Art & Life with Diannie Chavez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Diannie Chavez.

Diannie, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
My journey is nowhere near finished nor have I reached the climax of my story. In fact, at this point in time, I am still discovering who I am as an artist. For a large majority of my life, I have always been more inclined to look at things in a more artistic way. When I was younger, I loved to draw, paint and overall just express myself in a creative way.

However, it wasn’t until an uncle of mine, who volunteered with a Media Ministry, invited me to help at an event that my interest in photography was born. It was then that I realized what a powerful tool a camera was. That day, I was handed a DSLR camera, was given a quick crash course on how to use it and was put in charge of taking photos for the day. When I got home, I started to research and began to follow the journey of different photographers.

Fast forward about a year, I was gifted my first DSLR camera. From that point on, I spent my free time learning all that I could about photography and editing; I would take my camera everywhere. At first, I practiced a lot of portrait photography on my friends and family. But, as I continued to volunteer with the media ministry my uncle introduced me to, I soon fell in love with a more photojournalistic style. I would pay attention to the little things most don’t. To make a long story short, I never took photography courses or anything of the sort. What I know today is thanks to a flame that ignited within me.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I have explored different styles of photography throughout the years but have recently felt inclined to pursue photojournalism. As cliche as it may sound, what has stuck with me the most is taking photos that capture emotion. When I take photos at different events I don’t necessarily think about capturing what is happening, rather I resonate with what people are feeling and freeze that moment in time.

Although a lot of my practice has come from portraits, I have recently put more of an emphasis on a black and white photojournalistic style in my photos. I have chosen to omit the color because it widens the possibility for interpretation. However, I am always looking for a new challenge and am open to new techniques, themes, etc.

That being said, those who follow my Instagram page can look forward to a new variety of photos in the time to come. I would rather play around with style until I find the one that fits me best as a photographer rather than stick with what I’m comfortable with. Overall, my photography is a work in progress and will continue to change as I continue to learn.

How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
Measuring success in art isn’t as easy as, let’s say, grading a multiple choice test. Because art is open for interpretation, we can’t base our success solely on the opinions of others or by comparing our work to that of other artists. In fact, the deciding factor to success should be the measurement of progress we’ve made over time. That being said, it is vital that, as artists, we are open to constructive criticism, change, and especially failure. These are the things that allow us to see the good and the bad in our work, therefore, making room for progress.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
As of now, I only publish my work on Instagram. I have thought about starting a blog, but given that school takes up a lot of my time, it sits only as a possibility for now. In terms of supporting my work, I appreciate every one of my followers and their collaboration with my work. I use ‘Instagram story’ as a way to interact with my followers through the use of polls; I value the opinions and constructive criticism of others. Additionally, I am always in need of new people to practice on. Therefore, if you are in the Phoenix area and are interested in being a model, don’t hesitate in contacting me; I’d love to work with you.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 602-503-6818
• Email: dchavez9258@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/captured_visions/

Image Credit:
Haydee Moran

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