PICK AXE & SHOVEL CLUB: MINE FOR SOMETHING, VOL. 2 (w/ Visuals By Isa)

“A Bunch of Free Shoots” 

MINER: VisualsByIsa (Chicago, IL)

PASC Journalist: DMD

*(Amid wrapping up a last-minute editorial shoot that already went over our allotted time, we spoke with Isa regarding the resilience necessary to make it to this point in her career.)

PASC: OK, so who are we with? 

Isa: Isabel Gonzale or Isa, either one. 

PASC: Okay, and where are we at right now? What are we doing?

Isa: Um, we just said a photo shoot for Gold….

*(This was our first shoot with Isa. At this moment she could remember the Gold but not Regency. We laughed as we both sounded it out in unison.)

PASC: We were talking at the end of the shoot, and I overheard you discussing how at one point you almost stopped doing photography and in our view as a miner, the mining process regards the good but also the adversity that comes along with reaching your gold (goals). So, I wanted to ask how did you get through that hardship, stick it through and reach the other side?

Isa: So honestly, one of the main reasons I was really close to giving up was… I had just kind of started my photography journey and I was getting frustrated when the pictures weren't coming out, how I had pictured in my mind because I didn't have the tools and the equipment that I needed. But that shouldn't hold you back. So I talked to my husband, my boyfriend at the time, and he just kept encouraging me and my mom encouraged me a lot and was just like, you know, just keep practicing, because you're not going to be good at everything all at once.

PASC: It seems as if your support system was very vital in keeping you going. 

Isa: Yes, they were very supportive. My husband bought me my first real camera that was high tech and I just kept practicing. I used my friends as models. I did a bunch of free shoots. It took a lot of money spent to get an investment. 

PASC: To get a return on your investment, you had to spend a lot spend a lot of time and money, but it came on the back end.

Isa: Oh yes, a lot of time and money.

PASC: And if I heard correctly, that was about seven years ago? Now you have a successful photography career and do this full time, correct?

Isa: Yes, I’m now doing photography full time.

PASC: Wow, that’s awesome. Could you give us an accolade of yours as a photographer? Do you have any published work or any recent projects that you are excited about?

Isa: So just recently in September, I had my first solo exhibition here in Chicago at The Whim. Which is like an art gallery and bar, but its more of an interactive space for artists and their work. But I’m a mom….

 *(“Oh really?! Congratulations”, this expression of kudos was heard in the background from subject/model of the shoot Bweza.)

PASC: Oh wow, congratulations! 

Isa: Thank You! So my exhibition was on motherhood and the hardships of that, how it can change you completely. That was my most recent project and it actually got me an interview with this magazine out in Portugal. So that was cool. They interviewed me, put all my pictures in their magazine and it also made it to the cover. 

 *(Isa’s phone rings, prompting us to finally shut it down)

PASC: Well, we appreciate you Isa. You’re now part of the “Pick Axe & Shovel Club” and I’m excited to see how these photos turn out. Thank you.

 *Make sure to check out Isa’s work at @VisualsByIsa on IG, her exhibition photos on the aspects of Motherhood that made the cover of Suboart Magazine and more at isabelgonzalez.co