Today we’d like to introduce you to Juan Medrano.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Juan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My life began like many people that come to this great country. I was born in Mexico and I have been blessed to live a life full of diversity, laughter, friends and family. When I think of how my life has turned out, there is one constant, one thing that has always remained the same, my love for life.
This love can be interpreted in many ways, for example, my love for people, for God, for celebrations, for the family. Inevitably, even from a young age, this love has manifested itself through the love of art and photography. Art has always been a part of my life, growing up I was that kid in school who always had a sketchbook. Giving drawings to my friends gave me an intense happiness, the smile on their faces was more than enough to make my day. That was my reward. You see, to me, the world is a combination of who you meet and how you build yourself to be, that makes your world what it is.
Sometime later, I picked up a camera and joined the yearbook club. Been hooked ever since! Photography has been my hobby for many years, however, the more I did it, and the more I spread my message, the more people that were drawn to me for random reasons. That encouraged me to turn my hobby into a business. I am so thankful that I met all those people because, through them, I gained the confidence to turn my dreams into reality. They were the seeds that were planted to eventually turn into Blue Elm Photography!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. That road for me was not an easy road to stay on and there were lots of obstacles along the way. Poverty, a single parent, a dysfunctional, immigrant family… I figured that any dream I had would have to wait. So, yes, there were many struggles along the way, but nothing in life that comes easy is worth doing.
So, I just kept my nose to the grindstone and I worked three jobs during college to earn my Registered Nurse degree in Neonatal Intensive Care, not that much related to the arts, however that job fueled my love for life even more. It gave me the ability to experience the joy of miracles. You see, to me, every single being has a purpose, despite their disadvantages.
We all have something that challenges us, something that makes us human in order to become a part of a miracle. I feel we must prevail through our hardships to appreciate life on a different scale. So now, seventeen years, married and a party of four, with the full support of my loving wife, I was able to finally pursue my real dream. There is no secret to success, just dedication and patience, the obstacles and challenges taught me that.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Well, let’s just say Blue Elm Photography was founded through the hearts of many. All those people that helped me get my start, I owe them so much. They trusted me at a time when I didn’t have a lot of experience. I find joy in everyone and in everything.
Photography has given me the way to capture such the beauty of the world. It gives me ways to show how a smile can connect happiness at a universal level to how a tear can deepen the heart and soul.
I am driven to find such beauty and share it with the world. In so, I find engagements, weddings, portraiture photography to fulfill the passion of my art. The story behind each photograph leaves the purity of a moment, a time of reflection for which will never be forgotten. My art is a derivative of my imagination, it is something I feel was born with. My goal is to get better day by day and pursue my happiness by the inspiration of many.
What were you like growing up?
Well, let’s just say I was never the quiet person in the class, that’s for sure! I remember always having to deliver my report card to my mother in shame of the comments “Juan talks too much in class.” As much as I felt the need to talk to people to make them laugh, it was also my hopes to make them happy with my drawings. Growing up I was that kid who always had a sketchbook, as my love for drawing grew so did my dreams. What I mean by dreams, was literally just that.
As a young boy, I would have what I called then “nightmares.” These dreams would consist of random things/objects changing in different perspectives, dimensions, colors, pattern, and textures in fear striking shapes and forms. Since they were so hard for me to explain I took it to the drawing board. Art was a relief to my mind, so when I discovered giving drawings to my friends made them happy so did my appreciation for artistry.
Giving drawings to my friends gave me an intense happiness, the smile on their faces was more than enough to make my day. That was my reward. All that was translated into photography one day… not sure how, but suddenly I had a camera in my hand and I discovered I could make people happy that way. I’m so happy that I made that transition. It literally changed my life!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.blueelmphotography.com
- Phone: 956-639-8193
- Email: juan@blueelmphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blueelmphotography_juanmedrano
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueElmPhotography
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlueElmphoto
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/blue-elm-photography-conroe
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
