Join us on an inspirational ride with Carlos Molina, the Ecuadorian wizard behind the lens, as he chronicles his evolution from a phone-picture aficionado to a highly sought-after fashion photographer and music video director in New York. You'll be captivated by his heartfelt stories of determination and the crucial connections that fueled his ascension in the competitive creative industry. It's a tale of passion that triumphs over profit, with Carlos opening up about the pivotal influence of his 'Dominican brother' Yolkis Cabrera and the indispensable role of networking. The conversation is a treasure trove of motivation, revealing the trials and triumphs of an uncharted journey through the lens of a true visionary.
The narrative takes an insightful turn as we explore the everyday grind that shapes the world of creativity, revealing the improvisations and quick thinking that can save the day when gear is forgotten and natural light becomes the unexpected hero. Carlos's upcoming projects beckon to a vibrant future, merging the artistic realms of fashion and music. We peer into the personal lives that mold our ambitions, saluting the immigrant spirit that sacrifices in the pursuit of dreams, and discussing the legacy we all aspire to forge. This episode is a celebration of the creative community, emphasizing the power of shared stories and the impact of social media in boosting the voices of creators like Carlos. So stay tuned, because this chat is just a glimpse into the narratives that ignite the fires of innovation and camaraderie among artists everywhere.
Join us on an inspirational ride with Carlos Molina, the Ecuadorian wizard behind the lens, as he chronicles his evolution from a phone-picture aficionado to a highly sought-after fashion photographer and music video director in New York. You'll be captivated by his heartfelt stories of determination and the crucial connections that fueled his ascension in the competitive creative industry. It's a tale of passion that triumphs over profit, with Carlos opening up about the pivotal influence of his 'Dominican brother' Yolkis Cabrera and the indispensable role of networking. The conversation is a treasure trove of motivation, revealing the trials and triumphs of an uncharted journey through the lens of a true visionary.
The narrative takes an insightful turn as we explore the everyday grind that shapes the world of creativity, revealing the improvisations and quick thinking that can save the day when gear is forgotten and natural light becomes the unexpected hero. Carlos's upcoming projects beckon to a vibrant future, merging the artistic realms of fashion and music. We peer into the personal lives that mold our ambitions, saluting the immigrant spirit that sacrifices in the pursuit of dreams, and discussing the legacy we all aspire to forge. This episode is a celebration of the creative community, emphasizing the power of shared stories and the impact of social media in boosting the voices of creators like Carlos. So stay tuned, because this chat is just a glimpse into the narratives that ignite the fires of innovation and camaraderie among artists everywhere.
What's up y'all? Welcome back to the innovators. Then I am forming on this hashtag. Please follow us at the innovators.
Speaker 2:
Then I'm here with Steve all business and we have a very special guest today, carlos Molina. What's up, my brother?
Speaker 3:
hey, how's everybody doing? Feeling great. This is a beautiful experience. This is an amazing studio. I'm having a great time yeah, that's what's up.
Speaker 2:
So you know we met Carlos Molina. He's been shooting a lot of dope videos. He's a fashion photographer. Film come on like music videos as well he does. He's been working a lot in the lying industry, and English as well yeah, working with music videos and stuff like that, and we've met in a few places, you know. So we just circling back and you know I needed to highlight his story because you know he's been highlighting a lot of creatives, so I wanted to highlight him today. What's up?
Speaker 3:
so basically, I'm from, I'm from Ecuador yeah so I got here when I was 13, 14 years old, grew up with my parents, my grandparents, over there and then I got here when I was 14, had the pleasure to meet, you know, like different creatives.
Speaker 2:
By that time I was just like starting by learning by myself but I thought of photography, though, like that was the first way to get into creativity. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:
So like, for me, photography is like like having memories that will last forever. So I first, like I was just taking pictures with my phone and I was like you know, like my friends were like yo, you're doing this, this, you know like hot, as a hobby, but you can become a photographer. And I was like I'm not sure you know, like I didn't know how to work with the camera back then. So I just really wanted to see how, how things will turn out if I would chase my dreams. So I bought my first camera and then I just started to play around with it and I will just come to the city every day just from Jersey though.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, yeah so I'm from Jersey, live there my whole my whole life, and I used to. I used to come here, like most of the time it didn't matter if it was raining, if it was snowing or, like you know, if it was a storm. I just really wanted to get out there to meet, you know, like different creatives, and to become the person who I am today yeah, yeah, but that's a journey because you have to hustle, like does not happen in Jersey.
Speaker 2:
You have to like travel to New York, to the Bronx and where you's gonna be like man, yeah, yeah, home to like shoot. But you know you build your career like that.
Speaker 1:
Now that's awesome so can you speak a little bit about that, like, about like what tools you like to use, elaborate on, like what you've learned throughout your yeah.
Speaker 3:
So back back then on, one of my close friends introduced me to a fashion and lifestyle photographer here in Washington Heights. Mm-hmm, and I was like I want to give it a shot, but I was enrolling in college so I didn't have enough time and there were so many, so many opportunities that I was missing while I was working, going to school, paying for all my classes and then having some time to, you know, be out there and take some pictures. So I really wanted to decide and to take a step forward to my dreams. So I came here to the city. I worked here for two years with a fashion photographer and that's how I fell in love with photography itself.
Speaker 2:
How you got into the film, because then you started doing. You weren't working with award-winning artists. You know what I mean. Yes, so like.
Speaker 3:
I have a close friend. This is my Dominican brother, so shout out to Yolkis Cabrera, he's a music director, a producer as well. We went to high school together and we were like, since we were young, we were like yo, I want to do this, I want to do that, but we didn't know how it's going to happen, you know. So we decided to meet once we were done with the school and we decided to build like a little small company, you know, so we can support each other, me being a photographer and my brother being a music director.
Speaker 2:
So you was like the cinematographer on the set. Yeah, on the set so right.
Speaker 3:
That's how we got the connections. He knows a lot of people in the industry and sometimes we'll, you know, like travel, work hard to get to whatever we want it to do and sometimes, when you're just at the right place, you meet the right people, you get the right connections. That's very important to be like open minded. You know, Sometimes I feel like people are just chasing the money, but you know, if you go further for your dreams and you're listening to your inner self, you're going to get where you want to get in life.
Speaker 2:
So this is one of the main points that I would say how do you when you're like going to go work with different products? I don't say it to that.
Speaker 1:
It's also like you're not able to really know what that path is going to look like for you.
Speaker 3:
So you know, kind of be open to To open yeah, open to you know, when you're like, when you're growing up, there's so many places that you can go and you don't know what's going to happen. There's no GPS.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, there's no.
Speaker 3:
GPS there's. You know you don't have a path when you're going to be successful and then another path when you don't know what's going to happen. So you always have to like, chase those dreams, keep believing in yourself, never give up and and. In the process you're going to meet different creatives who are going to improve the way that you work or bring you up as well.
Speaker 2:
Right, then how about what you're doing, right?
Speaker 1:
Can you speak about like one of the projects that you've worked on that stands out?
Speaker 3:
Yeah, so I was just talking to Steve. One of the biggest projects that we have done is the remix of Elisabeth, which is Alex Bueno.
Speaker 2:
That's a huge Dominican artist, from Dominican artist right, oh my God.
Speaker 3:
It's one of the biggest right Back then and nowadays as well. So we got a big production company that wanted us to shoot the music video and that was like back in 2019. So we were just hustling, doing a couple of videos here and there, but that was like one of the first shots that we have to take the opportunity and make it as good as we can so we can open more doors and we can keep growing as a business and as a company as well. So there's more videos that we have shot in the DR because it's a little bit cheaper over there.
Speaker 3:
Because right here a production for a music video is like 50, 100k. If you get that budget here, you go to the DR. You're gonna shoot a movie. So that's basically it.
Speaker 2:
You use a strategy like we could get a budget but we could maximize it in other countries to film videos at a cheaper rate. That's dope, that's interesting.
Speaker 3:
Yes, so that's one of the main parts I wanted to highlight the dreams. You never know who's going to different places. You just have to follow your path. I consider myself a dreamer. I've been doing photography for about nine years. The first years were like I was a little desperate because I really wanted to learn. Back then I was going to school. I was working in construction for three years that's crazy and while I was working in construction I would come to the city for my photography.
Speaker 3:
With the photographer right yeah the photographer, so he was guiding me, putting the pieces together so I can come up with my own project, and it was actually a tool for me to save up some money to buy a better equipment. It's always good.
Speaker 2:
You got investment to yourself.
Speaker 3:
Yes.
Speaker 2:
People forget to do that.
Speaker 3:
Right, you can have the best camera, but if you don't know how to use it, then what's going to? Happen. So I feel like you have to take those baby steps in order to become, or like to be, more sufficient or better at it.
Speaker 2:
How can you?
Speaker 1:
describe your photography style. I noticed that you shot a lot of artists and stuff. It's like a specific. You can tell your work from something else.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, so for me it's like I really love connecting with people who love their craft, their art, people who are true to themselves, and that's how I get to tell their stories. I had a lot of projects that I've worked with different artists. They will always give me an advice, so I'm always looking up to different creatives as well. They will always give me an advice to just keep chasing your dreams, keep going forward, and that's what makes me that's like a fuel or like a gas to keep going. So like I get the you know I don't get the artist part I get the background. I can take notes and see how they work and that's how I that's the story.
Speaker 3:
The way that you express them.
Speaker 2:
You usually behind the camera.
Speaker 3:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
I got you in front of the camera. I think it's a blessing that I could do that and bring you here and connect with us.
Speaker 3:
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2:
It means a lot to us because I know you're growing, bro, you know what's happening, so that's just going to take off and it's a blessing to have you. What are some hardships you've had on set, like you know? Or some like bloopers that happen at a very important shoot that you're like, hey, what happened, as you know, can happen right.
Speaker 3:
So don't get me wrong. Like nowadays, not a lot of mistakes could be made. You know, behind a big project.
Speaker 2:
Right.
Speaker 3:
So at first, you know like there were like a couple of mistakes, maybe like we will get to one place and we will like forget one light which it was very important, but we were shooting outdoors as well, so we managed to work with the lighting. So we will just come up with different ideas, like it didn't matter if we have like a big light or like a smaller light. We just wanted to like recreate what it will look better for the artist.
Speaker 3:
You have to pick in the middle of light, yeah, it was like it could be like a rush, but you can. You just have to, like, come down and think what tools you can use, because you know you have a natural lighting out there If you're working at night. You know, here in the city there's a lot of big signs.
Speaker 2:
Right.
Speaker 3:
And it's always, it's always beautiful to like, explore different perspectives of like, how you can create.
Speaker 2:
What's next for Carlos Molina, like what, what, what plans you feel you have for yourself?
Speaker 3:
Yes, I'm pretty important is like I'm currently working every single day in the studio. I have a lot of big projects working with clothing brands. I also have some, a couple music videos that are going to be produced here and in DR, and I just wanted to like step on this platform and you know, like just to speak from my experience, so other people can, you know, like get some inspiration Right, because this is that's how life works. You know, you never know who's going to be the next big thing. You just have to like keep pushing, keep pushing and see how how things are going to turn out.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, and show up. You know, show up.
Speaker 1:
Yeah show up, show up you know what's your favorite camera to use right now.
Speaker 2:
Oh, so he's talking to language, yeah.
Speaker 3:
So I'm a cannon guy, okay, since day one. The first camera that I bought it was a kind of 5D Rebel T5. And that was like back then in 2014, 2016. And that was like the main tool that I needed to learn how to like fully manage, know how to like work with the settings.
Speaker 2:
To go into another step so you went from camera to lighting specialist Lighting specialist.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, to get you, to get you know, like different props for the studio or like lighting equipment. Nowadays I'm still working with Canon, but I'm not. I'm not going to say which one is it, because that's the secret.
Speaker 2:
Just kidding. That's dope.
Speaker 3:
That's um, yeah, so, like, as I was saying, you know, like, um, I was born in Reyes in Ecuador. I came here when I was 14. I have this dream stuck in the back of my head till this day to always just keep pushing, keep going forward. You know showing up, as you said, steve, because you never know who's around, you never know who's looking. We're here in this big place and there's so many different creatives.
Speaker 2:
You know, like there's a room right now.
Speaker 3:
You can feel the energy, the good energy, the good vibes and everybody you know like you just want to support each other as well because that's a very important thing.
Speaker 3:
So if you have a team behind you, you're going to be fine. I feel like not even the artists like the musicians. They are not by themselves. They have like a marketing agency, they have like people who dress them or like a makeup party. You always have to have like a try to build your team. Always try to get like some different perspectives as well, because you can be focused in one thing but you might not look around, right? You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:
It's funny you mentioned those industries, because I feel like we have someone in each of those industries.
Speaker 2:
In this room right now there's one of all of those in here. We got entrepreneurs, photographers, creative directors.
Speaker 3:
We're all just having fun chasing dreams and making things happen.
Speaker 2:
You know, just showing up try to do yeah, immigrants, we are all immigrants. Well, not me, but our parents work. I have to factor that and having to create our own foundations now to be able to create and create our own platforms to communicate our stories and highlight each other, etc.
Speaker 3:
You know so and to look back. You know where, like your, your parents have to come to a different country so you can have like a better future or like new opportunities as well. Right, and I feel like I'm thankful for that, for my parents as well. You know, because they came when I was three years old and back then my mom had a visa. So once she will come back, she never, she wouldn't, she wouldn't be able to come back.
Speaker 2:
You know, because you know for the she was safe throughout the time of yeah so it was like she.
Speaker 3:
She had to. She had to make the decision of like, you know, like living living me in Ecuador with my grandparents so she can come here all by herself. She didn't have no family. All my family is over there, so it's like it does. That's till this day. That's why I keep pushing as well you know, so she, she came here by herself.
Speaker 2:
So I gotta, I gotta step gotta step up, put up, put up, put up. Yeah, that's empowering, bro, that's very empowering, you know, and that's what we, we hear to do at the innovators and we hear the highlight people who have stories already that y'all don't know about that have bigger stories because they hear to do it for themselves, their family and the people supporting them.
Speaker 1:
And inspire people watching that's important too. Well, what can people find you Like? If someone wants to find your work, what can they find you online?
Speaker 3:
Yeah, so, um, most of my work right now. Right now, I'm currently building my website. So I have my, my Instagram, which is Carlos the Molina photo, and that's where I have been putting all the work that I've been, you know, like learning and from all those different experiences as well. That's where I keep my work for now, but I'm currently doing a lot of different projects to build my, my website. I'm gonna I'm gonna put it because sometimes I feel like we get too comfortable and that and we see something, but it's not it.
Speaker 3:
It's not it, there is always yeah there is always something new to learn every day.
Speaker 1:
Right, and you know like I've been.
Speaker 3:
I've been going to that through that lately that I can just, you know, keep pushing and making things look better.
Speaker 2:
Right, yeah, yeah. And I think we use the same thing Every time we shoot. We always figure out, oh, we could have did this better, this better, and every time we're like we, we, we knock out those little bullet points that we see that we can get increased on the lighting or the set or something to get better. So, yeah, that's, that's important.
Speaker 1:
How do you stay ahead of like trends and stuff? Like in the industry there's a lot of different trends, like with cameras, with fashion, lifestyle.
Speaker 3:
So, like I, I mainly look look up to different artists from like Europe or like Japan or like with the clothing as well, like I'm really. I'm really big into clothing as well because I love to style my, my models whenever I have like different shoots.
Speaker 2:
Right.
Speaker 3:
If I, if I don't have like a style is on set, I can just improvise. So I'm always looking into different countries as well. Right, so I can. I can like mix, mix them together, so I can like do my own thing, right? No? Get inspiration from the inspiration from different cultures so I can combine them and put them into one piece to to bring the project.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, that's dope. You're a style curator that's dope, I well, I think we this is amazing, you know to have you on and to tell your story. We need to always highlight people like you and we appreciate you and we look forward to working with you.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, I appreciate it On incoming projects.
Speaker 2:
Thank you so much. You know we got Carlos Molina, we got formal. You know that hashtag. Yeah, I got Steve O'Bizness and I got another episode on the innovators. Then Make sure to subscribe like hit the button share.
Speaker 3:
You got to share that. You got to share that you know just share it, it doesn't.
Speaker 2:
it doesn't hurt. I got to hurt, but it's a wrap. Thank you Thanks.