Meet Josef (Portra) Pierre | Analog Photographer & SAAS Sales Exec at Tech Company

We had the good fortune of connecting with Josef (Portra) Pierre and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Josef (Portra), do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

I really believe this to be true. When you’re deliberate about setting clear goals and working strategically to achieve them, things fall into place. You meet the people you’re supposed to meet & end up where you need to be.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m an analog photographer that specializes in portraits. I’ve been shooting people for almost 3 years and my style has changed a lot since when I began. When I first bought a digital camera in 2018 I really only wanted to take better photos while traveling, but within a year I became intrigued with portraiture. I took some classes at local museums and started shooting photos of my friends in Austin & Houston. I eventually became more interested in the process, the feel, and suspense of shooting film photos.

I’ve spent the past couple of years cutting my teeth, shooting almost exclusively with film while building my creative and commercial portfolios. This year I plan to release a book with some of my favorite creative collaborations. One of the things that I feel sets me apart is exclusively shooting film, & also being willing to experiment with polaroids, expired films, and soaked films. This can be unpredictable, but oftentimes it’s even more rewarding for me & I’ve learned to embrace the uncertainty and intentionality that it requires.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As a kid growing up in SE houston I loved trips to Galveston. It was a pretty quick drive down to the island and there’s a lot to explore. I still enjoy trips down there & I prefer to kick it on East Beach. I’ve taken a lot of photos down there. Since moving back to Houston in 2020, I spend most my time in Downtown, Midtown and Montrose. I live in downtown so I’d probably advise my friend to check out the coffee shops in the area like Koffeteria or The Tipping Point, hit local markets and boutiques (WonderlikeWander is a favorite), and step out to the bars & creative hubs inside the loop. I’ve been meaning to check out Post so it would be a good time to finally do that. I’m a diehard Houston Rockets fan and movie guy so we’d probably end up hitting Toyota Center and checking out Moonstruck Drive In.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Chuck is a homie that’s been helpful af along my photography journey. I’m grateful for his advice & how open he’s been about building his business. Check out his photo & video work on IG at @charlezfair.

Website: www.portrapierre.photo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portrapierre/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josefpierre

Image Credits
Photo of me is by Rashad White. Models pictured: Kim Van Dageraad Ifeanyi & Kyvond Raymond Kyvond Raymond, Sarah Jones, and Rebel Fitz Jocelyn Nguyen Tyler Sanders Ruth Deneke Xavier Temple Radhika Haworth