Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Hernandez.
Hi Chris, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I came to photography fairly late in life. I’m a longtime police officer, plus I served in the Marine Reserve and Army National Guard for 27 years (including one combat deployment to Iraq and one to Afghanistan). I always had a passing interest in photography, but in 2015 a friend asked me, of all things, to take pictures of a funeral from a helicopter. After the funeral I decided I should actually learn how to take good pictures, so I bought a starter camera and jumped into digital photography.
At some point, I realized I could blend my new passion for photography with my lifelong passion for military history, and my collection of WW2 uniforms and equipment, so I started taking WW2-themed portraits. Then in 2020 I randomly encountered a 1947 Speed Graphic film camera, bought it just as a photo prop, and then was surprised to discover that it works. I started taking film photos, and collecting film cameras, and got so crazy into it that I now have dozens of film cameras and prefer film to digital. In addition to military and tactical-style portraits I’m getting into vintage pinup-style photos, plus I do weddings and other standard stuff. Photography is still just a side job, but my dream is to someday retire from police work and be a full-time photographer.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest obstacle is that I’m a terrible businessman. I love taking photos, and I think I’m pretty good at it, but I hate the business side.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
If anything sets me apart, it’s that I have a fairly substantial collection of WW2 uniforms and gear plus a military-style motorcycle that I use to take realistic-looking military portraits. And being a combat vet, I know what looks cool in a picture. I’m trying to shift more toward film for vintage portraits, because film has a vintage feel and look that just can’t be replicated digitally. I also recently started taking 60s- and 70s-themed portraits using my and my wife’s collection of vintage clothes.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Not really. I have a busy career that I love, and a big family that I love, and if I’m not working or spending time with family I’m screwing around with my cameras. But I do get a lot of inspiration from seeing photos taken by other local photographers. We have some incredibly talented photographers and models in the Houston area.
Pricing:
- Generally $125 an hour for local shoots, a little more for travel and specific gear or motorcycle requests
Contact Info:
- Email: HoustonCombatPhotography@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houston_combat_photography/
