We recently had the chance to connect with Alicia Archuleta and have shared our conversation below.
Alicia, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
The reality of being halfway to 90 has hit, and I feel like I am wandering at this point in my journey. Partially my doing, and partially following the joy of my 6-year-old’s whims.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Archuleta Photography grew out of a passion that started as a child. My first 35mm point and shoot camera followed me through late elementary and early middle school, when I first picked up a manual Canon AE-1. From there, I became the self-appointed documentarian of my friend group, and later a photojournalist at school and professionally in my hometown. While I dreamt of going to New York or following my favorite bands on tour, I knew I didn’t have the super competitive bone to get into that race. While working as a journalist, I photographed everything from soldiers’ homecomings to the second and third Bonnaroo. The daily grind of wrecks and fires took some of the joy from the process over the years. I left the field after 5.5 years and became a teacher for my 9-5 gig. Teaching students to use the camera sparked my creative fire again and led me to start Archuleta Photography officially. Switching to the world of portraiture was a labor of love that fellow photographers, friends, and clients who became friends helped me through. Now, it is something my daughter loves to watch me, or help me, do, and she knows that if she wants to build her own life and business, she has all the power to do it.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My best friends. At every stage of change, they have always looked at me with the “Are you serious? HOW do you not see who you are and what you are capable of?” look. I have been blessed to have great friends who have been like family, and some family who have been amazing friends. I would not be who I am or where I am without them.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self not to place her worth in the reactions or feelings of others, and to set boundaries accordingly.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that what really matters to me is being there for other people at their highest and their lowest. This shows in the work I do and how I live my life. I try to show up for others even if they wouldn’t do the same, and not because it makes me a hero, but because it is the right thing to do.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope that the people I have encountered in my life will tell the story of how I loved people where they were, in hopes of them getting to a better place. Whether they met me in a personal or professional setting, I hope they say something like, “Alicia wasn’t worried about the money or the recognition; she wanted her friends, family, students, and clients to feel seen, loved, and respected.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.archuletaphotography.com
- Instagram: @archuletaphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archuletaphotography
Image Credits
Headshot – Sierra Ruiz
All Other Photos – Alicia Archuleta
