Meet Ken “Special K” De La Garza | Photographer & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ken “Special K” De La Garza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ken “Special K”, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Throughout my life, whether consciously or unconsciously, I’ve always sought out different ways of expressing myself. I got my first tattoo when I was thirteen, that set me on a journey that I’m still on today. I would always strive to push my look and my style beyond conventional boundaries. This led me to start modeling, which eventually led me to photography. This sensibility extends to other parts of my life, most notably with my car. Ever since I watched the original fast and the furious movie, It inspired me to modify my car, and like with my look, I wanted to push the boundaries of what is possible and practical. In 2020 I purchased a 370z and got to work, modifying and enhancing nearly every aspect of the vehicle. I’m very active in the car community in Dallas, and frequently attend car meets with my group ABGHunters. Modifying my car and being active in this community has allowed me to secure my current job at Recon Central in Carrollton, TX as Director of Media and Marketing. In this job I’m able to really combine my passions and create content that, like my other projects, really pushes the boundaries of what has been done already in the space. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention my wife, Christina, her support and encouragement has really helped me progress in my career and personal expression.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
A part of myself is in everything I do. I do what I do professionally because I’m very passionate about expressing myself, and I find that what comes most naturally to me is capturing the beauty that’s around me, being able to share that with other people is very special. If I photograph a wedding, being able to shed light on the love that is shared in that experience is very meaningful. Even photographing cars, capturing the passion of the people who pour their soul into their work is very inspiring and keeps me going. If you love what you do,

everything else falls into place. I have struggled, taken risks professionally, been fired, been ripped off, but so has every other artist. You don’t fail until you stop trying.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Many places and people come to mind but Citizens in Deep Ellum is probably the place that sticks out the most. The atmosphere, the people, the look, the hospitality, it all comes together to create an experience unlike any other.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My current job, Recon Central, more specifically the owners Shelby & John were kind enough to give me the opportunity to work on developing my car, and allowing me to continue photography and videography in an automotive setting.

I would also like to show my appreciation for ABGHunters. To have such a well known group not only recognize my work, but support and accept me into their community means a lot to me.

Website: Specialvisions.net

Instagram: Specialk3n

Facebook: Facebook.com/specialk3n

Other: TikTok specialk3n

Image Credits
Rafay Syed, Omar Ramos, Tim “RandmVision” Salaz, Gemini Ordaz, Lucca Vaselli