Ace of LA, black Commes des Garçons tee on, black snapback faced backward, speaks from his studio in a reclined black chair.
As he speaks, it is clear he is reflecting on his journey, with a visceral understanding in a solemn tone that he always wanted to be a photographer, and thus was always going to be.
He dropped out of high school at an early age to become a photographer. And amidst family members and peers thinking it was a hobby, temporary, or just fun-and-games, photographer Ace of LA stuck with his craft because he knew it was anything but.
He started taking pictures of people he wanted to photograph; “people that gave you that magnitude in front of the camera…” He then transitioned into photographing models, often with no pay.
But Ace of LA doesn’t see free work as just that, because that endeavor is always going to end up in securing a bigger paid opportunity.
“We are in a never-ending journey,” Ace of LA says solemnly. There isn’t a day that goes by where he does not learn something new about himself and his craft.
“The only thing I can tell that young shooter is just to keep being hungry, keep wanting to create, and keep wanting to excel.”
Ace of LA
Ace of LA’s ability to live in the moment enables him to stay grounded and focused on the task at hand. Treating every project like it is a big-budget blockbuster means he is always seeing the best work emanating from his eye and fingertips.
Stay tuned for more of his work and his fashion line here, and check out the rest of our Finally Focused series below.
So maybe for those of us on the East Coast or just not in tune with our creative side, have you ever heard of Ace of LA? Let me just say, hereâs one shooter who has completely transcended what we all think makes up the word âphotographer.â
We got an exclusive chance to talk to Adalberto Ramos, or âAceâ for short, about his methodology behind photography, and generally what he thinks about a lot of common âshooter-esqueâ questions.
I personally know that starting out with my first camera, all I could think about was the fact that everyoneâs equipment around me looked so much better. Forget talent or hard work. There were thoughts that Iâd simply never be able to create something as great as some of these shooters with my little Canon Rebel T6 that plagued my mind on a day-to-day basis.
Ace was genuine in his answers and gave a perspective similar to so many shooters around the world, including myself.
âCameras are like relationships. Some mean the world to me and some⊠I just donât even think about them. I feel like cameras represent a time period as relationships do. So to say what the first camera I owned was like describing my first relationship – A MESS!
Now how many of us can relate? Ace continued:
âAnd itâs easier just to say âhey, Iâm a photographerâ versus âI really donât know what Iâm doing with this camera. I just know it feels right⊠Iâm just simply enjoying moments.â
If that wasnât you starting out, then I donât know man, do you, but this to me is just too accurate. How many of us starting out in photography just wanted to shoot artists, models, or anything else, but couldnât?
Itâs always comforting knowing someone ahead of you experienced the same difficulties in the beginning.
âYou have to understand, I didnât go to school for this. I learned as I experienced life. Which lead me to figure out the camera. But it’s not the camera that makes you capture great moments because itâs just a camera…”
“Itâs what you experience and what you want the world to see when you press that button. The pain, the beauty⊠you name it.â
He makes the best point here. The greatest aspects canât be taught, theyâre acquired. Everybodyâs photos generally look the same, mostly because of editing, but once you scratch that, whatâs left? Each and every shooterâs outlook on life.
For most of us, we find ourselves living life through a lens – Once you take that step back, and actually live what you experience, you might see your perspective change.
âMy biggest challenge was allowing myself to see what I am experiencing.â
The Mexican American lensman has made strides within his craft and not for one second did he let his ethnic background or racial identity stop him from accomplishing his photographic goals. That’s the type of focus I’m talking about.
As we talked, we got more in-depth about working and really making photography more than a hobby. A lot of us have the talent, but just havenât yet found the right outlet to make it sustainable.
âPeople pay for what they want. But free work is still work. Thatâs the biggest misconception people who just started âcreatingâ donât get. You have to give in order to receive⊠If you do good work, people will pay for your good work. Youâre only as good as your last job.â
Itâs true really. Weâre so quick to get the bag, that we forget the process. Sometimes expanding horizontally is just as beneficial as vertically. Another big point Ace of LA made surrounded preparation for shoots, and just maintaining focus.
âIf you donât love the subject then there is really nothing to focus on. So you must love the subject. As corny or as stupid that may sound. But itâs the truth.”
Ace explained that “when you love something, there are no distractions.” As a direct result of diving headfirst into his craft, “he’s able to ignore the world.” These emotions help bring lighting and composition to the world each photographer is trying to create.
It happens too often for young shooters either taking on a task they have zero interest in or too much to handle. Nonetheless, if you love and appreciate what youâre shooting, there wonât be a failure. Allow your senses to kick in and shoot your experience.
Everything we talked about was so relevant especially to this new generation of shooters worldwide – Even extending to creators, everything was relatable. As far as any last bits of knowledge, he said it best.
âAttitude determines what you capture. What you capture is what you focus on. What you focus on develops who you are.â
Thanks, Ace, and remember, young photographers, stay the course.
