9 Years of Adriana Arguijo Photography 🎂
This month marks 9 years of Adriana Arguijo Photography! 🎉
This will always be more than just a job to me. That is why I decided to do something a little different for my anniversary photos this year. If the past year has taught me anything, it’s that creating is one of the purest forms of humanity, and I need to honor it whenever I can. I feel so present when I reach that flow state. Like I’m stepping into a world where time doesn’t exist and I can earnestly translate what’s inside of me — free of judgment, competition, or shame.
I knew photography was embedded in me when years ago someone asked me: “Can you really see yourself doing this for the rest of your life?” and I could hardly wrap my head around the question! It’s always felt nonnegotiable; it’s something I don’t forcibly choose because I know I can trust my intuition to bring me back to my essence. It’s muscle memory.
When clients ask how my business came about, I tell them it was kind of an accident (which is partly true). I didn’t take so many photos growing up because I wanted to make money from it. I did it because my reverence for life felt older than me — sometimes too great to carry in my baby heart. Before I had the language for it, I dreamed of taking the intangible and translating it into something I could see. In retrospect, keeping this to myself made me feel alone. What joy is there in witnessing the world’s wonders if you can’t share them with someone else?
Once I started to truly share my work, teachers, classmates, and friends would tell me how cool it was to re-experience the pep rallies, dance recitals, and football games through someone else’s eyes. Those words meant the world to me. And though I still felt misunderstood at times, I saw that my work had a positive effect on those around me. I was helping people view the ordinary as something extraordinary.
Fast forward 9 years, and clients are seeking out my work for the qualities I once believed were too unconventional. I am so grateful for that. Collaborating with people who appreciate my process is very special to me. It pushes me to keep engaging with the world, not solely as a photographer, but as a more attentive human being 📷🫶
