Meet Donna Cavazos | film photographer

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

Hi Donna, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor is being authentic to myself and my vision. While half the time I really don’t know what I’m doing, I do know what is see creatively is unique and I want to never bend my vision. My creativity is mine and it’s not to fit in societal norms or a bend to the pressure of my peers. As long as I stay authentic to myself and keep loving what I’m creating, my business is successful.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always had an eye for things people do not see, the sidewalk chalk, the stickers placed in random areas of town, the joy from a moment others may not catch. I am authentically myself in the way I capture my photos and that is what makes me so proud of what I do. I often say that I really don’t know what I’m doing, I just point the camera and snap, and I love that about my art. The risk, the finality of 35mm film, the questioning if what I captured will come out as I planned (sometimes it does, sometimes its better, and sometimes it absolutely sucks).
I am lucky enough to have people and a community that supports me and each other, and I do credit those who taught me and gave me a chance to get where I am professionally. Friends who believed in me and let me do photos for events, (thanks Marina!) and those who got me out of the house and showed me their own art, what they shoot to show me that it doesn’t all have to be the same. I didn’t even have a website until a few years ago when a friend from college started pursuing their career in photography and began publishing (hi, Gabriella!). I took these steps to publish myself and turn my hobby into a career by a sheer F it mentality. I had the support, the passion, and the inspiration to do so and I did it.
Ive really had to learn not to discredit any of my art. What I may not like someone could, what I love some could not like. I unfortunately had a few pauses in my creative career because life gets in the way and sometimes the world is too heavy to think it matters but it does. Personal, social, and worldly problems should not stop creativity and I have learned that it is always with me, I just have to not be so hard and down when the problems are around.
I just want the world to see what I see and get a glimpse of my life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First things first, we’re watching the sunset at Sunset Cliffs if its not June gloom or May grey. Wr’d visit a few of my favorite restaurants: Mekong, Bica, Formoosa, Animae, Trust, Papalo, Ironside, and La Dona. If Hell Yeah Helena is having a pop up we’re going. Coffee and sweet treats from Muri, An’s Dry cleaning, Mr. Frostie, Mostra, and Saigon Coffee. Late night drinks at Aero club, Turf supper club, Botanica, and Whistle Stop. The zoo is a must, so is a nice picnic at the Marston House in Balboa and if there’s a game at Petco park we’re going. I always try to show the things that a visitor doesn’t have in their town, because San Diego has it all!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Beers and Cameras crew from 2019 deserve the biggest shoutout. They were my first friends who taught me about film photography and showed me a community in San Diego that I didn’t have just yet. I vividly remember me going on the first crawl and not having a camera (I did not shoot at the time) and they said, “you have a phone camera, that counts too.”
My father, RIP, also deserves a shoutout for giving me the nickname Nanu as a child.

Website: https://nanuphotos.zenfoliosite.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nanu.photos/