Behind-the-Scenes with Fashion Photographer Roxy Rodriguez

Self-labeled photography freak and geek, fashion photographer Roxy Rodriguez loves all things photography. Influenced by her photojournalist father who staged family photo shoots in the neighborhood park, Roxy quickly moved to the other side of the camera lens – from amateur model to professional photographer – and even reality television star!

Fashion Photography

When Roxy first picked up a camera, she wasn’t interested in landscape or street photography – in her mind, it was fashion photography or bust. But her journey from hobbyist to professional wasn’t an overnight transition. She recalls, “One of the first things I did was assist a professional photographer (which I strongly recommend to anyone who is starting out). Assisting her at her shoots and learning about working with the client pushed me to start working more and more professionally myself.”

As she began building a name and reputation for herself in the fashion photography community, Roxy’s career was suddenly catapulted to the next level when she was selected to be a contestant on Nigel Barker’s competition reality show, Top Photographer.

When asked about her wildest photo shoot, she said, “The first day on Top Photographer, shooting Miles Chamley-Watson, in-studio, in under 30 minutes. I had no idea what to expect for our first challenge, but once I reminded myself that I had done hundreds of shoots just like it, I basically blacked out and let my instincts take over. Definitely, the wildest thing I’ve ever done.”

Inspiration

While fashion photography is her main passion, Roxy also loves to express herself through artistic shoots, focusing on live music and abstract photography, as well as working with instant film. “The personal work I do for myself and myself only. I am heavily influenced by music so I attend a lot of live shows and I used to see photographers shooting during performances. At first, I got into it in hopes that the artist would see and like my photo, but after a couple shows, I realized that it was really for me – it tested my knowledge shooting in low light and under sometimes difficult conditions. My art photography is where I can paint a model’s body, use abstract filters, and break generic photography rules and no one can tell me it’s wrong. It’s where I can be creative and push the limits for no other reason than to create art.”

On professional inspiration, Roxy says, “I love being inspired by different forms of media and other artists. In general, what attracted me to fashion photography was the ability to be creative. Fashion is always changing, which pushes me to come up with new ideas and concepts and adapt to the market. The beauty of working with a subject is that I can incorporate the personality of my model into the shoot and create a story.”****

Workflow and the Photography Community

When asked about her post-processing workflow, Roxy noted that Lightroom and Photoshop are her go-to editing tools: “Every single one of my photos (besides instant film) goes through Lightroom and Photoshop before being shared. Photos go from my camera or phone to my hard drive to Lightroom. The next step is to go through and rate the photos and pick out favorites. Then, I’ll begin color correcting, adjusting tone, playing with contrast, and figuring out proper texture in Lightroom until they are perfect! After that, I export the photos to Photoshop to do any retouching necessary.”

In both her personal and professional life, Roxy surrounds herself with a community of photography freaks and geeks. She says, “I wanted my website to be a place where people who enjoy my photography can visit regularly and feel like the work I am putting out is for them, whoever they are and wherever they are. It’s amazing how your work can resonate with so many people! I also try my best to get back to anyone who emails me with questions or just needs some advice. I love seeing people’s work grow and if I can help in any way, it’s so rewarding.”

So, what does a day in the life of Roxy Rodriguez actually look like? Take a peek…

For more on Roxy, check out her website, Instagram, Tumblr, and YouTube channel.