Daily Inspiration: Meet Isabel Camacho

Today we’d like to introduce you to Isabel Camacho.

Hi Isabel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
So I’m a Latina photographer/filmmaker based in Nashville! I was born in Columbus, Ohio, but we moved to Tennessee when I was 5, so you can say I have lived here all my life. This will sound cheesy, but I loved films from a young age and knew I wanted to be involved in the industry when I was older. I grew up watching my dad’s VHS tapes. All the cheesy 80s movies (sci-fi, action, horror.) He doesn’t believe me, but it’s his fault. I like watching movies so much, haha. When he first came to this country, he would purchase VHS tapes from pawn shops. His favorite is RAMBO, and he slowly started picking up some English words. It’s fun watching Rambo with him because even though he doesn’t know the English language well, he still somehow knows what Rambo will say next. English was not my first language, so I slowly started picking up on words by watching movies, and here I am! The years went by, and getting closer to high school graduation and being fascinated by film, and I wanted to learn how everything works behind the scenes. I decided to go to college for it just because I learn better with a small group than on my own, and now in June, I’ll be graduating from college.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been an easy road. I have social anxiety, and I’m socially awkward. There is nothing wrong with that, but in the past, it has stopped me from doing stuff I love or getting out of my comfort zone. That’s why I love movies because I usually watch them escape from the real world when life gets tough, and I want to be able to help others escape when I create something! I have been dealing with my social anxiety better. When I do photoshoots or anything creative, I tell new people I meet that I am socially awkward, and people seem to feel more comfortable and be themselves around me!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer/filmmaker! My work is “weird,” I know some people hate that word, but I love it. I like to stand out and be weird. All my work has a touch of “you don’t know what era it is from,” like it looks new, but it doesn’t. You don’t know what year it can be based on! I mostly get told it seems like the 80s because I grew up watching my dad’s VHS tapes, and I love the 80s! I love to do portrait photography and create little sceneries, making them look like they came out of a movie. My passion is creating short films. I like to have fun with them and create them as low on budget as possible but still make them enjoyable and creative. In the past, I have seen and, including myself, let money stop them from creating art they want to do (and of course, society makes you think you need all the money out there). Go out and create!

Who else deserves credit in your story?
Mis padres (my parents.) They deserve all the credit. I know it was hard for them at first to understand why I chose this path of being a creative because they weren’t used to it in Mexico back then.  After they’ve seen how hard I have worked to get where I am. They know how passionate I am about the film industry. I work hard for them, just like they did for me when they came to the US. I love them so much, and they are my inspiration.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.isabelcamacho.com
• Instagram: its.isabel