Meet Irvin Rivera | Creative Photographer, Writer, Publisher

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

Hi Irvin, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work-life balance is something that I have to learn and re-learn over time. Throughout my more than a decade of experiences in the business, and through years of failing and learning to get-up and pick the pieces of myself back, I learned to prioritize some parts of myself more (mental, physical, emotional health, etc). My dad would usually tell me when I was younger to take care of my health first because the moment I get sick, I won’t be able to do any work. This advice took a while to percolate as I experience the effects of the work-life imbalance. But as the years go by, I was able to be more mindful about it, always considering if any work that I do is worth the risk, worth compromising my time, and worth doing in terms of the grander scheme of things. Living a full-time freelance life doesn’t make it any easier as well. This requires a constant conscious balancing act of living your life and focusing on work. Eating well, making sure you still get enough sleep, alone time, and leisure time on top of any work that you do.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I do creative photography, take portraits and fashion editorials for magazines, and shoot campaigns and content for brands. On top of that, I also manage an independent Arts and Culture publication called A BOOK OF, where we feature and curate talents and art under the arts and culture umbrella. Getting to where I am today took long years of trial and error. There are a lot of mistakes, but also a lot of wisdom gained. It was never easy. There were lots of sleepless nights, sacrifices, and money spent, but it was all worth it. What kept me going and what helped me rise above the challenges were my persistence and the knowledge that it will always work out. And it definitely does. Things always work out, although it may not be how I envisioned it to be, but they do always work out for the best.
Throughout the years, I learned the power of saying “No” and through that, it gives more power to your “Yes.” I also learned to be more mindful of my space and time, and curate the things, people and experiences that I allow in my life. Another really lesson I learned is that you can always work smarter, not harder. There are ways to make your workflow easier. If you can find that, lean into it and make it work for you. And finally, work-life balance is essential. Learning to prioritize myself above work, really changed not just my workflow but also how I approach and gauge projects.
At the end of the day, I want the world to read my story as a story of perseverance- a story of an immigrant who took the chance and pushed his way to create avenues for himself and others.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I haven’t gone to a lot of places in Miami yet but I think these places would be really fun to check out- Everglades Airboat tour, Do some snorkeling, Visit the Serna Rooftop for the views and a chill experience with friends, visit the Wynwood Walls, visit Little Havana, Go to Zoo Miami and potentially try the Miami Sunset Cocktail Cruise.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First I’d like to give a shoutout to my close family and friends (Abby, Daniel, Phil, Louise, Ada and more) who helped me navigate the unpredictable journey of doing creative work. Also shoutout to all the editors and creative directors who opened their doors on me and gave me a chance to showcase what I can do (Ada, Tatiana, Kate, Calvin, and more). Thank you for believing in me. They played a key role in my development as a creative, and also helped me a lot in my journey. Sometimes, telling somebody that you believe and trust them goes a long, long way.

Website: www.irvinrivera.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irvinrivera