Meet Arlyn Manuela | Photographer

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

Hi Arlyn, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
My end goal as a photographer and creative is to hopefully one day show the world that art is still alive and it can be expressed in various ways. There is no right or wrong way to express your ideas or capture a photograph despite any trend that is in. I want to be able to tell stories with my photography. I want people to look back at my work and get lost in the images. To have been able to allow the viewer to see what I see through my eyes.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Art to me is very subjective, every artist is different. I believe what sets me apart from others is that my work is classic. A mistake I made in the beginning was comparing myself to all the other photographers and wanting my work to look like this or like that. That was a huge challenge for me to overcome and it took me some time to realize that every eye is different and that is the beauty of photography and art as a whole. Once I started to understand that my work being different is my power, I started to feel more confident about my work. Artists can sometimes be their own worst critics and the key is to never place the value of your work in the eyes of another. Not everyone can appreciate your art and that’s okay. I’m very excited to see where this year takes me as a photographer. I have a few amazing projects lined up for this year, many of which will allow me to have most if not all creative freedom and direction. I’m extremely proud of how much I have learned in such a short period of time. I’m also very proud of the simple fact that I decided to actually pursue photography. It’s what truly makes me happy and now that I am doing it more I feel a sense of fulfillment. I want people to know that it is never too late to restart. I was 33 years old when I decided to take photography more seriously and It’s been a wonderful journey since. I am not even close to where I want to be but I continue to envision myself there. None of this is easy, but I believe when someone wants to be successful, they will do anything in their power to reach whatever their definition of success is.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Well, I live in New York and there are an infinite amount of things to do here. So many things to do that it can be overwhelming at times, in a good way.

1. Must have New York pizza because it is truly the best. Rubirosa on mulberry street is definitely a win. Grabbing some latin food in Washington heights is definitely a must.
2. Take the Staten Island Ferry just for the views.
3. Take the Tram over to Roosevelt Island for some great drone views.
4. Dumbo Brooklyn for scenic views of the Brooklyn bridge
5. Crossing over the Brooklyn bridge on a city bike.
6. Visit Chinatown and have some Malaysian beef Jerky which is delicious or go to a few local restaurants and try their appetizers all around Chinatown.
7. Visit the Empire State Building and take some photos while up there.
8. Take a walk in Central Park, maybe even lay out on the grass if it’s warm enough.
9. Grab tickets to see a broadway show on 42nd street while dodging the tourists. That’s an experience in itself.
10. Visit the MOMA, the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, or a bunch of other art exhibits in the city. There are tons of museums scattered around.
11. Grab some Latte’s at Lenox Coffee with cute latte art.
12. Lastly, we must visit Corona Queens NY for some tasty street food right off the 7 line.

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?
There is a group of individuals to thank for any success I have at the moment. Each and every one of these individuals have been a huge inspiration to me. I wish I could name them all but I will name just a few who are prevalent at the moment. I want to start off by giving a shoutout to my photographer friend Gene, also known as Chef jpeg who has taken me under his wing entirely, teaching me so many different ways to approach photography as well as introducing me to editing tools that have transformed my photography and editing in so many ways. A true color master and compositor. I also want to highlight Jerome who is known as Nature of Portraits and has been teaching me so much about studio photography and how to manipulate light in the studio. I would also like to highlight Kerby Jean-Raymond, who has inspired me creatively in so many ways since our highschool days. He is probably one of the most creative individuals I have gotten the pleasure to know. A true inspiration to everyone around him. Kerby also has a unique way of instilling belief in those around him and genuinely believes in all his friends and their talents calling us all artists. My parents and two younger sisters Diana and Emily who are my number one fans. In their eyes I can do no wrong with my work, if they could they could tell the world about me, they would. They’re constantly pushing me and challenging me to be better at anything I put my mind to. Lastly and most importantly, my adoring and loving husband, who truthfully will bend backwards to help me in any way possible with my photography. It’s not easy being married to a creative, we’re always so wrapped up in our own little creative world; but he has managed to make my life so seamless. I wouldn’t be able to do the work I do without him by my side. My support team is extremely strong and that is enough to keep me going. I never take any of this for granted. I am blessed to have friends and family who truly believe in me.

Website: www.arlynmanuelaphoto.com

Instagram: @arlyn_manuela

Twitter: @arlyn_manuela

Image Credits
Headshot photo of me was taken by Jerome C -NatureOfPortraits