Lucas Garrido is a photographer whose creative perspective has gained him global recognition. One of his most celebrated works is his collaboration with the worldwide respected artist Halsey and the astonishing art album for If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power.
Within his work, we can see that he has photographed elite athletes like Naomi Osaka or Roger Federer and Hollywood celebrities such as Emma Stone. He has also worked for international brands and has some conceptual work that elevates plurality and appreciation of the body to a sensitive and artistic experience that comes as a sudden emotional manifest.
We spoke about his career and creative process, so do not miss out on this exclusive only for Vanity Teen.
A genuinely beautiful experience
VT: How did you discover your passion for photography, and when did you decide to keep doing that for life?
LG: Long story short, I grew up believing I would be a DJ.
When I was 13, I started playing music composing software and using the money from my birthdays to buy my first turntables & vinyl albums. Pretty soon, I started Dj’ing in a small techno club.
One day, I met one of the photographers of the club, she proposed to take some pictures one Sunday morning at the park, and there’s where it all started.
Then, somehow, I realized that photography was another form of expression that I could have fun with. Quite soon, after that shooting, I got my first camera and started experimenting with it, the same way I was doing it with music.
VT: 2021 was a fantastic year for you since the world celebrated your work and aesthetic. You worked with companies like Nike, also photographed talented artists like Emily Aylin, but your work for Halsey’s album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power was a total success. So, what would you like to share about this experience?
LG: Working with Halsey and all their team was a genuinely beautiful experience. From the minute they told me the concept they had in mind, I immediately got attached to it.
It was a very long and intense journey. Lots of work hours every day, for weeks. But the reward was immediate. Halsey and her creative team knew what they wanted, but at the same time, they’d be listening and being very open-minded. And that made things way smoother and pleasant.
VT: Others of your works, such as Popular and In Gravitas, are amazing, but sometimes social media censor your photographs for including artistic nudity. Therefore, what are your thoughts about these new policies that affect artists like you who may use the naked human body in some creations?
LG: I don’t sweat it too much, to be honest. I keep my conceptual work for my pleasure and expect to expose it in galleries in (hopefully) the near future.
IG will never be the best platform to showcase conceptual work. It is one of the biggest social media platforms, being used by, pretty much, all kinds of humans; therefore, their policies and restrictions aren’t necessarily thinking of the interests of the artists. Having said that, I do believe its policies need to be reviewed and updated. Sometimes you only see nonsense.
A sudden emotional manifest
VT: How would you describe your creative process?
LG: I generally collect ideas from 3 places.
From my day-to-day and mundane world, places in which I witness objects, humans, plants, animals, or ordinary things happening that unexpectedly trigger some ideas.
From the high and lows of my life: the beautiful and euphoric times full of endorphins and serotonin, and moments with a total lack of them.
And, sometimes, psychedelics.
Once the concepts are in my head, I try to bring them to life soon before they get decaffeinated in my head.
VT: Your work goes from shooting with artists to sports, fitness, or advertising; however, I have noticed that you love to capture emotions in people’s eyes, and I love that. But, what comes to your mind while shooting and selecting the final art?
LG: It’s hard to describe, but somehow, if the person I’m photographing has a genuine reaction, a sudden emotional manifest while being inside the scene, that triggers some attachment in me. It tends to happen right at the beginning, and I usually finish the day knowing which image is the one.
VT: What do you love the most about your work?
LG: I love meeting creative people and getting the opportunity to witness brilliant minds in the works, getting to travel. And last but not least, I unconditionally love meeting people that are so hard-working and help me develop.
Enjoy the process
VT: Which are your plans for 2022?
LG: To be more selective.
VT: How do you preserve your mental health?
LG: Cc’ing my therapist.
VT: Which words would you like to share with those young people who might be thinking about pursuing a career in visual arts?
LG: Folks, enjoy the process, push but don’t rush, and most importantly, be thankful for the people who help you.
Before we go
Lucas Garrido has demonstrated that sometimes life takes us to places we did not expect, but those experiences might help us discover our true passions and explore some of our hidden talents.
This artist has also reminded us we all should remain humble and thankful as we always have to remember who we are, where we came from, and who has been there to help us.
To know more about his work and see more of his outstanding photography, we can follow his social media @lucasgarrido
Let us work hard and enjoy the process!