Meet Aaron Mendoza | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aaron Mendoza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aaron, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I chose to pursue an artistic career in my photography/videography work because I have a deep love for documenting the space around me and the little moments that happen in my everyday life. I am constantly reminded of the beauty and the contradiction of my environment, and I am able to express who I am through this interaction with my space. In pursuing this endeavor, I have been able to remain true to myself and inspire others to explore their own creativities, which I am extremely grateful for.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started off with photography as a means to document my own life. I always loved this creative outlet as my own way of expressing myself, but for a time I did find myself comparing my own work to others and feeling like I was not “good” enough. It’s a challenge that I am sure other artists can feel on a daily basis. I use to think that maybe it was because I didn’t have the right equipment, or I needed to go to more interesting places to create compelling and meaningful images, but once I began to recontextualize my relationship with art, I was able to make things that were true to me. A big part of it was always pursuing my creative endeavors as an act of redefining who I am rather than focusing on the monetary aspect of it. The way I visualize the world and bringing what I see into an image for others to view. Everyone has their own perspective and story worth sharing through their own mediums.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Growing up in Northern California and finding myself always visiting San Francisco and the surrounding areas, I’ve come to really admire the surrounding nature in the Bay Area. As for a dream itinerary, staying at a cozy cottage in Sausalito for the week, which has a ferry that takes you into the City. For a day in San Francisco, I am personally a big fan of riding the cable cars and seeing where they take can take you. On warmer days, having a picnic in Mission Dolores Park is a must, and also catching a sunset by Sutro Baths or Ocean Beach. SF has so many museums worth visiting, but my favorites are definitely the De Young Museum and the Legion of Honor. I’ve grown up visiting Japan Town a lot and one of my favorite ramen places, Hinodeya Ramen is located there, and there is also this cozy bar called On The Bridge for some Japanese beer or Sake.

To balance out being in the city, my two favorite places in California, Mt. Tamalpais and Point Reyes are both a drive away from Sausalito. I can easily spend a month exploring these little pockets of nature. Mt. Tamalpais is one of the few places where you can drive up a hill above the clouds, and sunsets around this time are otherworldly. And the whole drive to Point Reyes is a roadtrip within itself. From driving past opening and vast farmland to visiting cheese factories, historical towns, and of course the Point Reyes Lighthouse and the seashore. This part of California seems so separate from the rest, like I traveled into the countryside of Ireland or Scotland.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my friends and family, and to those that have been supporting me from the very beginning. There have been many moments where I wanted to give up on making art, but I was always reminded by the people around me to never let my own success be defined by external factors. I appreciate James and George for reinvigorating my passion for photography and videography, and other supporters that share their own perspectives of my work. It motivates me everyday to continue creating and sharing my tiny little piece of the world with you.

Website: https://aawoza.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aawoza/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aawoza

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNXP9KP6DQA6twZigvOjiOQ

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@aawoza?lang=en