Meet Abraham Mazariegos | Fashion Photographer & Model Booker

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

Hi Abraham, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
“I never imagined being a fashion photographer nor running a model agency”

I started studying architecture and then graphic design. Here I learned photography basics and I’m asked to cover events like birthdays and meetings. Me being someone very shy, I hated it and because of it very shortly after that I put away my camera and said.. this is not my thing.

One day while scrolling through youtube I ran into a webinar from Natalia Taffarel, a fashion and beauty retoucher, and I fell in love with her work. At this point is where I started finding something that links things that I like and I started specializing in retouching photography. I can’t remember the exact moment when I started using Photoshop, that was when I was 15, and obviously what I did was horrible. By then Photoshop was already part of my every day, but after this, it had another meaning.

While I was going through this, I worked at GUiSHEM, next to the designer and brand creative director, Guillermo Jop. Here I meet and walk into the fashion industry, that I loved ever since I was younger. I started seeing all the graphic side of the brand and as time passed I went adding more until I became the official photographer for the brand. When the brand already had a name and had already dressed several Hollywood artists as Kristen Stewart, Kelly Osbourne just to mention some. And that was something big and a big responsibility that pushed me into giving more, to investigate, to improve. I remember the previous night before doing my first campaign for GUiSHEM, I couldn’t sleep because I was so nervous.

The years I worked at GUiSHEM helped me to get to know and understand the fashion industry from the inside.

Something that changed the course of my career was meeting my best friend Bryan Valladares, who I had already worked with years before because he’s a model. He gave me the confidence to grab back my camera and start creating. Shortly after, we decided to found FACES MODEL MANAGEMENT, with the idea of finding and training new faces that comply with the international standards and to make the fashion industry grow in Guatemala.

Throughout this time I have worked with different designers, magazines, models, stylists, makeup artists … It was something that I did not plan, it happened naturally.

Being here seems that it has been easy, but one of the challenges I have had is to fight with my mind, is that voice that tells me that I can’t do it, that enough is enough and I want to give up. There are days that are easier than others and others where I wonder all day if it’s worth it. That has been the most difficult part, in our mind, it is not always so easy that without the help and support of others it would not be possible.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
“I help others shine”

My work is for others. Accomplishing the understanding of a vision and portraying it in the images is what I do.

I love seeing the happiness of people when they get to see the final result. The expression shows that your work and effort were worth it. Same as seeing the models looking at themselves in the photographs and see how excited they are because they don’t believe it’s them in the pictures, how beautiful they look, and what they’ve helped create. Feeling that excitement from others is priceless.

I want to be the person who creates beauty, that when you see my work you feel the need to stop and appreciate it for minutes, and then you’ll want to see it again.

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?
First I want to thank my parents, who have always supported me no matter what idea I have in mind. And I know they will always be there when I need it.

To Guillermo Jop, for being one of my tutors and helping me create, for being so patient with me, and for all the good moments we’ve shared.

My friends that are there whenever I need a distraction or a hand for support and help.

And especially my best friend, Bryan Valladares, who has helped me grow professionally, and above all he has helped me grow as a person. For filling my days with joy and for still believing and trusting me despite that I have not always been the best person.

Website: https://www.facesmodelmgmt.com

Instagram: @abrahammazariegos

Image Credits
Ab01 Designer Irene Martense / Model: Aleksandra / @iamfacesmodel Mua and hair: @Jenrivera.mua Ab02 Designer: Sharkar / @sharkarstore Model: Zarah / @iamfacesmodel Mua: @Jenrivera.mua Hair: Karla Ortiz / @karlaortiz80 Ab03 Model: Mayra / @iamfacesmodel Mua: @Jenrivera.mua Ab04 Designer: Sharkar / @sharkarstore Model: Aleksandra & Mayra / @iamfacesmodel Mua: @Jenrivera.mua Ab05 Designer: D. Schafer / @dschaferofficial Model: Pamela/ @iamfacesmodel Mua: @Jenrivera.mua Ab06 Designer: GUiSHEM / @GUiSHEM Model: Kathia Hair: Karla Ortiz / @karlaortiz80 Ab07 Designer: @mauricio_samayoa / @etzbal / @nantextilesgt Model: Lupita / @iamfacesmodel Ab08 Model: Bryan / @alexanderunico