Connect
To Top

Life and Work with Magdalena Bañuelos

Avatar photo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Magdalena Bañuelos.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My business started during my undergrad studies at the University of Colorado Denver. I began booking jobs such as weddings and portraits for little to no pay, taking almost any job that a client trusted me enough to capture for them. During my studies, I learned the ins and outs of the artistic side of photography but had to learn the business side of things from my parents. Lucky for me, I was at a bit of an advantage.

My parents are some of the hardest working people I know, and to them, I owe much of my success. My mom and dad started up a family restaurant, Gregorio’s, through which my brother and I developed our incredible work ethic, knowledge of running a business, and financial management skills that have played a part in many aspects of our lives.

Although the restaurant continues to be very much a part of who I am, it did not fulfill my passion. On a whim, at freshmen orientation, I declared photography as my major.

My interest in photography was seeded in high school and continued to bloom from there, I knew I would be happy studying what I grew to love.

I earned my Bachelors Degree in Fine Art Photography where I developed my style and began mastering my skills in analog and digital photography. From here, I started Magdalena Bañuelos Photography where I continue to book weddings, portraits, events, as well as sell my own art. It was during this time I also developed my love for travel, while studying photography in Italy. I knew traveling had to become a major part of my life. With the flexible work schedule of my growing photography business and role at the restaurant, I was able to make travel a priority anytime an opportunity presented itself.

For the next few years, I worked and traveled as much as possible. During my travels, I learned a lot about myself and different cultures, I realized how much I wanted to live abroad for a while. I went on to get my Masters Degree in Contemporary Art Photography in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh.

After graduating, I came up with the idea of combing my two passions, photography and travel, the two coincide for me. Photos are half the reason to travel in my experience, therefore, I began to create art about my travels and sell them through my photography business at galleries and exhibitions.

It was not until I went on a trip to Japan, with a couple of friends, Nikki and Chantel, that we begin to develop the idea of putting our travel knowledge to use. We mutually decided to create an online space where we would be able to share itineraries, photos, and tips that one can only learn while traveling. This is where the idea of “Travelista Life” was born. I am a firm believer in doing what you love for a living, so why not put our experiences to work?

As Travelista Life continues to grow so does our knowledge of how to run an online business. At first, it felt like we were taking stabs in the dark, trying to figure out where to start. We did not see notable growth until I came across an online course that gave us direction for our online travel business. Since then, we are cannot be happier with the results.

As I continue with Magdalena Bañuelos Photography and Travelista Life, I can’t help but to look back and see how far both have come from when they first started. My photography business has given me chances to meet some amazing people as well as be part of important moments in their lives. Our travel blog has begun to unfold and take its own path, creating opportunities for other travel related endeavors. I am excited to see where both businesses take me next!

Has it been a smooth road?
The road has not always been a smooth one, and there will always be times where it won’t be. Just as in my businesses, or any other business at that matter, there are times where it is discouraging. There are periods where it feels like you are giving it your all and getting nowhere or times when clients are not making your life easy. There will even be moments where you have so much growth it becomes overwhelming and consumes all of your time, putting your personal life on hold. It is not until after these moments you realize how far you have come and how much you have learned. The advice I give to other women starting their own journey is to choose something they are passionate about. The passion will keep you driven and focused, and no matter what happens it will be time well spent because you did what you loved and grew with it. Life is too short to not spend it doing what you are most passionate about.

We aren’t all born with the same opportunities but we all have choices to make to fulfill our plans. No path will be the same, for some, it will come easy and others it might take more work to get there, but use every opportunity available to you. The network often and spend every minute wisely. Time is one of your most valuable resources and it goes way too fast to not start working toward your dreams as soon as possible.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Magdalena Bañuelos Photography + Travelista Life – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
As an artist at Magdalena Bañuelos Photography, I am known for creating nostalgic dioramas often dramatic in appearance and often times referencing physics. When I am not creating dioramas, I enjoy shooting contrasty “street” photos, also dramatic in appearance.

I often use digital mediums due to time restraints and availability, but still, try to revert back to analog methods whenever I can. Black and white film photography is my medium of choice, it’s genuine aesthetics will always be what I most admire. I have even begun traveling with one of my most priced processions, my Rolleiflex, a medium format camera, for what I use to shoot black and white photographs. The act of using film and knowing there are a limited amount of frames makes the process just as important as the final image for me personally. I believe what sets me apart from others, as well as what I am most proud of, is my use of film cameras that have become rarer with time, as well as my nostalgic, physics related imagery.

As a travel blogger, my work consists of traveling out of the country multiple times a year, to new countries, as well as countries I have already explored, to capture photos, videos, and helpful advice for other like-minded individuals in need of inspiration and information. I specialize in orchestrating itineraries for those with limited time and budgets to travel. I also capture images of landscapes and lifestyles of cultures abroad. Travelista Life is different than other travel blogs because the three of us still work 9 to 5 type of jobs and make the most out of our time away. We work with average budgets and average vacation times making itineraries feasible to the average person that is willing to make life experiences a priority in the time they are allotted. We are most proud of the experience we have gained and the knowledge that comes with those experiences. Our knowledge allows us to plan efficiently both time-wise and budget-wise. We become familiar with the industry, enough to where we can achieve upscale experiences on an average budget, which we ALL deserve after all of the hard work we do.

What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
The most important piece of advice I can give young women just starting her career is to work hard at all you do but do not lose sight of yourself. It is easy to get caught up in the hype but in the end, you are the only one that can have your best interest at heart. Take a few risks, you are more likely to regret not going for something you truly believe in than going for it and failing, this way, at least you learned something. Like I said before, use your time and resources wisely, because they might not be there later if you choose to wait.

Pricing:

  • Photoshoot for one. 1 hr $190.00
  • Group Photoshoot 2-4 1 hr 30 min $290.00
  • Basic Wedding Package 4 hr $700.00
  • Wedding Package #1 5 hr $1,600.00
  • Wedding Package #2 6 hr $2,200.00
  • Artworks and Commissioned Artworks: Prices vary, please contact at magbphotography@gmail.com
  • Customized travel itineraries and advice: Prices vary, please contact at travelistalife@gmail.com

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Magdalena Bañuelos

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in