Meet Luis Rodriguez H. | Off-Road Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Luis Rodriguez H. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Luis, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Initially, my idea was to turn my hobby into a business, and thus feel that I never had to work again. From there, the process began where work was simply going and doing what I loved in the desert.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Well, I’ll start by saying that I’ve been involved with off-road racing since I was 8 years old, and from that moment something captivated me, making me want to be a part of its history, to leave my mark, but always as a member of the press, as a media outlet. At 14, I started as a cameraman for a company that made off-road racing videos. I supported their work for about 10 years, always present at these events with a video camera. As time went on, my passion for photography began. The first time I took photos at these events, they turned out very bad; I didn’t even know how to use a camera. The switch from a video camera to a still camera was a challenge for me. After that first event taking photos, I started studying sports photography on my own, reading articles, learning about my photographic equipment, watching YouTube videos. I became a self-taught person, and my passion for the sport of auto racing grew. This led me to develop the ability, through two subsequent events, to produce decent photographic work. The path to becoming a professional off-road racing photographer wasn’t easy. I faced several challenges along the way. For example, the first was fully understanding the functions of my camera. Another very interesting challenge was learning the angles I needed to position myself at, using my imagination to anticipate how the cars would pass my position on the track. As you can see, my work is in the desert, in places with dust, sun, and uneven terrain. But above all, the biggest challenge, and the one that gives me the necessary adrenaline to keep doing what I do, is that these are “unrepeatable photos.” The vehicles travel at high speeds, and you can’t retake the photos, you can’t make mistakes, because there’s no second pass, no second lap, or you can’t say, “Let’s take the photo again.” It’s simply a matter of being prepared and shooting. This is truly the biggest challenge and what fills you with adrenaline.

I would like people to read in my story that dreams do come true, that the path to achieving your dream is always very complicated, but that with perseverance and dedication you can achieve it, and even get paid for it. That’s my case; I get paid to go and take pictures of vehicles in the desert. Thanks to my perseverance, I’ve managed to turn this into a business where, through advertising my photos from my sponsors and the sale of photos, it’s profitable, and you feel like you never have to work again, because basically, your hobby is your business.

Regarding my brand, I can tell you that “Luiguimix Digital ART” emerged as a project where I wanted to leave a legacy of my life. The word “Luiguimix” comes from a friend at university, since at that time I liked to mix music, and as my name is Luis, and I also mixed music as a DJ as a hobby, he came up with the name “Luiguimix.” Then, when I started my photography project in 2010, I thought of combining digital art with my nickname, and that’s how “Luiguimix Digital ART” came about. My logo is a caricature of myself with a camera and lens, and on the lens is the pattern that symbolizes autism, in honor of my son.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, actually, where I live is a relatively small city. I’m originally from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. Here, we experience eight months of extreme heat, and the remaining months are just temperate. It’s never really cold here, but even so, visiting is quite an adventure. Some of the best things about my city are the food. We’re famous in Mexicali for Chinese food, considered the best in the world. If you come to Mexicali, Chinese food is a must. We’re also known for our carne asada tacos; they’re fabulous. Although we have many nice shopping malls, we also have a beautiful desert, a volcano, and we’re a valley surrounded by mountains. We also have a beach, which is the port of San Felipe. We’re a couple of hours from the Bay of Angels, where you can enjoy marine life, whale watching, etc. Mexicali is really characterized by its heat, good food, and friendly people. We’re direct neighbors of Calexico, California.

Mexicali is really characterized by its heat, good food, and friendly people. We’re direct neighbors of Calexico, California. Some of the most emblematic figures the city has produced include boxers like Maromero Páez, who was a world champion at one time, and highly successful musical groups like Reik. Los Tigres del Norte, the international group, began their careers here. We have been the setting for major film productions, thanks to our desert landscapes; big Hollywood productions have been filmed in our city. Our beaches are where the totoaba and the vaquita marina thrive, and I believe it’s the only place in the world where that happens. We also have an oasis in the Mexicali desert known as Guadalupe Canyon.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate this interview primarily to my 7-year-old son, Luis Mateo. He is an autistic child, and he is my driving force, the one who motivates me to keep going. I hope that one day, when he can speak, he can say that his father is a person who was always happy and dedicated himself to what he was passionate about. I also want to mention all those who, directly and indirectly, have supported my work over the years: the brands that have sponsored me, and the people and teams who have believed in my photography.

Website: https://luiguimixdigitalart.com/

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LuiguimixDigitalArt

Image Credits
They don’t take up any credits, they’re mine.