Meet Annie Untalan | Photographer

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

Hi Annie, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind my success is passion. I know, I know… I know what your thinking so cliche right? Its as simple as that. Passion drives me to not give up when it gets slow and there’s no business, passion drives me to stay up and edit pictures, passion drives me to create new things and lastly passion helps me keep going. Its like the talented dreamer Jim Henson once said, “Life like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending.” I live by this everyday. There’s ALOT of crazy things going on in the world right now, I don’t choose to ignore it but instead I choose to accept, grow and keep going. Thank goodness I grew up in the 80s where , honestly I think every creator of cartoons and movies were on acid or shrooms haha! My imagination has a mind of its on and sometimes I have to second guess my visions but majority of the time I believe in my visions and I roll with it. By all of this I believe my business has been successful. At the end of the day just put on your earplugs, ignore the nay sayers, and keep going! Its up to you to be successful! Don’t give up and let passion drive the car!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have loved photography since I was 13 but never took it seriously till I moved to Kauai. That magical island unleashed my passion for photography again. My friends always looked at magazines and Instagram and said why can I look like that? I thought to myself why should models have all the fun. Hence my Mojofotoco Alter-ego project was born. Me and my participant work together on a concept that works with both of us, as long as my client feel comfortable that’s what matters the most. My main focus to help my client feel comfortable, beautiful, strong and most of all have fun at the same time. I want them to unleash there inner lion, there inner diva, there inner alter-ego. One of my most favorit sessions to do is my Mojofotoco Alter-ego Project. This project is very near and dear to my heart. I created this so woman that don’t usually get dolled up get the experience of a life time. I work closely with other makeup artists and I create a vision for the ladies that fits there personality. The most important thing is that you feel beautiful inside and out and having the pictures to prove it… this project helps me create that. My favorite is when I see amazing woman transform before my very eyes. I like to see someone evolve into there alter-ego. Helping woman unleash the inner model/diva that is deep inside them. The best feeling is when I hear those 3 magic words… its when my alter-ego participant says “IS THAT ME?” The best emotional paycheck that just fills up my soul and gives me goose bumps. My goal is to make every single woman out there feel beautiful in there own skin. You deserve it!!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love the Vibe district, pungo and the ghent. I can seriously hang out at these places for hours!!! In the Vibe district my favorite place to hang and have meetings at is Commune great staff, great food and atmosphere. Pungo is great to drive everywhere I love to just get lost honestly. But my secret not so secret spot is The BEE and The Biscuit it may be a long wait to get inside but its ALL worth it! My favorite thing to get is my shrimp and grits with extra crap meat hahah they know lol. I love this place. And lastly how could you go wrong with ghent there’s so many spots to take some pictures I am in photo heaven. But my weakness is Cure. The atmosphere, the staff and location is great. I’m so in love with cobble stone roads there and vines growing on the brick walls. These places have my heart.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Thank the universe for my amazing husband Eric Untalan that believed in me and saw things in me I didn’t see!! He is an amazing and talented man, you can say he is a “jack of all trades”. But what he is in currently right now is a Owner of The Wrap dojo as a Pro vinyl wrap installer. You can find him at www.Thewrapdojo.com as well as instagram @thewrapdojo

Website: www.mojofotoco.com
Instagram: @mojofotoco
Facebook: Mojofoto Co LLC

Image Credits
Mojofotoco