Meet Rafael Medina | Street & Concert Photographer

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

Hi Rafael, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
My work/life balance has gotten better from the beginning of this journey but I still have a long way to go. I recently realized that I was taken on too many tasks at once. Occupying all your weekends for a month pretty much locks you down and if you’re constantly doing that it can prevent you from spending time with yourself or close friends and family. I’ve learned that my lack of good organization skills is at the core of those problems so lately I’ve been working on being more organized and it makes a huge difference in how I balance my work and personal life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets my art apart from others is my perspective on everything. The things that I grew up admiring range from all different sides of the spectrum, especially when it comes to art. Learning to unapologetically appreciate whatever I consider good art is has allowed me to form my own creative space. In my street work I’m constantly searching for different perspectives of familiar places. Providence is a very small city that typically isn’t overcrowded so the action is limited compared to bigger city’s so I have to train myself to look for different things when I’m out there. Sometimes I’ll go to the same streets multiple times in a few weeks just to see what else I can get out of it. The challenge has allowed me to grow so much as a photographer.

As for my concert work, I’ve been religiously attending shows for almost two decades and through out those years I’ve developed such a deep appreciation for them. Being able to document it now feels like the perfect fit since its something I’ve always wanted to do. I was grateful to have been able to sharpen my skills on all local acts back in 2019/2020. No big venue would give me a chance so I decided to aim my camera at smaller shows and do them for free. It allowed me to grow so much in my concert work and also gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in the local Hip Hop scene more than ever before.

Out of everything I’ve done so far, I’m most proud my first photo book titled “Dear PVD”. It was my Love letter to the city that I grew up in. I’ve put in so many hours of my time through out these last few years photographing Providence and getting to know it in a more intimate way and that book was a result of it all. Making books was always part of the plan so I’m happy to have my first one under my belt. The second one will come whenever the time seems right, I’ve learned not to rush things anymore and trust the process.

As for where I am professionally, it’s definitely been a struggle to get here. I’ve always dealt with huge self esteem issues and that let my insecurities control so much of my day to day, that I never considered attempting photography. I was cruising through life, doing the same things daily and never trying new things. Wasn’t until I started getting out of my comfort zone that things really started to change. Learned to take more risks which came with more rewards physically and mentality. It all lead me to start pursuing a career in photography and I couldn’t be more grateful that I finally found my way here.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There’s so many good places out here to chose from. When it comes to food, I think pizza is the greatest thing ever so I would take them to Nice Slice at some point for a quick lunch. They’ve always had one of the best pizzas in the city since they use wheat dough which it makes it so much better. For dinner we’d probably get Los Andes or Machupicchu ; some of the best Peruvian food restaurants in RI. Afterwards we can hang out in the downtown area and visit a few different stores and check out the RISD museum and the Providence Art Club gallery. The city has so much art to offer and not just in these galleries but all around the downtown area. This company called The Avenue Concept curates murals around the state with some incredible artists and it brings so much life to our streets. For drinks we’d probably go to the Courtland Club which should be a super chill place to hang out for a bit. The owner Jay and the staff are always super welcoming and their drinks are so good.If its the weekend, Revival Brewery and Crib are always throwing events with some of the city’s best DJ’s around. We can check out both places and afterwards we’ll take a drive to Broad St. to check out some of the Spanish food trucks before the night officially ends. After a night of partying those food trucks taste even better, trust me. After getting our food, I typically like to head to the city and enjoy the late night meal while watching over the skyline. Always a great way to end the night.

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?
My city of Providence, Rhode Island has played a massive part in my creativity. Learning to fully embrace where I’m from has been at the core of my success from the beginning. I’m also extremely grateful for the Love, inspiration and support I get from my family and close friends since I started this journey. My relationship with my girlfriend Marlisse is probably the most pivotal since we got together when I was transitioning into this newer version of myself. She was the perfect person to elevate whatever I was attempting to do next. Learning to be more free has been crucial in finding my artistic voice and she gave me that when I needed it most. Same thing with my close friend Gibran who I attended so many concerts with in my 20’s. Going to all those shows with him and making a full day out of it really made me Love experiencing concerts which is why I enjoy documenting them so much.

Website: Rafeaks.com

Instagram: @rafeakspvd

Linkedin: Rafael Medina

Twitter: @rafeakspvd

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