New gen bosses: freelance photographer Olga de la Iglesia on why boycotting Instagram can sometimes do you some good
New gen bosses is a new series created to guide and inspire more people to go out there on their own, either as new business founders or freelancers. And what better way to do that than to ask the ones that already succeed at it? We want to know about big fuck-ups and even bigger successes, and the risky decisions they had to make along the way. We want to be the last little push you needed.
Job title: Photographer
Industry: Fashion and documentary
Company founder or freelancer: Freelancer
Company name: Cortex Creatives
How long have you been doing it: 4 years
Age: 32
Location: New York and Barcelona
What pushed you to start on your own?
Freedom in creativity.
What was the very first thing you needed to do to set everything up?
A vision, passion, a camera and a lot of inner-work.
What was the riskiest decision you had to take?
Move to NY.
What was a skill you didn’t foresee needing that you had to learn?
Being patient and meditate.
At what moment did you realise that this was going to work out?
When I’m creating there’s something I feel inside that I cannot explain. I disappear and I am very present at the same time—when I felt that feeling.
What did you spend your money on?
On films and development, on my editorials and personal projects and on living, food, rent, all those things.
What was your biggest fuck up?
I did a shoot with damaged films, I didn´t notice it until I saw the result.
What was your biggest success?
Believing in me without judging myself or looking at other’s work, Instagram could be a big source of frustration sometimes.
What do you know now that you didn’t know then?
Countless things…the most important, who I am and what I want to say.
What are three tips you would give someone who wants to start on their own?
One: Believe in what you do with all your heart.
Two: Don’t look at what others are doing.
Three: Never give up.
Want to discuss taking the leap with other new gens? You’re in luck! We’ve created New Gen Bosses, a Facebook group to continue and expand the conversation started through this new series.
