Ernesto Perez is an Exclusive Licensing Contributor based in Venezuela, with over 300 images in his Licensing collection. He shoots a variety of content, from travel and documentary to vibrant lifestyle sessions.
Q: Your most recent shoot took you to Miami, was this spontaneous or planned?
A: Spontaneous, and it was amazing. I would say it was a wonderful surprise.
Q: You’ve incorporated a variety of vibrant and complementary colors within this shoot, how did you find this location?
A: I’m always thinking about images. One day while I was taking street photos, I saw the facade of the building, and I was hypnotized by the colors. Normally my photos don’t have that much color, however, I took the chance to do something different and expand my boundaries.
Q: How did you source your model, and did you plan her outfit around the colors within your location?
A: When I saw the place, I called her immediately and told her to wear something with bright colors. However, I am able to work with what I have on hand and make it work just fine. There is a beauty in not planning every single detail. In the end, you can surprise yourself with the results, and that was exactly what happened with these photos.
Q: Why a yoga shoot?
A: I love human anatomy, curves, forms, and movement.
Q: How did you plan for this shoot? Were there a series of shots or poses you were aiming to capture?
A: I was looking to create contrasts with colors and shapes. I wanted to incorporate the human figure with the palette, and create a story of how it feels to practice yoga.
Q: What did you find most challenging about this shoot?
A: It wasn’t the best hour when I went, there was a lot of light and I didn’t want shadows — just color—but I worked it out in the end.
Q: Where do you look to for inspiration when shooting this kind of content?
A: I don’t look for reference. I get inspired by the world, music, conversations, human contact, and then somehow, I can translate that into images. It is how my mind works. I try to create everything from my mind—I don’t care if I make mistakes. I love the feeling that whatever I create is mine.
Q: This series diverges from your typical documentary style photography; how do you feel this compares to what you typically shoot?
A: I think that my style is in all my shots, but this one is a little different. It was a challenge to get away from the hardness of my work and try to deliver something more colorful. Right now, I’m in a more colorful moment in my life and is reflected in my work.
Q: Will you be planning any more stylized shoots in the near future?
A: Yes. In fact, I already did some similar photoshoots, and I’m looking forward to continuing to explore this path.
Q: You have licensed quite a bit of content through 500px, do you have any tips for other photographers looking to license their content?
A: Once you understand how Licensing works, it is easy to think ahead and plan your next shoots a little better so you can sell your content correctly.
Click here to learn more about Licensing with 500px.
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