Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Mungin
Erica, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hi y’all! I’m Erica Mungin, the owner and photographer of Zion Photography. I use They/She pronouns and I identify as a Black, Filipina, Lesbian. I was born in Beaufort, South Carolina and was raised all over South Florida, but I call Delray Beach my hometown. I graduated from Rollins College in May 2024, double majoring in Philosophy and Political Science, and I’m now taking a gap year to explore myself and work on grad school applications.
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?
I would say walking this Earth with my identities and mental disorders has been the biggest challenges in my life. Regarding my identities, my communities are often faced with aggression, disgust, or condescending comments. Growing up, while I had dreams and aspirations, it’s hard to believe that I could make It in this world because of who I am. Often times, when I would tell others my goals, I was met with doubt and suggestions to an alternative paths that are usually aligned with my identities.
Meanwhile, at 22, turning 23, a majority of my life thus far, I’ve been struggling with undiagnosed mental disorders that has affected my self-esteem. Not until college is when I started to get the treatment I’ve needed. Even then, it’s hard to open up about these struggles to the stigma towards mental health, especially in minority communities.
But while these challenges have been difficult to overcome and there are still dark days, I’ve started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve learned that people who come from marginalized communities do deserve to achieve their goals and dreams of whatever they want to be. Something that a long-time family friend once said to me when I was younger that has stuck with me ever since was this: “Shoot for the moon, and if you miss, you’ll still be amongst the stars”. That quote has helped me realize that I need to stop forcing these expectations others have of me, whether due to how I identify, my mental health, or familial expectations. I can always strive to meet these expectations, but if the outcomes isn’t what others wanted, that doesn’t matter as long as I’m happy and my goal is met.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the owner and photographer for Zion Photography! So far, I’ve mainly worked with college students for their graduation photos, but I hope to get into more editorial and concert photography.
I started my love for this media way back when Vine was still popular, and I was an anime/kpop editor on the app who got a little bit of a following. That started my love for video-editing and videography. I started my own Youtube channel where I would upload vlogs of my everyday life in high school and learning new ways of editing. Then, my mom started traveling the world and bringing her camera alongside her. When she would come home, she would show me all of the photos she captured and the beauties of the world. Around this time as well, I started to come across different accounts of street and editorial photography. Soon after, I wanted to pick up my own camera.
Zion Photography started when I would just take photos of my friends for their birthdays and for creative pieces, but then my friends started to ask me to take their college graduation photos, and ever since then, the rest was history.
What I think I’m most known for is making a comfortable and fun environment during photoshoots. The best photos is when the subject is comfortable in their skin and having fun. I get their most genuine smiles, their most relaxed selves.
I’m most proud of the end product, where I send the client back their photos, because I love their reactions. It fills me up with so much joy that I was able to capture the client’s best self and let them see how beautiful they are.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was more kept to myself and immersed myself in the world of the internet. When I was younger, my parents were going through a divorce, I was experiencing self-esteem issues, and dealt with social anxiety. I did have my close knit friend group who I’m still friends with to this day, but when I wasn’t in school, I escaped reality either through music or my fandoms. It kept me and my mind busy of the chaos of my everyday surroundings.
I think that’s why I put so much passion into my work because during my darkest moments, my interests are what kept these feelings at bay. It’s what kept me alive, which is why I cherish It so much. My passions are what has kept me going, so I feel that I need to show through my work how it’s helped me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/ZionPhotography
- Instagram: zion.photography
- Other: zionphotography24@gmail.com
