Chasing Dreams Abroad

The amazing thing about being abroad is that you’re still able to achieve your goals and follow your dreams. I’m a portrait and fashion photographer based in Los Angeles. The people I have photographed have always been friends or people I reach out to on Instagram. I have always wanted to work with signed models and modeling agencies, but despite my desire, I have always been self-conscious about my work. I didn’t think my work was good enough to send to agencies and always compared my work to others.

Before coming abroad, I made it my goal to reach out to modeling agencies abroad. I kept telling myself “the answer will always be no if you don’t try.” I emailed multiple agencies and at first, none of them responded. It was like waiting for college acceptances all over again, except this time they either responded or didn’t. I quickly jumped to conclusions and told myself that they hated my work and didn’t want to work with me. (Keep in mind this was only one day after sending the email, but it felt like a lifetime to me.) The next day, I woke up and realized I had a bombardment of emails from numerous agencies. Throughout the past 2 months, I have worked with a variety of different agencies. I have worked with agencies in Barcelona, London, and Paris. 

Another dream of mine has always been to do concert photography. I love music, but I’m not musically inclined. I figured I could use photography to enter the music world. I have been to numerous concerts and I have always seen photographers and videographers in the front capturing the artist and their performance. Concert photography intrigued me and one of my favorite artists, Frankie Cosmos, was playing in Paris during my time abroad. I emailed her manager about taking photos for her concert in Paris, and I was surprised when he gave me permission. The day of her concert, I was shaking with excitement and fear. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to capture any photos good enough to send them. I shuffled through the crowd to capture different shots, and I love the final outcome. The best part is that I even got to meet Frankie Cosmos, she reposted my photos on her Instagram, and my photos might be used for music articles and promotions. 

When you go abroad, do not let it stop you from pursuing your dreams and aspirations. Instead, use it to your advantage to make new connections. Going abroad can open new doors for you, therefore try new activities, reach for the sky, chase your dreams because you will never know what the outcomes will be!

(If you are interested in checking out my work, checkout out my website: https://kevinreyes.myportfolio.com/work)