#SFGuide Featured Photographer: Christian Aquino
Each week we select and profile a photographer from our #SFGuide community on Instagram. We believe these photographers capture the everlasting beauty of San Francisco and the Bay Area. For a chance to be featured on our Instagram feed, or here, on 49Miles.com, tag your photos with #SFGuide.
This week’s featured #SFGuide photographer is Christian Aquino (@christian.aquino), an Orange County native currently studying at San Francisco State University. Scroll down to view Christian’s breathtaking photos, and learn more about what inspires him as a creative in the Bay Area.
#SFGuide Photographer Profile
Name: Christian Aquino
Age: 21
Profession: Student
Hometown: Orange County
Current City: Daly City
Something you’d like viewers to know about you: Outside of shooting, I enjoy skating, surfing and snowboarding.
What is your favorite spot to shoot in San Francisco, and why?
I don’t have any specific place in San Francisco that I would call my favorite. I think there are so many places around this beautiful city that no matter where I go, I’m bound to find something I would want to shoot.
When and why did you take up photography?
I took up photography at the age of 19. My best friend back home started shooting and he influenced me to go with him. He taught met the basics as we adventured more around SoCal.
What do you love about photography?
The thing I love most about photography is the community and uniqueness of everyone’s photos. I met some of my closest friends shooting and we learn from each other’s different styles.
How do you decide what to shoot?
Most of my shots are in the spur of the moment or if something catches my eye.
What’s your favorite part about going out to shoot?
My favorite part of going out to shoot are the new places I get to visit. If I plan an entire day to go shoot, I usually pick a place I have never been before.
Which location did you have the most difficulty getting to, and how did you do it?
The location I have most difficulty getting to is the top of the Bay Bridge and the Bay Bridge’s new eastern span. The first time I found the location was by accident but now if I try to go, its fenced off.
What is your dream shot? (Where, what time of day, what’s in it / the subject?)
My dream shot is the Firefall in Yosemite. When the sunrise hits Horsetail Falls at the right time of the year, it lights up the waterfall, turning it into a fiery orange.
What is your favorite app to use for photo editing on the go, and what are your top 3 favorite filters?
My favorite app to edit on the go is VSCO and my favorite 3 filters are A6, C1, HB1.
How does Instagram and the #SFGuide community inspire you?
The Instagram and the #SFGuide community inspires me to reach out to others, learn from their pictures, and shoot more often!
What are your favorite San Francisco-based Instagram accounts to follow?
Some of my favorite San Francisco-based Instagrammers are @dfvbio, @zeekyan, @avkinder and @dillonsaw
What type of camera do you use? And what is your dream camera?
I currently shoot with a Canon 6D. My dream camera is a Leica M10 or a Sony A7.
What are your favorite settings in your idea shot?
Lens: 35mm
Aperture: f8
Shutter Speed: N/A
ISO: 100
White Balance: Auto
Focus (Manual / Auto): Auto
Image Format (RAW / JPEG): RAW
What advice would you give to new or rising photographers that you wish you had received when you first started?
Just shoot as often as you can and shoot whatever you’d like. There’s no right or wrong in photography and the only way you’ll improve is to shoot and learn what to improve on next time!
What do you love about living in the San Francisco Bay Area?
The thing I love about living in the Bay Area, is that there is always some kind of event going on. Big or small, everyone is so welcoming at every event. I also love how diverse San Francisco is. I can literally turn a corner onto a random street and feel like I’m in an entirely different place.
