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

Hi Justin, why did you pursue a creative career?
Ever since I was a child I always gravitated towards art whether it was music, drawing or photography. Especially when it came to photography. My father actually did photography as a hobby and encouraged me to try it out as well. He bought my first DSLR camera when I was seventeen years old. I had no intention of getting into photography, but my father always pushed me to try new hobbies and expand my comfort zone. After doing a couple of practice shoots I realized I could create stories through pictures so people could see the way I viewed different environments. This was a feeling that I never had before and it encouraged me to see how far I could go.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The picture I’m most proud of is one that I took of the “SpaceX” launch that happened in San Francisco on Oct. 7, 2018. That photo has given me many more opportunities than I could’ve ever imagined. I’m also proud of the connections and relationships that I’ve made with people over the years in my career. I put in a lot of work through social media, meeting people through photography meet ups, and making sure to advertise my work in any way possible. All of these methods have helped flourish my photography career. It wasn’t an easy journey but at the end of the day my photography was a passion that I wasn’t willing to give up and this continues to motivate me till this day. The biggest lesson I have learned so far is to be unique to yourself and find something that represents you as an artist. I would love the world to know that I may be a local photographer, but I have big aspirations I plan to work up to one day.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My ideal places to relax, drink, eat, and chill are Deep Ellum, downtown Dallas, Bishop,  Arts District, and Lower Greenville. My favorite places to eat in Dallas are Wabi House or Halal Guys on Greenville Avenue (Uptown). Those would be the first two spots I would bring a friend to eat. As far as an itinerary goes, I really like to just go with the flow and go without a plan. The number one thing my friend and I would absolutely have to do is go to the top of the Reunion Tower to admire the view of downtown Dallas.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to give a special shout out to Ryan Millier, a New York based photographer located in Manhattan. His work has been an inspiration to me and gives me something to work towards. http://www.ryanmillier.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ryanmillier

Website: https://www.borjavisuals.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/borjajayyy/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/borjavisuals

Image Credits
Profile Image Credits: Hannah Holder

Nominate someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.