is a fight tonight. 

00:21:08:08 - 00:21:45:06

And they told me, and you can be with us in the corner. So when I arrived to the stadium, you know, and the guy, the see, I don't know how to call the guy that shows you your seat. He came and he told me, oh, you're allowed to stay around the ring, you know, because like, the people from that gym told him about that. And, you know, I was very happy about that because the photos from that day were better than the photos from the first day, because I already knew where I was, and I already knew that I was considered like an official photographer there, you know, because they just guided me there, you know? And this time the fighters were a bit more professional. 

00:21:45:26 - 00:22:10:08

Uh, they were stronger, you know, it was a bit more of a show there. And I really enjoyed it. So you have to go for it sometimes, you know, and you have to be willing to. Just asking for things. Ask for it. You already have to know. So if you ask for it, if they see you with good energy, there is a high probability that they're going to let you do it, because why not? You know, and worst case scenario, you can send them the pictures. 

00:22:10:22 - 00:22:25:13

I love it and I have that same attitude. Just go for it. And a lot of times people tend to view photography almost as a gift to them. When you can deliver the photos to them, a lot of times I find that they're grateful for that. 

00:22:25:19 - 00:22:52:19

I totally share that perspective with you, Ken. I think it's a gift, and I think we need to share more. You know, it's a way of practicing solidarity and practicing and not being greedy, you know? It's just it's an antidote to greed, photography. You can photograph people and be grateful if they gave you, like, a right image and ask for their number or their email and forwarding the photo, and they're going to be grateful. And you're going to be also very happy about it. 

00:22:52:29 - 00:23:26:12

I was in Paris in April with my family, and I was doing that, taking pictures of people and grabbing their email addresses and following up and sending them photos like a week or two after my trip. Yeah. And it's the foundation of a great interaction, which leads to great photos. And everyone wins and everyone's appreciative. And it turns what feels like or what could feel like an uncomfortable Comfortable situation into something that is actually very comfortable and welcome. And I think as photographers, we just need to remember that, that you do have the ability to give a gift. 

00:23:26:14 - 00:23:34:24

And that's the way I look at it. And it's a really constructive tool for me as I'm out there photographing especially people. 

00:23:35:05 - 00:23:38:29

Yeah. Yeah. Is it totally. It's a very good approach. 

00:23:43:19 - 00:24:14:08

Hey, it's Ken here breaking in to tell you about the next episode of the Big Photo Hunt podcast with my guest, Allan Henry. I gotta tell you, I am super pumped about this one. Allan is a sports photographer, but perhaps more relevant is that he's the co-founder of Atlas Packs. If you don't know Atlas Packs, they make camera bags. But don't tell Allan. I called it a bag. It's a pack. And it's a movement to give you an idea. 

00:24:14:12 - 00:24:43:24

National geographic said it is, quote, one of the best camera bags for travelers. Ski magazine said that it is the best camera bag for skiers. And Outside magazine said when it released that it was the best photography gear for 2020. But Allan's a photographer first and foremost, and he's building something way more. Hope you'll join me for that episode. But first, back to the show. 

00:24:50:00 - 00:25:13:16

Well, prints are interesting because you sell prints on your website. And yes, we've actually tried to sell prints at the Big Photo Hunt recently. Just ran a little test and it didn't go too well. I think that a lot of photographers, if they're going to buy a print or make a print, unless another person's print really resonates with them and emotionally connects with them, they want to make a print of their own photographs. 

00:25:13:28 - 00:25:44:17

Yeah, you're totally right. So in Australia, in Sydney, I work in a fine art photography gallery. And when you step into the shop, you can see different sizes, different frames, different qualities. You know, you can see the small prints at a price, the bigger price. You get a taste of what it's like and how it is going to look like on your wall. And I think online shopping is very difficult when it comes to fine art. 

00:25:45:18 - 00:26:11:06

Photography is very personal. Art is very personal. And I think that if you are going to sell prints and you're not someone super famous, the best way is to find some type of an affinity group that people have an attachment to. There is a photographer who is one of my favorites. I've mentioned her on this podcast before. If she ever listens to this, she's going to think I'm a stalker and a creep. I'm not. I just love her photography. 

00:26:11:08 - 00:26:11:23

You're a fan? 

00:26:11:25 - 00:26:46:09

Yeah, I'm a fan, and I'm not a fan of much, but I love her photography. Her name is Natalie Obradovich, and she does fine art photography from the Amalfi Coast and Capri, and it is just gorgeous. Everything about it is gorgeous. But she's also selling a dream. She's selling an escape, and she's selling this connection to the Italian lifestyle. And so when I see her art, not only is it visually appealing, but it just takes you there and that is the reason that it appeals to me so much. 

00:26:46:23 - 00:27:10:10

That that Italian dream also, that is what I was, what I was selling for Matt Pearson, which is a photographer I was working for in Sydney, he had this Italian series and every Aussie loved him because every Aussie under 50s or above had been in the Amalfi Coast and Positano and and they were all crazy about these pictures. He's like, oh, I was there just two months ago. I want to get it. 

00:27:10:12 - 00:27:15:04

It's almost like when you go to Disney World. Have you been to Disney World in, like, the States in Paris? 

00:27:15:10 - 00:27:16:04

There's one in Paris. 

00:27:16:06 - 00:27:31:05

In Paris. You go to Disney World for the day, and when you leave, you've spent $200 on Mickey Mouse ears and t shirts and cups and pencils, and then you get home and you're like, what the hell did I do? 

00:27:32:23 - 00:28:17:12

It's because they're selling that dream. And when you're there, you want to stay connected to it, and then you get home and you're like, oh, Lord. But I think that in a lot of ways, that's what this fine art photography, if it can do that for you on a location, people that have that ability to connect you, that's a key because you're really marketing to a specific segment and that's what you're selling. Is that dream or that connection? Speaking of that, any tips for amateur or actually not really speaking of that, but any tips for amateur or aspiring photographers Who want to take it to the next level and start really focusing on photography as a career in the way that you're doing it. 

00:28:18:00 - 00:28:51:21

I have two tips for a career and the third tip for making photography great. So the first one I said it before is better to say sorry than ask for permission. Don't ask. You should and then see what it takes you. If you ask, you have very a lot of chances that you get to know. The second one would be better than than perfect. Don't wait to have the perfect picture. Don't wait to have the perfect idea for a project. You start doing it and then be able to finish and deliver. 

00:28:51:23 - 00:29:24:13

When it comes to clients, you have to deliver. That's very important. Don't be hard on yourself, you know. Get feedback. Don't take it personally. Please take it as small steps that are going to lead you to be a better professional. And then what? What is? There is something that I would like to share with all the photographers out there. We are. We depend a lot on the screen. We're watching photography on Instagram. We're not watching photography. We're consuming it. We watch photography and computers, but we don't print our own images. 

00:29:24:15 - 00:29:51:02

So I would invite people to spend a little money or if they have a printer home, buy photography, paper printing, black and white printing color. See how you can improve the image. On the on the paper. Because it is very different to see an image in the screen. Then when you see it becoming something, becoming a piece of art. It gives you a totally, totally different way of looking at photography. 

00:29:51:21 - 00:30:11:23

I have heard that a number of times, from photographers encouraging me to go print and to use good paper, to which I don't know anything about. That's a whole other episode. All right. I have three questions that I end every episode with. The first question is, what camera system do you use? 

00:30:12:14 - 00:30:35:18

So right now I'm using only a Sony Alpha seven three with a 2470 2.8. In the past, I had another system with plenty of lenses, and when I updated my equipment, I tried to make it simple for me. It's easier and I'm taking, you know, all the best pictures that I've ever taken with the lowest gear. 

00:30:36:08 - 00:30:40:23

Okay. Number two is what's your favorite genre to shoot and why? 

00:30:42:09 - 00:31:14:04

Oh, I think I would say I gravitate towards artistic portraits. All right. Because I would say artistic photography. But I really feel attracted to have a human form in it, you know, because normally the human is going to be the metaphor that I can relate to in terms of the human condition. I try to reflect on my image about this and birth and beauty and and growth and sexuality, you know, and emotions. 

00:31:14:06 - 00:31:17:04

So you need a human for that most of the times. 

00:31:17:27 - 00:31:25:27

Question number three is how often, on a scale of 1 to 10, do you get that burning itch to just get out there and shoot photos? 

00:31:26:29 - 00:31:48:03

I would say, hey, if I be with my camera in a trip. I would probably be like 12. But right now, teaching, you know, like sometimes it's like, oh, I'm going to take my camera. It's like, no, no, no, I just want to go to a coffee place and maybe write on my notebook and I'll leave that for the weekend. 

00:31:48:29 - 00:31:53:12

Leah, where can people find you online? Instagram. Your website, everything. 

00:31:53:27 - 00:32:09:10

My Instagram is a PalidoTropico. That's p a l i do  t r o p i c o PalidoTropico in English, and my website will be PalidoTropico dot com.

00:32:10:26 - 00:32:18:26

And I mean, I don't want to be your competition, but I've been thinking for a long time I want to start my own podcast, you know, and just talk to people. 

00:32:19:10 - 00:32:57:09

It's not competition. It's collaboration. And the more people, yeah, that we can get out there and talk about this stuff, the more we can all support each other and go for it, man. I love doing this podcast. I love it more than I thought I would because I'm learning. So I get to talk to people like yourself who have experienced who I would never get a chance to talk to. And I'm learning every single episode, and I'm able to ask the questions that I actually want to ask. And then the second thing is, I've gotten to really know some great people. I know you're on the big photo hunt, and that's great, right? But like you and I have gotten to know each other and it's because of this podcast and I would never have had that opportunity. 

00:32:57:11 - 00:33:01:16

And one day I'm going to be in the Canary Islands when you're not expecting it, and I'm going to knock on your door and I'm going to. 

00:33:01:18 - 00:33:03:10

Be like, yeah, we'll be sitting together. 

00:33:03:12 - 00:33:08:24

Yeah, I'm like, Leo, I'm here. And like, uh, Ken, I didn't know you were coming. And I'm like, I know, but I'm here. 

00:33:13:14 - 00:33:47:27

I feel very grateful for having met you and your project. One of the problems that photographer. There's been a lot of time on their own. You know, it's a very. It's very lonely. You know, you spend a lot of time in the computer. So I think it's very good to build connections and to just talk about it, because at the end of the day, we're not doing heart surgery. You know, we're trying to create and express ourselves, and we all have a lot of insecurities. And we all would like to know, how does that person do it so we can all get better and be more around actual photography and not social media. 

00:33:47:29 - 00:34:05:09

Especially in today's world, we see it on Instagram. You see it on social media. You feel like you're missing out on something. But the reality of it is, is that most photographers are just by themselves, and they go out and they make these amazing photographs, but then they're back in Lightroom, editing them in their home. And and so the ability to bring us all together is really important. 

00:34:05:11 - 00:34:06:01

Yeah. Good job. 

00:34:06:13 - 00:34:19:13

Good job to you. I don't do anything. I just push a button and everyone post their photos. And so thank you for posting your photos. Speaking of thanks, I'm glad we know each other. And, uh, one day I will knock on your door in the Canary Islands. 

00:34:19:15 - 00:34:20:14

You're more than welcome. 

00:34:20:16 - 00:34:25:00

All right. You're gonna say, how long are you here for, Ken? I'm like, I don't know until you tell me I have to leave. 

00:34:25:14 - 00:34:26:18

Yeah, a couple of months. 

00:34:29:17 - 00:34:44:06

Thank you so much for joining me for today's episode. Our next show will feature more valuable stories from our community members. If you'd like to audition to be a guest, please visit big Hunter for more information. Thanks again for listening today.