Over the last few years Rios of Mercedes boot company has been one of my main clients.
I grew up in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. We lived in the McAllen area, but my parents were from the lower RGV so we went to visit family around once a week when we were little. I remember as a kid driving by the factory, in Mercedes, as we would travel to visit my grandparents on Sunday mornings, I always wondered what it was like on the inside. That always stuck with me.
When the opportunity to photograph what took place on the inside came up, I jumped at the chance. Talk about awesome!
People who work there are masters at their craft. Watching someone who is great at what they do is pure joy. I would argue it’s much like watching professional athletes performing at what they do best. the smoothness of their movements as they craft the boot in their hand into a beautiful item is fun to watch. Some of these folks have been doing this for over 30 years, and it shows.
I have photographed boots for their catalogs, web sites, and just for fun.
I created portraits of the craftsmen, support staff, and anyone and everyone who worked there. I even photographed outside support people who did work for Rios. Folks like me.
It was a lot of fun, and I was given total freedom too follow my creativity.
Karlee, their Director of Marketing would call me, or send me a text and let me know they needed some more portraits, for example, and we make arrangements on a day and time. I would drive down to Mercedes, TX on the appointed day, and she would give me a list of people and that was it. I had total freedom to go do what I do. It was awesome.
Some of the nicest people in the world. So happy to see me. I would find them, usually dressed up, and ready for me. Their fellow co-workers would sit and tease them. Made for lots of laughs, and even better portraits.
Talk about total trust.
Karlee would just let me play.
We ended up creating some amazing images for Rios.
