By admin on October 08th, 2009

José Mandojana, Seattle, WA

José Mandojana is a Seattle-based professional photographer (José Mandojana Photography).

José was born in Baltimore on record setting blizzard day in February of ‘78. His parents were both born in Argentina, but moved to the States when his father joined the US ARMY, therefore leaving José no option but to become an Army Brat. He grew up speaking english, spanish and spanglish at home and is said to have a rather authentic Argentine accent when speaking spanish.

At 5, he moved to Germany where he ate schnitzel and broke his right arm when his sister pushed him off the playground slide (he got her back later in life by tripping her and causing her to chip her front tooth). Two years later, he was off to O’ahu to chase waves and girls. He also learned how to skateboard and how to eat Poki. Three and a half years later, he was traumatized as his family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. Without the ocean nearby, José decided to grow a foot to 6′5” and play basketball for the Bearden High School Bulldogs. He studied quite a bit too and enrolled at Emory University where he earned a BS in Biology and Pre-Med. He took the MCAT, decided not to go to medical school, then lead 10 young adults all over the West Coast while volunteering for Americorps, and then went to Law School for a semester and a half.

Finally he decided enough is enough, and he dropped out of Law School and moved with his new wife to Pasadena to study photography at the Art Center College of Design. He now makes images for national editorial and commercial clients while learning to live in the more laid back NW climate.