Meet Carlos Palma | Founder of Still & Motion Co. | Filmmaker & Photographer

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

Hi Carlos, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve always felt more connected to the world through images, sounds, and stories than through anything else. For me, pursuing a creative path wasn’t just a choice. It felt like the only way to make sense of everything I experience. Whether it’s behind a camera, editing a scene, or capturing a quiet moment in a photograph, I find clarity and emotion in the creative process.

What started as curiosity. Filming with friends, experimenting with light, documenting feelings. Turned into a way of life. I realized that art has the power to communicate what words sometimes can’t. That’s what keeps me going: the chance to move people, tell honest stories, and leave something behind that feels real.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My work lives in the space between emotion and image. Through film and photography, I try to capture the kind of feelings people struggle to put into words. Love, heartbreak, nostalgia, transformation. Whether it’s a music video, a portrait, or a visual short story, I aim to create something that feels honest, cinematic, and deeply human.

What sets my work apart is how much I care about emotional truth. I’m not just here to make things look good. I want the viewer to feel something. I think that’s what keeps people coming back: the vulnerability, the rawness, and the attention to detail that gives every frame weight.

Getting here wasn’t easy. I didn’t go to film school. I learned by doing. Failing, experimenting, watching tutorials at 2 a.m., and saying yes to projects even when I didn’t have all the tools. I’ve had to wear every hat: director, editor, colorist, marketer. There were plenty of moments when it felt overwhelming, but what kept me going was a deep sense of purpose. I knew I wasn’t doing this just for me. I was doing it to tell stories that needed to be told.

One of the projects that means the most to me is *A Fleeting Departure*, a short film I created as a visual reflection on grief and memory. It was raw and personal, and it showed me that the most powerful work often comes from the most vulnerable parts of ourselves.

I’m proud of what Still & Motion Co. has become. It started as a personal creative outlet, and now it’s a growing brand that brings people’s stories to life with depth and beauty. If there’s one thing I want the world to know about my work, it’s that it’s driven by feeling. I want to create visuals that people can truly connect with. Something that lingers, that stays with them after the frame fades.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend came to visit, I’d keep things chill and real. Start with coffee at La Palma in Wynwood, then walk around the Wynwood Walls. Grab some tacos at Coyo Taco. Easy and delicious. Maybe stop by El Patio for a quick drink if we feel like it, but nothing too fancy.

We’d spend a morning at South Beach, just swimming and walking Ocean Drive. Lunch at Joe’s Stone Crab if it’s the season, or something simple nearby. Later, check out PAMM for some art and quiet time.

Little Havana is always good for a cafecito at Versailles and walking the neighborhood. La Camaronera has great seafood if we’re hungry. If there’s some live music at Ball & Chain, maybe pop in for a bit.

A day trip to the Everglades for an airboat tour is a must. Nature is the best way to unplug. Dinner back in Miami at Mandolin, which has a nice, relaxed vibe.

Coconut Grove is perfect for hanging out. GreenStreet Cafe for lunch, and Monty’s Sunset for drinks with a view ,but super laid-back, nothing wild.

At night, I’d keep it simple dinner at KYU in Wynwood, and maybe a quiet drink at Sugar rooftop to take in the skyline and chill.

To finish the trip, brunch at The Salty Donut and a mellow paddleboard or kayak on Biscayne Bay, just soaking it all in.

That’s Miami without the noise, good food, cool spots, and easy vibes. Perfect for hanging out or networking without the party scene.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Absolutely. So much of who I am creatively is shaped by the people who believed in me when my vision was still just a quiet spark. First, my family, especially my father. Taught me the value of craft, patience, and building something meaningful from the ground up. That work ethic flows through everything I do.

I also owe a lot to my friends and collaborators. Those who trusted me with their stories, let me film their vulnerable moments, or just showed up when I needed a second pair of eyes or honest feedback. And to the artists and filmmakers who came before me, whose work lit something inside me before I even had a camera in my hands. This is for them too.

Lastly, I’d shout out the quiet moments. The ones filled with doubt, silence, or solitude. They shaped me just as much as the applause ever did.

Website: https://www.instagram.com/stillandmotionco/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlospalmamedia/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@carlospalma4864