Raul Mercado

I can still remember opening the box that contained my first camera. I was eleven. The camera was a 127mm Kodak Holiday Flash earned by selling seeds for my school’s fundraiser. I was immediately captivated by the camera’s ability to capture life, one fraction of a second at a time.

 

From that point on, my camera and I were inseparable. At first, I took pictures of my family and friends. However, street photography soon became my favorite as it allowed me to inconspicuously make images of people and their surroundings.

 

Meanwhile, back at home, my siblings fretted each time I went to work in my darkroom…I mean the family bathroom.

 

My passion for making pictures took a back seat during my early adult years, but my love for the medium never died.

 

In the wake of September 2011, I made the serendipitous discovery that each image I had taken in my earlier years brought back nostalgic happy childhood memories. At that moment, I decided to make photography a vehicle for a positive change in my life.

 

Since my first public showing in 2005, I have been honored with numerous awards and have held exhibitions at the New York City Port Authority Bus Terminal, The Jersey City Artists Studio Tour, Hudson Artists of New Jersey, Pascack Art Association, Morristown Atrium Gallery, and the corporate headquarters of Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSEG), Schering-Plough Corporation and UBS Investment Bank.

 

Today, I bring that same youthful jubilance every time I pick up my camera for a photo shoot. I am eleven years old again. And, this is still the coolest job I have ever had!

 

I dedicate my work to my wife, family, friends, and loyal clients who’ve supported and encouraged me throughout the years.