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

Hi Rem, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I chose to pursue photography because I needed something to take my mind off of the stress; specifically from school, my career, as well as my personal life. Over the course of 2019, I came upon some hard times. I experienced failure and loss beyond the limits of what I could tolerate at the time. After some time to myself, as well as some words of encouragement from my friends and family, I came to the realization that sitting around and hoping for better days to come wasn’t going to make my stress go away. So I made the decision to rekindle photography, an old hobby that I loved since middle school. Soon after, I got myself a camera, saved up for some nice lenses, and taught myself basic photoshop. I still have a lot to learn, but I am definitely not the same person as I was two years ago.

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.
I’m truly proud of the people I have met in the photography and modeling community, because they are some of the most hard-working, dedicated, and solid individuals that I’ve come across, and seeing them grow as creators alongside me is hands-down one of the best feelings someone could ask for. We all struggled, but at the end of the day we helped each other grow, and I’m genuinely thankful for that.

The process of getting where I am today was anything but easy. I went through feelings of burnout, self-doubt, and although that was enough to make me want to throw in the towel, I didn’t. instead, I found ways to learn how to better myself, whether it was a from YouTube video, getting advice from my friends, or just going out to shoot and getting the experience firsthand. I’m still learning and discovering new things here and there, but that’s part of the process, and I’m enjoying the journey.

A piece of advice that I want the world to know is that the road to success is one that is rough and twisted. There will be times where people will turn you down, and there will be times where you will want to give up, but you have to keep going.

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?
Oh, boy. I’ve got a lot of spots to choose around Los Angeles, and one of those spots would have to be Grand Central Market. The main building itself has a lot of unique and delicious foods that I would say are worth trying at least once. Plus, the surrounding area has a lot of great photo spots such as Angel’s Flight, the Bradbury Building, and the Last Bookstore, to name a few. If you’re into nature, Ascot Hills Park is a really nice place to check out. It’s right outside the city, and watching the sun go down while sitting atop the hill is really a sight to see.

In terms of food, one of my favorite DTLA spots is a place called Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen. It’s a place right outside of the Little Tokyo shopping center, and I usually go there after I have a photoshoot in Downtown. You can customize the ramen too, which honestly I think is really cool.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I can’t pin my successes in photography on just one person or group, so I would give the credit to my family, as well as the friends I have made in the photography community. Had it not been for them constantly pushing me to become the best that I could be, in both photography and my life in general, I definitely would not be where I am today. Ever since I picked up a camera, my friends and family have been nothing but supportive.

Website: www.instagram.com/rem_ritrato

Instagram: @rem_ritrato

Other: TikTok: @rem_ritrato

Image Credits
Aimee – IG: @mochitokki__ Ayron – IG: @riced_neko Eman – IG: @th.eman Joy – IG: @joywunders Miles – IG: @pb.and.jaded Gloria – IG: @gloriawoohoo Cici – IG: @cicioffici.al Angela – IG: @a.nguyee Meliza – IG: @zealouzbrz Z – IG: @pandabunny86 Joy S: @omgjoyy

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.