Meet Hudson Caceres | Photographer

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

Hi Hudson, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Sometimes I can get a little bit stubborn! Have never been a fan of having people tell me what to do, and it was mostly a subconscious motion towards anything that brought me money without having a boss!

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.
One day I saw my neighbors dog and got down on the floor to take a photo of it from its point of view. It was a little poodle terrier thing, one that kind of squeaks instead of barks. The photo looked alright, and I showed the owner of the dog and she actually liked the photo quite a bit. “Oh wow! How cute.” She said, despite having never said anything to me previous to that moment for the last 2 years we lived by one another. It was an old woman, maybe a slightly grumpy one at that. So I thought wow, I wonder how much she’d like it if i printed it for her, and so I printed it! It was a slightly discolored 8.5×11 print and when I showed it to her, she went absolutely berserk. She was in disbelief that I captured such a gorgeous image of her beloved dog, and thanked me profusely for glorious image I had delivered to her.

And then she gave me $65! I didn’t even ask for me money, she just threw it at me.

It was very apparent immediately that I had found something special! Just that moment alone made me realize that there is obviously a market for people having a physical manifestation of something they care about. And that stretches far beyond ones dog. People love seeing themselves doing something cool, pictures of their loved ones, places they hold close to their heart, things they think are beautiful, and anything else you can think of that sparks someone’s emotions.

Eventually I’ve gone on to do more standard photography work, photographing families, weddings, events, headshots, and whatever else, but it is my primary income as of now. Was it easy? In a sense, yes it was, Usually anytime I’ve done anything in my life, the direction to improvement and development was difficult to find. For photography on the other hand, it seemed to lead me on its own, perhaps because I love everything about it. I love the activity itself, I love the gear, I love the social aspect, I love that it gives you a reason to go anywhere, I love seeing people receive something that they care about, I love being my own boss, and I could go on.

What do I want the world to know about my brand and story? I want people to know that if they really like doing anything, you can find a way to make a living doing it, just gotta be willing to work with people in the meantime. And I mean anything! Adopt an entrepreneurial approach to your favorite activity, abandon your shame, and in time you will find opportunities to make it happen.

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’m from Hermosa Beach, but if I were to bring someone from out of town we’d have to go out of town as well. Downtown Hermosa is fun, maybe skateboard around the city, but I love Venice Beach. Love the weird culture, I love the skatepark, and I think it’s a great place to take pictures and see a location that’s unlike any other on Earth. A cool mix of rich Southern California and dirt and grime. A lot to see and a lot to do. Palos Verdes is beautiful, Paisano’s Pizza is solid, Al Noor in Lawndale is wildly good, Shin Sen Gumi Hakata Ramen in Gardena is great too.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A couple of people come to mind, first I have to acknowledge is all of my siblings. I am the second youngest of 8 kids, and almost every facet of my personality seems to have its roots in my siblings influence. Stretching from my interests all the way to the way in which I do business, they all seem to have have a role.

Specifically in terms of business, my big sister is a hip hop artist that has really pushed the limits of marketing, entrepreneurship and creativity in her work. I think to share your work in any environment requires of a sort of shamelessness as well as confidence that makes others perceive you as a creative individual worthy of putting to a paid gig, allowing you to make a living out of your passion. So she comes first.

Another mentor I had was a man named Tom Bertolotti. He is an academic from Italy, a photographer, and a man that has given me brief but very valuable guidance! Getting into the professional world of anything can be very difficult, and he took time out of his life to show me the ropes of a proper photography business that led me to feeling like I was delivering a valuable product.

Website: Www.Hudsoncaceres.com

Instagram: 17thstreetphotography

Yelp: Hudson Caceres Photography

Youtube: Hudson Caceres

Other: My YouTube channel is music but I’ll throw it there anyway. Feel free to include it or not.