Meet Pipe Yanguas | Photographer & Artist

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

Hi Pipe, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
By people, stories, books, places, experiences, nature, music, design, art. I am a visual and sensitive person and find inspiration all around me. There is always something happening, from the clouds formations, to the people’s behaviors, to the movement of the trees around me or the shapes of a bird flying by. I don’t get to be present every single moment and experience everything that is happening around me, but when I happen to be in such observational state I always get inspired by something by just being aware.

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.
All my life I have always painted, drawn and been keen of the creative world. However, as I was growing up I never assumed it as a career but always saw it as a hobby. I ended up studying Business Management at the University of Miami and pursued work in the corporate world for a few years after graduating. It didn’t take a long time to get myself involved in the creative land of design and enrolled myself in the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale where I finished a residential design course. Broadening my view of the creative studies I ultimately decided to pursue one of my biggest passions, photography. I moved to Milan where I completed a 3-year photography degree at the Istituto Europeo di Design. Since graduation in 2010 I have been a full-time photographer.

As a photographer, I specialize in photographing the passions of people. Whatever someone loves of their life is what I come to photograph for them. Let’s say it’s their passion for boat sailing, or guitar playing, gardening, origami, fashion, spending time with family, playing with their pet, horse back riding, yoga, or even the first coffee in the morning, etc. It can be literally anything as long as it is the activity or people they feel the happiest with. I always use natural lighting and the setting is always one that is common for them or dear to their heart. Then, I keep photographing each individual/family’s passion/s over time, at least once a year for the rest of their lives. All these images are assembled into a coffee-table book that tells the story of their lives. I call this book a Photobiography and every year gets printed thicker and larger with all the pictures we have done until the date. Making photobiography books for clients has taken me to travel recurrently to many places around the globe like the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.

In 2020 during the pandemic’s quarantine I happened to be in Colombia visiting family when airports started closing and the whole world was in chaos. Nobody was thinking of photoshoots, and I decided to stay in Colombia at my parents’ place for a little while. During that time in the outskirts of the city, surrounded only by nature, I found a very peculiar bug called a Coreid Bug Nymph. This encounter ignited in me my other life-long passions, drawing and painting. The animal, is one of the most colorful insects in the world and inspired me to do a drawing. For that first drawing I only used dots and lines and that was the beginning of a beautiful art journey that continues until the date. Currently I am splitting my time between my photography business and the art world. With the exclusive use of dots and lines as my language of composition, I have worked with acrylic paint on paper/canvas, video art, digital art, and muralism.

As common in the freelance world, the uncertainty has always been a constant factor. If you manage to be organized, focused and constant it is something that with time you learn to deal with and understand it as part of the journey but not as a struggle. The creative world is a never ending journey and I am happy and grateful to be on it. Everyday you are faced with more ideas of creation and the main struggle is learning to be patient and finish one thing at a time or how I call it: one dot and one line at a time.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them around Wynwood to check out the murals and shops. A bike ride around South Beach to check out art deco buildings and also the South Pointe park. A visit to the Perez Museum, ICA, MOCA , Rubell Museum and The Bass Museum. A visit to the Design District to check out architecture, art and murals as well and ice cream at Audi & Ramsa. I would take them to Calle 8 to check out some salsa spots like Ball n Chain and Siboney. Eating at Ceviche 105 in Lincoln Road, Leku at the Rubell Museum, Abbale in South of Fifth, Table in Design District, sushi at Tony’s in South Beach, Katana in Normandy Isles or Shokudo. Drinks at Broken Shaker, Sweet Liberty, Kill Your Idol or Bay Club.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My loving parents. Both of them have guided me professionally to always strive to excel through constancy and hard work. They have always encouraged me to follow my passion but with dedication and direction to make it work.

Website: www.dotsandlinesworld.com

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

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dotsandlinesworld

Other: www.thephotobiographer.com