George Quiroga

History - George Quiroga has been involved with photography since the early age of four when the time he spent watching his father work in the home darkroom in Cuba sparked his imagination. By nine years of age, George had purchased his first high quality camera and was off capturing the life around him. George's father, Dario, supported his son's hobby by providing the film and paying for the processing. At this early age, George was an avid reader and quickly consumed all of the photography books the local libraries could offer and the magazines his family subscribed to. He spent countless hours watching his brother, Oscar (also a talented photographer), create magic in the darkroom--always learning from those around him.

In his teens, George won awards in local and school contests and began shooting professionally at age sixteen. He assisted and photographed for local photographers when they needed the extra help. While attending Engineering school, George partnered with a former teacher and opened a studio in Claremont, California. Through the studio business, George quickly expanded his knowledge of the professional and business aspects of photography. This experience spanned the areas of wedding, portraiture, school, commercial, and glamour photography. Today, George is a freelance artist living in South Florida. He has been published in magazines, web sites, and has exhibited in California and Florida.

Philosophy - Photography is the way that captures how George views his life and the surroundings that make his world complete. He considers himself a freelance artist that uses photography as his primary medium and relishes that freedom to explore his vision without bounds. "The camera is my tool to capture how I see light, form, and color. I look for compositions where the interplay between lines, textures, patterns, colors, tones, and subject matter stimulate my soul. If I can look at the printed result and get the same feeling I sensed when I took the photo, then I am successful." Major influences on his vision include his father's optimistic outlook of life and poetic artistry combined with his mother's talent for painting.

Medium - Experienced with both traditional film and digital media, in both black & white and color, George is constantly experimenting with new techniques and technologies. "Although my roots are in black & white, color adds another dimension that tickles my senses. In the last few years, I have transitioned from working in a traditional darkroom to a computer-based ‘darkroom’ and this has led me into new, exciting, and creative directions."