Louis Alvarez
Louis and I have been friends since the early days of when I began taking photography seriously. We first connected through Instagram when he reached out to organize a small group of photographers for a street photography walk. What started as a simple meetup quickly turned into a lasting friendship. Since then, we’ve continued to meet up regularly, exploring the streets and photographing the city together.
Louis draws a lot of inspiration from the world around him, especially the music he listens to. Sound often becomes the emotional backdrop for his photography. He also pulls ideas from movies, anime, and manga. The emotions in those scenes—whether it’s tension, calm, or movement—often shape how he approaches photographing moments in the street. Street photography is where his focus currently lives, and it’s a space where those influences come together naturally.
During our conversations, Louis talked about the influence of William Klein, a painter who transitioned into photography between the 1960s and 1980s. Klein began with street photography before eventually moving into fashion photography, even shooting for Vogue. We connected with the idea that street photography creates a strong foundation for becoming a great photographer. It forces you to adapt in real time, find creative ways to highlight a subject, and respond to the moment as it unfolds.
Louis also mentioned photographers like Monaris, whose work focuses heavily on the emotional presence of her subjects. Her careful selection of subjects and her strong use of color to tell a story stood out to him. Similarly, photographers like Polina Washington use heavy color saturation and color blocking to create striking images—something that aligns with Louis’s growing interest in color.
Today, color and contrast have become defining parts of his photography. Louis has a natural sensitivity to color theory and enjoys filling his compositions with layered details. His images often invite the viewer to slow down and explore the frame, discovering smaller elements that might not appear immediately.
Louis also shares a philosophy that many artists can learn from: explore beyond your main medium. Opening yourself to different forms of art can expand your creative thinking and give you new perspectives on your work. As he likes to say, artists should learn to “enjoy the process of sucking.” It’s about embracing the learning stage and giving yourself the freedom to experiment. Burnout is something many artists face, and stepping into other mediums can help create space to reset and grow.
Looking toward the future, Louis is focused on enjoying the present moment and continuing to create. One of his goals is to share more of his work through photography books. In 2024, he released his first book, A Yume in Two Weeks. “Yume,” the Japanese word for dream, reflects a long-time goal of visiting Japan. During two weeks traveling through the country, Louis documented everyday life through street photography—capturing cityscapes, small moments, and quiet stories unfolding in the streets. I’ve known for a long time that visiting Japan was a dream of his, so seeing that experience turn into his first published photography book was special. I was honored to receive one of the first signed copies.
We also talked about how, early on in our photography journeys, we were both heavily focused on social media—trying to get as many likes and comments as possible. Over time, we realized that chasing that kind of attention can lead artists in the wrong direction. Louis pointed out that many great artists remain unseen simply because they don’t receive attention from algorithms, and that reality may have caused some talented people to give up before reaching their potential. In the end, the best approach is to stay committed to your path and continue creating.
Even his Instagram name reflects this mindset. Phreestyle combines “PH” for photography with the idea of freestyle creativity. The name represents the freedom to experiment with different forms of art and keep improving over time. You may not be great at something right away, but if you keep practicing and stay curious, growth will follow.
As Louis puts it: enjoy the process. Enjoy sucking. That’s where the real progress begins.
Check out his book at https://a.co/d/0eVNItUR
