Ray S. Rivera
(HE/HIM)
With a queer, Asian American lens, I am a storyteller who has been working behind the camera for more than a decade. I have an unobtrusive, candid, documentarian approach to my photography and focus on stories of pride, community, and authenticity.
Building a foundation of patient observation, my first exposure to camera capture was as a street photographer using black-and-white film. I then developed my technical skills as a commercial photographer for a production company depicting imaginative stories and characters. Within my eight years there, I also explored video and audio as a dynamic storytelling complement to photography stills, and eventually shot all external campaigns and internal productions as their resident Creative Art Director.
Since 2020, I pivoted to serving my local communities as a photographer and videographer to commemorate their unique moments of confidence, joy, passion, and love. I’m proud to have served organizations with missions devoted to advocating racial equity, supporting immigrant communities like my family, championing the labor of working families, and uplifting LGBTQ+ voices through the arts.
Like a ray of sun, I am committed to providing the warmest camera capture services with bright ideas and gold standards, all delivered at the speed of delight.
Mission
Every moment is fleeting, yet some are destined to shape history. It’s in these moment when we define leadership. Combining my background in visual and performing arts to inform my multidimensional approach, I capture these pivotal moments for movement leaders through authentic and timeless visual storytelling.
So whether your movements make impact in academia, industry, legislation, community, family, arts, culture, or beyond, my mission is to document our histories, transforming moments into narratives that resonate, inspire engagement, and even drive progress. With a commitment to integrity, collaboration, and authenticity, I aim to empower diverse voices, advocate equity, and fuel movements. Together, the visual stories we craft can make emotional connections, build trust and recognition, and inspire future generations towards a better world for all of us.
Art Shows
Elgin Community College
Art Show (First Place in Photography - “Your Mom”)
Elgin Community College
Big Print Show
Dragonfly Gallery
Art in Action: How Artists Helped Illinois End Money Bond (2024)
Pace University Art Gallery
Critical Connections: Protest Photography Past + Present (2025)