There is something to those sayings we hear throughout life. You know: “I was there at the right place at the right time” or “Everything happens for a reason.” Sayings like these proved true while out in N.Y. recently. I had a chance to link up with my pal Elizabeth and shoot. Now her and I have been following each other for sometime on Instagram. The thing is we never shot. She had noticed I was out in N.Y.C. and suggested we link up to finally create some pictures. Not sure what sparked it, but I wasn’t going to question her on this. But it did make me think: had we shot in L.A. it might have been a totally different setting. Instead we linked up in Brooklyn and cruised around Williamsburg doing a random photo shoot shortly after catching up over a sushi dinner. This was the final set of our day of shooting together but to me was the most fun. Maybe since it really was just spur of the moment and we were both just having fun. I think you will see this in the last couple of shots below as we made our way up to a rooftop in Greenpoint. Check out the interview below and thanks Elizabeth for the shoot and Ivan for the rooftop!

OK Elizabeth, let’s start with the age.

25.

And your ethnicity?

I’m half Filipino / half Mexican.

Good combo. Where were you born?

Silver Lake, CA.

And where do you currently live?

Between Brooklyn, NY, and Los Angeles, CA.

Could be worse. What are your some of your likes in life?

Traveling, the ocean, lush environments, ramen, and parallel parking.

Interesting. Do you have any dislikes?

Bad energy.

Here is a fun one. What do you want to be when you grow up?

I have an endless amount of creative concepts in my head… Music, Film, Design. Right now I’m battling the obstacles all artists face, which is overcoming the fear of “What will people think?” or “ What if I’m not good enough?”  I understand that you have to start somewhere but it’s time for me to stop doing the creative work for other people and start putting out my own shit. I’m eventually going to build my own empire… If that doesn’t work out I’ll most likely become a documentary filmmaker.

I like that response. Do you have any influences?

Every single thing influences me in some type of way, negative and positive. Certain things can manipulate who I am just by projecting a certain energy. I’m very sensitive to that, therefore I’m specific to everything I choose to surround myself with, my friends, my fam, the environment, music, a book… All these factors shape and carve me into who I am today.

True. This out of left field after that answer but do you have a favorite type of food?

Ramen..... I fucking love ramen. S/O to Silverlake Ramen, I LOVE YOU YUKA!

That was a passionate answer. What is your favorite place you have traveled to?

As an artist and aspiring filmmaker, New York has to be one of the most inspiring, motivating, and influential places I’ve been so far. I feel a lot taller after living in such a robust city, it’s been quite an experience.

Is there a place you want to visit before you die?

Once I have $250,000 to spare I’m gonna hit up Space with Virgin Galactic but if you’re asking for a realistic destination it would probably be Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It resembles “a miniature replica of the universe in stone and represents an earthly model of the cosmic world.” In other words, this place is tight as fuck.

That sounds interesting. What is your current form of employment?

I shoot kids... I do portrait photography for youth sport leagues.

Do it for the kids. Do you have a favorite type of music?

Spooky Black.

Lastly, what is your favorite thing about traveling?

It’s my drug. When I’m mentally or emotionally strained it’s easy for me to lose sight of the big picture. The reason for my interest in travel is that it gives me a unique way of reaching that distant and immense state of perception and allows me to embrace reality. In the end, life’s amazing and the world’s so beautiful, I’ve grown so much from traveling.

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Follow Elizabeth on Instagram.