Some people only dream of photographing big-name celebrities and musicians; Rozette Rago made it happen. Combining her love of concerts with her exceptional photography talent, Rozette began her career as a music photographer. Through persistence, hard work, and a strong artistic voice, she has made a name for herself in a saturated industry. Rozette has photographed people like Natalie Portman, Annie Leibovitz, and Kanye West… And has been published in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and pretty much everywhere. She also shares her own life experiences of growing up in the Philippines and as a Filipino-American woman living in Los Angeles through her documentary photography.
We are so honored to feature Rozette Rago in our “UNLIMITED — Conversations with Changemakers” series, in partnership with Fujifilm. Here’s a peek into the mind and work of this creative artist:
Meet Rozette Rago
Rozette Rago is an award-winning Filipino-American photographer based in Los Angeles. She photographs musicians, celebrities, public figures and events while also telling the stories of her own life experiences. Her work has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, TIME, Vanity Fair, VICE, Bloomberg Businessweek, The FADER, Smithsonian Books, and Rolling Stone. She’s photographed Natalie Portman, Steven Spielberg, Issa Rae, Annie Leibovitz, U2, Kanye West, Foo Fighters, Metallica, The Roots and many more. You can find her work on Instagram @hellorozette or on her website.
Q: Can you tell us about how you got started in photography and a bit about your path?
A: I started in music photography. I didn’t study photography formally and I didn’t have a portfolio to show editors when I moved to Los Angeles. I went to concerts all the time back then and I realized music photography was a good way to combine my interests. Working in music helped me learn how to be quick and adaptable, and it showed me that I was capable of really hard physical work. The portfolio I put together from years of doing music led me to getting assignments in publications that people actually read.
Q: What effect did your personal immigrant experience as a Filipino woman coming to America have on your photography and personal photo projects?
A: My background definitely pushes me to look for stories within my community first. In the beginning, my desire was to focus on the culture shock that I experienced. As I get older, my interest is shifting towards stories of integrating my experiences growing up in the Philippines and my experience now as an adult in the United States. I don’t want to talk about what I find difficult anymore. I think there is enough storytelling that exists already around the hardships of immigrants and people of color. I’d like to focus instead on the beautiful things that have come out of being able to accept both versions of myself. I’m still figuring out how to approach that photographically.
Q: You photograph such a broad range of subjects and genres. Do you love the variety? Any favorite subjects or events that you enjoy most?
A: I do enjoy the variety and I’m very fortunate that my editors trust me enough to throw me into different kinds of situations. I used to be really shy, and I guess I still am, but my job has definitely helped me get over my fear of talking to strangers.
I love documentary projects that allow me to be immersed in situations I otherwise wouldn’t find myself in, like when I documented an extreme horror experience in 2018. At the same time, I enjoy the challenge of political stories where I may have to encounter people whose beliefs are very different to mine.
Q: What factors can you attribute your success to? Any advice for young photographers hoping to make a career in this industry?
A: I think it’s been a combination of luck, persistence, and shamelessness for me. When you’re starting out, you have to be your own biggest fan to be able to keep pitching yourself to people who have the power to make or break your career, while dealing with constant rejection at the same time. I had to really learn how to not take the nos personally because they never are.
It’s also really important to think of bad shoots as learning experiences. It’s easy to fall into the trap of overthinking about a shoot that may not have gone the way you were expecting it to, but in the end, these incidents help you be even more prepared for the next one. But also be okay with not having control. Things happen! It’s also really important to find a supportive community within this industry, however hard that may be. It has taken me years of awkward socializing to find people I trust, but it’s worth the effort. There are many challenges to this job and being able to have an open dialogue with someone who truly understands is essential for your wellbeing.
“I had to really learn how to not take the nos personally because they never are.”
Q: As a wildly successful woman making a big splash in a very big pond, have you faced any challenges or setbacks?
A: I don’t consider myself wildly successful, and that’s not me just trying to be humble. I still face rejection and I still criticize my work just as much as I did when I was starting out. It’s really hard to feel comfortable in this industry because it moves so fast and there are so many of you doing the same thing. I work very hard to stay levelheaded about it but I still have days when I doubt myself. It’s just the way things work unfortunately. It’s constantly up and down. I’m used to this now and I can deal with it, but it took a long time for me to get here. The mental challenges of being in such a volatile industry can be rough.
Q: What is it like to create portraits of icons?
A: My nerves are often out of control before a big shoot. The time period where I’m setting up and doing test shots is terrible for me because of the anticipation. But once the shoot starts, my brain somehow manages to stay pretty calm because I know I have a job to do.
I’m also focused on trying to connect with the person I’m photographing in an attempt to get something authentic out of the limited time we have together. It’s terrifying and challenging, but it’s also really gratifying when you end up with images you can be proud of.
Q: Why is it so important, now more than ever, for photos to reflect a woman’s voice? And for the entire visual narrative to reflect a diverse population?
A: We’ve all had to look at things through the eyes of white men for so long. The only way to get a truly accurate view of the world is by getting as many voices in as possible. It’s easy to feel like your point of view doesn’t matter, but we shouldn’t be afraid to take up space. The fact that women and non-binary artists are portraying people and events of historical significance is important because the world is getting a more expansive perspective than ever before. We have so much work left to do, but that’s still something to be proud of.
“It’s easy to feel like your point of view doesn’t matter, but we shouldn’t be afraid to take up space.”
Photos by Rozette Rago
This post is made possible through a partnership with Fujifilm as part of our “UNLIMITED — Conversations with Changemakers” interview series. Unlimited honors powerful feminist photographers and spotlights the artistic voices of those seeking to change the narrative. We hope to help bring focus to storytellers with purpose who are sharing their diverse perspectives with the world. Through this beautiful tapestry of unique voices, we want to be part of a cohesive message of unity, equity and inclusion.
More from inspirational photojournalists, celebrity photographers and female gamechangers:
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PHOTOGRAPHER ASHLEY JOHNSON’S WORK ASKS COMPLEX QUESTIONS ABOUT BLACK IDENTITY
PHOTOGRAPHER CRISTAL VERONICA CELEBRATES REAL LGBTQ+ AND BIPOC STORIES
HOW DIVYA WOLF IMBUES STRENGTH AND EMPOWERMENT WITH WHIMSY IN HER PHOTOGRAPHY
