For photographer Keren Treviño, a life full of boldness, creativity, and loving loudly comes from the environments she was raised in.
“We weren’t iPad kids,” Treviño recalled about her childhood. “Get up, sit at the table, and yap it up. I love that we had that because I have the audacity to talk to anybody.”
Born in Puerto Rico, Treviño moved to Mexico at 5-years-old so her Papi could chase his dreams of becoming a doctor.
It sparked a desire to hold on to memories.
“I think it fueled this want in me to create memories because we were moving so much,” Treviño said. “While we were in Mexico, I think we moved to three different schools the whole time we were there.”
Treviño’s experience in Mexico forced her to grow up fast, from dealing with racism to discomfort in a new environment.
In the midst of it all, church became a safe haven.
“The Lord knew we were going to go through some stuff.”
Just as Treviño was never a stranger to the people she met throughout her life, she befriended the idea of transition as well. By 9-years-old, she was moving again for her Papi’s residency.
This time, she found a home in East Tennessee, where her transformative years were marked by a new culture, new language, and a new community.
Photography helped keep those memories alive, whether it was the places she visited or the relationships she made along the way.
“The way my life trajectory has been has made me be like, ‘Okay, how do I pause long enough to keep these memories?’” She explained.
That love for capturing memories continued throughout high school and into college.
Even while studying a different subject, Treviño would always find a way to take photos, whether that was for extra income or as a creative outlet.
The turning point came in the form of a friend, who invited her on what she spun as a photography workshop in Greece.
“I didn't even know what a workshop meant,” Treviño said. “I just knew it was an opportunity to learn more about photography, and I just didn't have that opportunity in college because of nursing.”
But photographers weren’t the only ones attending.
Treviño was granted the opportunity to learn about the creative business through several other entrepreneurs.
“There were videographers. There was a florist. There was a therapist,” Treviño said. “I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. They’re all making this their reality. So I can do it.’”
Treviño launched her business in 2020, only to face immediate challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She maintained business momentum during lockdown by getting creative: from joining Zoom calls with other entrepreneurs to stay motivated, to scheduling sessions and using deposits to pay her rent, and even doing FaceTime photoshoots.
“This is God. Literally, there’s no other way,” Treviño said. “I'm living in like a little bubble of a dream that became a reality.”
Now she’s found herself traveling the world, capturing moments for couples, families, and loved ones to cherish forever.
“I love anything that's creative and just unexpected,” Treviño described her photography style. “Even with family photos. If we're going to your family farm, let's bring the chickens out.”
While photography has been her love for decades, she isn’t limiting herself to what the future can hold.
“It's just my tool that the Lord gave me, and I think it will become something else later,” Treviño said.
No matter what path she finds herself on, Treviño says her mission will remain the same.
“I think I just have a passion for bringing people together, creating memories, and being creative in the most unexpected way.”
