Today we’d like to introduce you to Polo.
Polo, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started designing urban clothing around 2013. People would always ask to see pictures of my latest designs but I didn’t have a photographer. One day while driving down I-10 I had a crazy idea, why not just buy my own camera? After a few weeks of playing with the camera I began asking some friends to model the clothing. We would find different locations around Houston and would take photos. The different logos and colors blended well with the multicultural background the city provided. Many of my friends were car enthusiast who really enjoyed the clothing. They would wear the shirts and hoodies to car events all over Houston. While taking pictures at one of the car shows a model asked if I would take a picture of her for social media. I took the photo and didn’t think much of it.
The next day, I woke up to hundreds of followers, comments, likes, and notifications from the picture I posted of the model. I was so confused because I just started taking photos, and I wasn’t even technically a photographer. Why did people find the photo I took so interesting? People commented how they loved the angle, the lighting, how beautiful the model was for what seemed like days. After that day, different models would message me through Instagram and asked if I could take their photos. I took a break from photographing the clothing and tried focusing on taking pictures of people for a few months. I used the same techniques I applied while taking my friends photos around Houston and it was working. Today I am still taking pictures of people all around the city. What started as a small mission for a start-up clothing line, ended up turning into my career in photography.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It wasn’t always a smooth road because as a new photographer people don’t always take you seriously. They think you aren’t experienced, that you don’t really know what you’re doing. I would ask people to do photoshoots all the time and they would quote me outrageous prices. One model said it would cost $15,000 for me to take her photo. Being a new photographer around Houston, was definitely a challenge for me because you really have to prove yourself. You have to make a name for yourself. Something that’s authentic and something people can recognize. It took me years to do that.
RICEYFLUSH – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
RICEYFLUSH is a lifestyle brand that focuses on popular trends through photography and film. The name RICEY came from a nickname I had for my car. It was a lowered Acura with custom suspension that sat really low to the ground. FLUSH came from the fitment of how flush the wheels sat underneath the Acura’s fenders. I’m a photographer, videographer, and sometimes a director. I’m known for capturing photos of models, celebrities, and people throughout Houston. I am also known for taking pictures of cars, mostly custom cars and lowriders. I’m most proud of having an unbiased perspective when it comes to photography. It doesn’t matter what type of person it is, what background they come from, when you step in front of my camera lens, all I see is art. What sets me apart is how I take photos because I enjoy taking photos. I don’t do it for the fame, or for popularity, I do it because it’s what I like to do.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I credit Dexter (IG: visually_dex) for essentially teaching me how to be a photographer. I saw him at a car event and he showed me the proper manual settings on the camera. I also would like to shoutout Toz (Charlitoz) for teaching me how to be a great photographer. Dex was able to provide me with the foundation I needed and Toz was able to fine tune it. For years his knowledge and mentorship has helped me to create a stake within the photography community. Without the help of both of these guys and many more, I wouldn’t be the photographer I am today.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riceyflush
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