Meet Leslie Rodriguez | Food Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leslie Rodriguez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leslie, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I grew up in Pasadena, CA. and am the daughter of immigrant parents, nothing new as most people in CA have immigrant parents now. However, having one foot in Latin culture and one foot in the American culture was always a dance that had to be balanced out. Speaking Spanish at home to not loose our culture and having pb and j for lunch like the rest of the kids at school.

Having a window into the old culture and the new has definitely influenced the way I view everything, mores so now with age. Besides my Latino roots, growing up in California has an influence on your entire view. We are spoiled by the bounty of food we produce all around the state, as well as all the other cultures you find around the city and state. Not everyone is this lucky to be able to say let’s go out for Mexican food and have the luxury to say “what region of Mexican do you want to have?” Then we have our mountains, beach, Hollywood, desserts etc. We have a little bit of all kinds of environments to go and inspire ourselves with pretty much year round. We forget some states have all seasons and don’t have access to the beach in December, but snow till about April.

Today the person I am is concerned with keeping traditions alive to share with my son, sharing my culture as well as making sure that he learns about other cultures. I have the relaxed California vibe that shines through my images. They tend to be light , airy and full of color. I am open to trying most anything, activity and food wise, yet, also driven to succeed and grow my business. After having my son I realized how much of me my photography business is a part of me. I feel selfish for taking time away from him and yet, if I’m not able to express myself creatively I am not my true self for him, I feel as though I drop into a depression , and yet a few hours of creating a beautiful set of food images brings me to life. I’m like a flower and without creativity I droop as a flower without water, just a little creative time and I come to life .

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started off my career as a product photographer, though I had fallen in love with food photography in school. At some point after working a variety of corporate jobs I though I would just shoot food shots for fun for a new app that had come out called Instagram. That would be my fun personal project, and it just took off from there. I found that I preferred shooting food over product and decided to make the switch.

What sets me apart from others is a code of reliability and professionalism that keeps me to my word. Now with digital cameras everyone is a photographer , but not everyone can follow through. My images tend to lean to more real to life sets with fresh flowers and food . I create the kinds of images that make you want to be “there” at that moment enjoying that moment in life.

It has not been easy at all. I decided to start my business right out of high school and have grown and learned from that moment in 2000. I have apprenticed for free for years learning from all the men that dominated in the industry and have grown from there. Constantly having to prove myself because I am a woman, I was young, I was Latino you name it. Plenty of times I held down a full time job and worked freelance jobs on my day off or after work just to get my name out there and build my credibility. With time I grew my skills and my confidence in myself enough to take the plunge and go out on my own.

The road has not been easy, but with each difficulty I’ve learned something new every time. To this day I am still learning new lessons. Most importantly to plan ahead, always have your spoon in a variety of pots, you never know when one stream of income may slow down , but with planning you will always have work available. Don’t let someone tell you what you are, you have to be self assured and know yourself well enough to stand up and advocate for yourself. Photography is still an art which means it is still subjective to everyones opinions so you still have to have a thick skin to take in all the feedback.

After the pandemic it feels like we are starting from zero again. I have always been the type of person who was ready and willing to work , I want my client to feel as though I have given my all to their project every time. I want them to be amazed and in love with their images. I don’t want to be the famous face behind a brand I want to be the creator that everyone knows they need to make their brand pop. That even though I am a Latina woman that I CAN get them what they need and will work hard for them just as I do for myself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For a week long trip I would say you know what lets start at the top of the state and work our way down. I’d hit up Napa valley and try the wines and amazing food producers , maybe go to a farm to table event. Head on down to San Francisco and go to the Ferry Terminal and check out all the amazing food vendors , farmers markets, and definitely plan out how to attack so many amazing restaurants, bakeries etc. We would obviously check out the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, etc. Heading down we can stop by Yosemite and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We would head to San Simeon and Santa Maria to get some BBQ. In the morning we would head to Solvang for a Dutch breakfast a quick stop in Santa Barbara . On the way to Los Angeles we would drive the back roads that I used to drive while going to school and check out all the strawberry fields and orange groves and get some produce. Once in LA we would go to downtown and for sure visit Olvera St, Chinatown, hit up the Fishermans Outlet for fresh grilled fish , Little Tokyo and get some HoneyMee honey and cream Ice cream. Dinner at one of the many amazing restaurants in the Arts District ( would depend on what you were craving at that point.) The option then would be to continue going down the state or stay in LA and Orange county? If staying in LA we would go to Echo Park, Dodger Stadium, Santa Monica to the beach, Beverly Hills because you just have to, Hollywood is a now brainer. I can keep going and still would not scratch the surface. There is too much to see in just a week. I would go to Mini Kabob, Monta Factory, Porto’s , Urth, so many to name and not enough time.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents for sacrificing so much of themselves to provide my sisters and I with a spring board to a better life. My husband for being a supportive partner and cheerleading me on when I feel that imposter syndrome creep up. My son for showing me how to experience life for the first time all over again and show me the beauty in the simplest of things and how exciting everything can be. For the friends that have come and gone and given me what I needed at certain points in my life.

Website: www.scottstudios-id.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslierodriguezphotography/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-rodriguez-a30471a/

Image Credits
©Leslie Rodriguez