Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Diaz.
Carlos, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Unknowingly, my career as a Combat Sports Content Creator started when I bought my first camera after my high school graduation in 2016. At the time I was contemplating wrestling in college, becoming a real estate agent in my hometown of Houston, Texas, or pursuing a spontaneous dream I had of being a cruise-line yoga instructor. I knew nothing for certain about my future, except that it would be worth capturing.
About two months after graduation, I decided to pursue wrestling in college. So, in mid-August of 2016, I packed my wrestling shoes, a suitcase full of clothes, and my new camera into my brother’s silver Nissan Sentra. We hit the road and next thing I knew I was in my own college dorm room at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) in the small town of Miami, Oklahoma. I found a mentor there who had 10+ years of experience in Photo/Video/Graphic Design, and he helped me understand anything and everything I could want to learn about cameras and being in the business of cameras. At this point, I decided to create a page for my work and call it, “Finesse Photography.” The name stemmed from a clothing company I started as a sophomore in high school, called “Finesse Brand.”
I got to know the rest of the athletes on campus well and began taking pictures at home athletic events. As an international business major, I naturally gravitated toward international students. Some of my fondest memories during this time of my life include sending these athletes photos of themselves and seeing them react in ways that I didn’t need common language to comprehend.
In just two short years at NEO, I managed to become the top graduate of the business department by earning a perfect 4.0 GPA, win a team national title on the wrestling mats, and better than both of those, discover my passion for content creation and networking.
After earning my associate degree in business at NEO, I signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, and I packed my bag once again with wrestling shoes, a few pair of clothes, and that same camera that I bought after my high school graduation.
At SEU, I gained even more exposure to a diverse student population and spent more time developing as an artist, student, and athlete. Since the state of Florida presented many more opportunities than Oklahoma, I found myself shooting 3 of my favorite sports to watch: wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and MMA. In 2020, I graduated in the midst of a global pandemic with my bachelor’s degree in international business. The lack of jobs available at this time inspired me to accept a Graduate Assistant position at Southeastern to start my MBA, and more importantly, continue forging my own way as an entrepreneur and artist.
Throughout my journey as a content creator, I have worked with UFC fighters, Olympian wrestlers, and World Champion Jiu-Jitsu fighters from all over the world. I could go into detail about the amazing projects I found myself working on, the divine relationships that were formed, and the beautiful places I have been able to travel to, but instead I will just steal a line from Paulo Coelho’s book, The Alchemist, and say, “when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
Recently, I dedicated Finesse Photography Worldwide, LLC. to the purpose of this mission: to SHOWCASE CULTURE through the lens of combat sports by giving athletes, teams, and organizations a spotlight to express their purpose and uniqueness.
Today, I am continued to be inspired by the ambition of the high school graduate with a pair of wrestling shoes, a suitcase full of clothes, his first camera, and the desire to capture his future.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No! There have been some financial burdens and difficult situations to navigate along the way. However, knowingly that I am pursuing my passion every day gives me a vehicle to navigate this rough terrain with.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My business is all about SHOWCASING CULTURE through the lens of combat sports by giving athletes, teams, and organizations a spotlight to express their purpose and uniqueness.
I specialize in creating content that communicates effectively to the combat sports community. I am mostly known for my action photography, mini-documentaries, and college-commitment graphic design work.
What sets me apart from other sports content creators is that I myself am I competitor, and I love the GRIND. It is of high priority to me that I train/workout often, and keep a competitor mindset. This mindset helps me understand how an athlete feels valued and helps my business remain competitive, innovative, and successful.
I am most proud of my mini-documentaries. One of my favorites off of the top of my head is video I made with a Florida-born & raised UFC fighter named Niko Price. The video gives the viewer a glimpse of his life in Cape Coral, FL as a fighter and a father of 5 kids.
What do you think about happiness?
Making others happy makes me happy!
As a Christ-follower, I can truly say I experience the peace and the joy of the Lord when I get to use my vision and skills to make athletes feel valued.
Contact Info:
- Email: finesse.photography.edits@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finesse_photography_worldwide/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finessephotographyedits
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkvYeF8GAMt_q3nNR2EEy5A
Image Credits
Nelson Nunez Photography
Finesse Photography Worldwide, LLC
