"Just cause you don't play an instrument, does not mean you are not part of the music. Enjoying the music is part of the process."- Garcia. Atomic Wax is located in downtown El Paso. I love the vibe of the place because the graffiti inside the shop matches the graffiti art in some of the walls downtown and knowing that a local artist made it gives you a sense of how cool Atomic Wax is. This vinyl shop has not been open for long, and much of the stuff in the shop was given to Raul Garcia (owner) by a long-time friend. Garcia says he owes the growth of the store to younger generations re-embracing vinyls and vintage items, which is great for all these concepts emerging. When you walk into Atomic after entering the building there is a nice red door full of stickers and you are greeted by music playing on the record player. The first half of the store is not vinyls, but it is a lot these retro items that kind of reminds me of certain 80's movies (in a good way). Garcia said that "these two separate parts of the store tie into each other because many times collectors, junkies, thrift shoppers have encountered vinyls at some point so coupling them wouldn't be far off. It ties with everything that is nostalgia." It's that "I remember when I used to.." effect. One thing I will mention about Atomic Wax is that their record selection is vast and it ranges from all the genres. There are new and used vinyls as well. Garcia mentioned that there is no selection process per say "but as people walk in here with a specific genre in mind, it can't help but translate to other genres and other predecessors as well." Music is all a learning process and it is ever evolving. On a last note, Raul Garcia wants to help local talent. He would love to have local artist and bands play at Atomic Wax and promote their music and art. I think that is a fantastic idea. Anyone that is interested should contact Garcia on the Atomic Wax Instagram: atomic.wax. Located on 501 Texas Ave, Suite 5!! Go now!!!! 12-6pm!!!
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I first heard of Frank when I saw that some girls I knew in high school were posting very sexy yet tastefully done pictures. That really caught my attention. I asked them where I could see more pictures so, I was guided to Instagram. I swear, I spent like a good hour just looking through the pictures. I loved them! It was also great to see familiar faces out of their comfort zones.
My thoughts on Frank is that he is a sweet heart and a gentleman, so if you want to do a more provocative shoot unlike other pictures you have taken then he is the man. So, when did you start photography? How? Frank: "I started photography as a hobby. Before I bought my first camera I used to do video animation and graphic design. Once I got the camera, I started doing side jobs to edit and then it took off from there. I started an Instagram and little bye little people would start contacting me. It all varied greatly at first" Why photography if you already had the video editing/graphic designer skills? Especially the types of photos you take? Frank: "I don't consider myself very creative, but I've always liked the arts. In regards to the pictures, well, I am actually very shy. I'm not a huge fan of necessarily going out to meet new people so I never imagined this. It was about trying something new. A lot of this was sparked by me taking over a friends animation job. When I left that job, and turned to the pictures, I did not want it to feel like a job, so when I do pictures I try to do it "my way" and whoever is willing to go with the flow. I'm a huge fan of sunsets. It's about appreciating the little things.It's so beautiful and many people don't take the time to appreciate it. The way I am reflects on the pictures: simple. It's about getting someone to get out of their comfort zone and seeing how beautiful they are. Slowly that reflected on me and my work and people responded to that." Why women? The majority of your pictures are women. Frank: "It is because it is hard to get a guy to be vulnerable and come up to you and say "I don't like this part of me" and with women and that is the case. I want to show women that even their flaws can be beautiful. I don't use photoshop even if I know how to work the program due to my background. There is a message behind each picture and girl. I love when people message me and tell me "let me be a part of it!!!"" What has been your favorite project thus far? Frank: "Two weeks ago a friend of mine took me to Puerto Vallarta to take pictures because he was going to propose to his girlfriend. He had been writing to me previously and it was a spontaneous trip as well. The pictures came out marvelously. They were in the moment. I really enjoyed them. It was amazing. I had to capture that very moment." Is there a way you prepare for a shoot? Frank: "Not really. For the most part all I do is natural. Talking to the model is one way so they feel comfortable. It's more of a "Let's do it!" The models and I send each other picture ideas before any shoot that way know what we want." A big thank you to Frank, one of the most unique photographers in El Paso!! You can reach Frank on his Instagram: frank8564 |