Mauricio F. Corridan
Mauricio F. Corridan is an Irish Spanish photographer. Born in County Kerry, Ireland, and raised on Spain’s Canary Islands, Mauricio is currently completing a BA in Photography in Berlin, Germany, while simultaneously working with brands that include Esprit and Urban Outfitters.
What is your morning routine?
I get up around 7:00am. I go to the living room, put some music on, open my laptop, and go through my emails.
I like getting up early so I can have some time to relax on the sofa while I check my plan for the day and week. Apart from my university classes and work at C/O Berlin, I have photography freelance work, appointments, and events that I try to fit into my schedule. This extra time in the morning allows me to plan everything. After I have planned my schedule, I like writing down some ideas about upcoming projects or shoots.
How long have you stuck with this routine so far?
I have had this routine since I started my degree in photography. This is my second degree and since I started it, I have had to be very well organized to combine both university and work.
What time do you go to sleep?
I usually go to sleep between 12:00 and 1:00am, but sometimes I stay up a little later working or planning upcoming projects.
I used to be a night owl and would spend late nights editing pictures; now I prefer doing this early in the morning, but depending on my week and schedule, I will edit in either the mornings or the evenings.
Do you do anything before going to bed to make your morning easier?
I usually plan what I’ll be wearing the next day if I’m not working from home so that I don’t have to take care of that in the morning. I also check my calendar to see what my day will look like (work, school, appointments, etc.).
Do you use an alarm to wake you up in the morning, and if so do you ever hit the snooze button?
I do have an alarm, but I usually wake up before it rings. I don’t really need it, but you never know!
How soon after waking up do you have breakfast, and what do you typically have?
About an hour after getting up. I start my day with a green smoothie bowl with fruits and seeds or with avocado crackers with some lemon and seeds.
My green smoothie bowl recipe goes as follows:
You’ll need raw buckwheat, a spoon of honey, a spoon of coconut oil, spinach, freshly squeezed orange juice, and one or two bananas. Use a blender to mix everything together. Once mixed, you can make it look nice in a bowl by adding some fruit, chia seeds, and cacao nibs on top. It’s very healthy and really delicious!
Do you answer email first thing in the morning or leave it until later in the day?
Depending on the priority, I will either reply right away or leave some emails for later in the day.
How soon do you check your phone in the morning?
I check my phone right away to see if I have received any important emails overnight, and I also check my Instagram. Instagram has become a big part of my life as I do a lot of work through it. It’s like an online portfolio where I show part of my work, and it’s also my main source to find models for shoots.
What are your most important tasks in the morning?
To check my emails and schedule.
What and when is your first drink in the morning?
My first drink is water with a little bit of lemon and honey. It tastes great and it helps cleanse your body. I have been drinking it for over six months.
Do you also follow this routine on weekends, or do you change some steps?
My morning routine on weekends is almost the same, but instead of 7:00am, I get up around 8:00am. If I’m not working at C/O Berlin and I don’t have a shoot planned on the weekend, my mornings are more relaxed.
If my girlfriend and I have time, we will prepare brunch, plan shoots, and come up with ideas for new projects.
If I do have a shoot, I will prepare a little mood board with some images that will inspire the story or theme of the shoot. I meet up with the models later, and even though I’ve prepared the mood board, I always improvise and get inspiration from the location and the models while shooting. My best ideas usually turn up spontaneously once I’m already working!
What do you do if you fail to follow your morning routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?
I’m pretty flexible, so if I can’t manage to do something because I lack the time in the morning, I just do it later in the day or in the evening.
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