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

Hi Oswaldo, why did you pursue a creative career?
It’s something i discovered I wanted to do. I didn’t want to do something that everyone, family or friend, were going to do. It was always doctor, nurse, cop, fire fighter, work in an office,I wanted to do something different. I’m not trying to say that those careers are bad. Far from it, they’re great! It’s just not something that was for me. I wanted to take a chance on making a career in something that I have passion for. “It’s not work if you’re happy doing it.” I read this quote somewhere on the internet and it stuck with me ever since. It’s a true statement for myself and in general. If you’re not happy doing the work, you’ll just make yourself miserable. While when you’re working and you’re happy doing it, you’ll want to do it forever. That’s how I feel with filmmaking and photography. Those are both my passions. I’ve been making videos and taking photos since I was a little boy. It’s only right for myself to go and pursue it. It’s my true self, the real me.

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.
My art is the creation of photos and films. They can be anything I see or anything that sparks my interest or even people. These photos and films I make, can tell many stories. Stories of happiness, of struggle, sadness, love, etc. I love to tell stories through these images. They can provide an escape or invoke a mystery. They can also be a look into the past. With the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the world greatly, I’m most excited about coming back and taking photos and video again. It’s been about a 3 month pause since the pandemic started and it’s given me a chance to rest up and let the creativity generate and build up. I am now more itching and ready to come back and create whole new photos and video. Looking back, its been a long journey from where I’ve started to where I am now. It all started when I was about 8 years old. I had discovered my mom’s camcorder that she had used to film my families home videos when I was first born. She thought me how to use it and from then on, I was in love. I would look in the viewfinder, zoom in and out with it and pretend that I was recording something. We didn’t have an actual tape to record but, it wasn’t problem for me. This love and desire transferred over to using my father’s point and shoot and my mothers more modern camcorder. Fast forward to my second semester in college, my love for photography and filmmaking stayed with me and I began to take film classes at Miami Dade College. It was there that I met some of my life long friends and we stuck with each other ever since. I had also met and learn from some great teachers there as well. There were many ups and downs during this point but I never gave up and was never discouraged. I took them as lessons and used it to improve my craft every chance I got. It certainly wasn’t easy. There were many challenges but they were all overcome by my perseverance and with teamwork from my friends. After completing all my required courses I graduated in 2017 and 2018 with my associates and Bachelors degree from Miami Dade College. From there, I worked as videographer recording weddings and also working on several micro budget independent films. I learned many lessons of teamwork and leadership while improving my craft from learning through watching my colleagues and asking questions about the techniques they’d use on the set. In terms of knowing about my brand, I want the world to know that my brand is always improving and searching for new ways to grow. I always strive to give the best quality work possible and to involve the client into the creative process. I believe that if you incorporate ideas from all sides, the outcome comes out to be even better than when first conceived.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend were visiting the area, the first thing I would do is take them to one of my favorite restaurants which would be a place called “Chuys”. Its a great Mexican restaurant that opened a few years ago. After that we could go to Wynwood to see the art there and then later hangout at one of the many bars there. The next day we could travel to Islamorada, Florida and enjoy seafood with a view at the Islamorada Fish Company. They have a section where you can feed the fish and watch as boats pass by in the water. Later on, we can go to Dolphin mall to look around and go on a shopping spree. If we’re in the mood to waking up early in the morning, we could go to Miami Beach to enjoy the water and get some sunshine. There are many different beaches in Miami. Near Key Biscayne, there’s a beach called El Farito that has a lighthouse that you can take a tour and go inside of. At the top, you can see the entire beach and anything else with the naked eye. Not only is there a nice view, there is also a lot of history at the lighthouse spanning from 1825 when the lighthouse was first built. These are just some of the things to see in my area. Miami is full of many sights and wonders. In my view, the best places to visit are the beaches, the city, stadiums, and many restaurants. It’s where all the fun and events happen.

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?
Throughout this continuing journey, there are a few group of people who have stuck with me and supported me. I couldn’t have done it without them all. I wanted to give a little recognition and shoutout to my parents, sister, family and friends. They have given me the encouragement, support, and guidance to arrive where I’m at today. In this journey, there has been many ups and downs, many lessons have been taught and learned with their help. They taught me to never give up and to keep fighting for what I want to be in life. They have been with me and helped me conquer fear and doubts. They have been my biggest fan and biggest critic. I have improved and gotten better with their help. Without them, it would be a completely different outcome. So shoutout to all of them.

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