Meet Daniel Jerez | Photographer and Videographer

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

Hi Daniel, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
When I started as a photographer and freelancer I was able to put a lot of my time into it. Any time I was not working or with my wife was dedicated to bettering myself and seeking the opportunity to use my talents at a professional level. Now, as a father of one beautiful little girl and with another one the way, with some time I have finally found the way that works for me. Without a doubt it comes with compromise and guilt. You have to be able to tell yourself how you are bettering your skills not just for the sake of getting better but for them as well. There will always be a side of you that will feel guilty for putting time aside to do something you are passionate about and not dedicating 1000% of your time to your family, and for that I have my wonderful wife to thank. Without her not only would there be no time management or a photographer at all as she is the one who bought me my very first camera. The balance in my life works not because I am able to separate these two parts of my life and balance them but because they are a part of each other. So despite the guilt you might feel and the moments you may sometimes miss, giving your family something to be proud of is just as important. I owe them everything as they are what drives me forward more than anything to be better!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a photographer and as an artist in general you are always looking to improve and evolve the way you create. Validation from others that you are good at what you do is a big help though sometimes can be a bit biased coming from you loved ones. My photography style has always been a little on the underexposed side but also on the slightly over-saturated side. I love subtlety making colors pop while keeping the image neutral although every once in a while I will go crazy with color. I think this brings a strange balance to the images I capture and the way I see things. More often then not when I take my camera out ready to snap a picture I can see the final result in my head before I even press the shutter on my camera; and are able to retain that image until I get home to edit it and recreate what I saw in my head. This helps create a clear vision for what it is I want to capture and what I want to achieve with that specific shoot and helps my clients have a peek at what the result will be. I think they enjoy that as well! Although landscapes are more my style there is an unquestionable beauty in capturing someone’s smile and allowing me to express my art through them!

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?
Always start with the beach on a sunrise. One of my favorite spots to move on from there is the friendship bell in San Pedro, CA on which I have done many photoshoots including being in one when my wife and I got married, Then there are the botanical gardens in Palos Verdes (South Coast Botanic Garden) which has a beautiful area with so many good places for shots and a very nice walk. You can never go wrong with downtown LA if you want something a little more city like and you can always finish it off with the Redondo Beach pear which has a lovely dusk and night scenes and lights. I guess spots like these are not so conventional or popular but also makes them very special. No matter what you can’t go wrong, very solid street food if you want flavor!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
If there is anyone to thanks as I have stated before it would be my wife. She has beyond helped and helped shaped my passions, desires and ability to pursue these passions. She is without a doubt one of the reasons I get out of bed every morning with a desire to chase my dreams and become better everyday! Her name is Arleni Ibarra and besides providing endless support she also gives me immeasurable love and understanding. She deserves more than just a little credit, she deserves it all!

Website: https://www.danieljerez.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danieljjerez

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danieljerezphoto

Other: https://unsplash.com/@danieljerez

Image Credits
All images were captured by me.