Meet Ailea Lopez | Destination Photographer

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

Hi Ailea, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Love and Serve were words my mentors taught me and I’ve kept in mind with each and every one of my clients. Being in the service industry can be challenging but always keeping this principle in mind has helped me to shower my clients with as much love as I can and it comes through in their photos. When you feel loved you feel beautiful and that’s what I want for all my clients.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a local photographer based near San Juan, Puerto Rico. I have a medical background and always worked in hospitals and while I loved it, the long hours and constant overtime was draining. I always wanted to pursue photography as a career but didn’t think I was good enough of a photographer to accomplish it. It was challenging believing in myself. I am my own worst critic and just couldn’t seem to achieve what I saw others doing in photography. After taking an online course in shooting and editing I decided to just start shooting and keep shooting.

I’ve learned that you will always make mistakes and they are actually an important part of who we become so learning from your mistakes can be a powerful tool to grow. I’ve also learned that how you make people feel is even more important than how good your photos are.

I want the world to know that I see you and you are beautiful.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Old San Juan is a must to see the forts, eat at Chocobar for Breakfast, La Garita Restaurant for lunch and hit the roadside beach stands for dinner. I’d take them to the Yunque (rainforest), the bio bay, to swim with the fish at Crashboat beach and grab the ferry to Culebra to Flamenco Beach.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Amy & Jordan Demos are the mentors who taught me almost everything I know in business. I took my first class with them with a few hundred dollars that I had inherited when my grandmother passed away. I didn’t know what to do with the money and wanted to make sure I didn’t waste it on something frivolous. When I saw their first master class and how their whole business was build on loving and serving others, I knew it would be money well spent and my grandmother would approve and here I am today as a full time photographer, so I’d say it was worth it.

Website: ailealopez.com

Instagram: ailealopez

Facebook: ailealphotography

Image Credits
Christina Morgan Photography