Meet Chris Torres | Photojournalist and Reporter

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

Hi Chris, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I pursued a creative career because I realized I was not very smart when it came to academics, but once I began photography and studied journalism, it all naturally made sense to me. I was picking up the concepts of photography quickly and I had no resentment towards learning and practicing photography. I became obsessed and ambitious because I really loved creating visuals, rather than having to self-motivate myself to study concepts on mathematics or science. I was always encouraged to go into the medical field from my family, but once I told them I was going into photojournalism, they fully supported me going into a creative industry. So with their positive feedback and my ambition to continue working on my craft, I decided to pursue this as a career.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I work as a photojournalist for a community news publication called the Santa Clarita Valley Signal. Despite it being labeled as a small paper, we served a community of more than 300,000 people. I developed an affinity for photography in early college after realizing I did not want to work in the medical field. After learning the basics, I enjoyed taking photos, but I never really felt fulfilled because I always wanted to work in a field that helped people or provided a service to the community. I almost stopped photography, but then I took my first journalism and photojournalism class in college. I then realized that journalism and photography go hand-in-hand. I learned that I can use my skills in photography to inform people of what is going on in the world and tell stories of interesting characters in the community. I understood that my photography could inspire others by telling community stories and have a positive impact on the people I photograph. Now, as a full time photojournalist, I am seeing the impact I have on people. Community members reach out to me saying how much it meant to them that I told their story and how someone was inspired by the work I have done. It truly fulfills my moral and ethical mission of helping and inspiring others to be the best person they could be.

It was not easy to get to where I was. Throughout my college career, I tried to shoot as much as I could, but journalism also involved writing, reporting along with other aspects. It did not help that I was a shy kid that enjoyed being by himself most of the time. But I fought my fears and now, I am more comfortable going up to people and talking with them. I was rejected by EVERY internship I applied to and had to take other customer service jobs, on top of school, just to get some money in my bank account. My work paid off and I was able to spearhead both my student publications as Editor-in-Chief and that experience led me to my first full-time job at the Santa Clarita Signal.

I tell students that if they want to pursue this as a career, they can’t get discouraged with rejection and you can’t be lazy when it comes to shooting. I was always very motivated to get better in my craft even when I wasn’t feeling well. My goal is to be great and it takes loads of hard work, determination and grit to be great. I tell them, I am willing to fight through all that to be great, but are you?

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?
I would definitely take them to the tourist spots in Los Angeles, but in order to get the best experience in this city, you have to visit the local spots and community hubs to understand how important culture is to the area. I would take them to Disneyland, Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Universal Studios, along with the site seeing destinations such as the Hollywood Sign, The Staples Center to watch the Lakers and the beaches up in Malibu and Santa Monica. To balance it out, I have to take them to my favorite taco stands and food vendors in Los Angeles. I would definitely take them on the famous hikes and viewpoints as well.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to acknowledge my parents because I wouldn’t have made it to where I am in my life without their love and support. As parents, they have gone above and beyond by providing me with an environment so I can thrive. In doing so, they have sacrificed so much from their lives just so I can focus on my life and career path. Not a day goes by where I underestimate the impact they have had on my life. Along with their support, they also push me to my limits and teach me to never settle because there’s always room for improvement. I also want to thank my girlfriend, Jasmine, for being by my side everyday. She helps me in more ways than she thinks and I am truly blessed to have her in my life. My love for her motivates me to be the best version of myself everyday, so that ultimately we can live a happy life together in the future. I also want to shoutout all the fellow creatives and mentors who have taken me under their wing to help me get better in my field of photography and journalism. Some of them are Jill Connely, Jeff Favre, David Blumenkrantz, Jay Clendenin, Matthew Reyes, and a ton more! Also shout out to my longtime friends (My Moe’s) who provide my life with love, laughter and excitement. They help me take my mind off of work every now and then and it is very refreshing.

Website: https://christorres.smugmug.com/Photojournalism

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris.t.torres/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chris_t_torres

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.torres.3192