Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina A Padilla.
Hi Nina A, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi, I’m Nina A. Padilla, a proud San Antonio native and the owner of Motion Arts Media, LLC—a company I founded in 2020 to turn my passion for visual storytelling and digital marketing into a full-time career. My journey into this world started at Texas State University, where I took a film class that completely changed my perspective. I fell in love with photography, bought my first DSLR, and never looked back. Over a dozen years later, I’m still just as excited about capturing stories through a lens as I was back then.
I started out as most photographers do, as a natural light photographer and then expanded my skillset by learning studio lighting. I have shot almost everything over the years but my passion is photographing humans and I have had my work published in several local and national magazines.
With a background as a dancer and dance teacher, I naturally transitioned from portraits to specializing in dance photography, capturing the energy and artistry of performers. As the industry evolved, so did I—expanding into video production and social media content creation. What started as a creative hobby quickly turned into a thriving business. During the pandemic, I decided to retire from teaching and take the leap into media production full-time, officially launching my LLC.
I continued working with my dance clients while expanding my focus to professional content creation for local businesses. That naturally led me into social media strategy and management, where I help brands shape their narratives through impactful visuals and digital campaigns.
In 2022, I joined Haven for Hope as their in-house Multimedia Specialist, where I manage all social media campaigns, create client and employee testimonials, and handle photography for marketing, events, and portraits. I also lead digital campaigns for large-scale donation drives and produce compelling video testimonials that shed light on the realities of homelessness. My latest project at Haven, The Hope Connection, is an interview series where clients share their stories in short, candid conversations, offering the public a deeper, more personal understanding of homelessness.
At my core, I’m a storyteller. Whether it’s through a beautifully captured portrait, an emotional video, or a thoughtfully curated digital campaign, I believe stories have the power to connect, inspire, and spark change. We all have stories to tell, and I feel honored to help bring those stories to life.
Now, I’m embarking on my biggest adventure yet—my first podcast, Candid & Curious, produced by Gemineyes Productions. Since 2021, I’ve been interviewing people from all walks of life, and now I’m taking those conversations to the next level. Candid & Curious is a human interest podcast where I dive into the lives of fascinating individuals—artists, creatives, business professionals, and beyond—to explore what drives them, their passions, and their challenges. Expect deep, inspiring, and unfiltered conversations that give you a peek into some of the most interesting minds out there.
Through Candid & Curious and my work in digital marketing, I continue to amplify voices and bring untold stories to light. Every day, I wake up grateful that I get to do what I love—capturing, sharing, and celebrating the stories that make us human.
I am also a proud single mom to two gorgeous children who are budding artists and beautiful people. Watching them grow into their creativity and individuality is one of my greatest joys, and they continue to inspire me every day.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—far from it. Like many business owners, I’ve had to navigate some serious challenges, but one of the hardest lessons I learned was about starting over.
In 2020, I lost everything I had built over several years. At the time, I was primarily a dance photographer, working with multiple dance schools in San Antonio. That work was the backbone of my business. But when the pandemic hit, those schools were forced to close, and with them, all my contracts disappeared overnight. Just like that, everything I had worked for was gone.
That period was incredibly tough. I went through a deep depression, feeling lost and unsure of what to do next. But in the midst of that darkness, I turned to the one thing that had always given me purpose—my art. I started a self-portrait series in my home studio, not just as a creative outlet but as a way to process my emotions. I poured everything I was feeling into those images, using photography as a form of healing. In that time, I sharpened my storytelling techniques, refined my approach to lighting and composition, and experimented with scene building and color grading. More than anything, I rediscovered myself through my art.
That period of introspection led me to a realization: I couldn’t put all my energy into just one niche. If I was going to rebuild, I needed to diversify. So when I was ready to emerge from that difficult chapter, I did so with a new mindset. That’s when I decided to start my LLC and expand my focus beyond dance photography, stepping into professional content creation, video production, and social media strategy.
Looking back, that loss was one of the best lessons I could have learned. It forced me to evolve, to think bigger, and to embrace new opportunities. And in the process, I found a way to blend my creativity with business strategy in a way that’s not only sustainable but deeply fulfilling.
So no, it hasn’t been a smooth road. But the struggles shaped me into the business owner and storyteller I am today. And for that, I’m grateful.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
One of the things I’m most proud of right now is my new podcast, Candid & Curious. This is something I’ve wanted to do for over a year, and finally bringing it to life feels incredibly exciting and fulfilling.
Candid & Curious is more than just a podcast—it’s a space for deep, unfiltered conversations with fascinating people. In Season 1, I sit down with artists, business professionals, and individuals with incredible life experiences to dive into their passions, challenges, and what keeps them curious. These are the kinds of conversations that make you think, inspire you, and sometimes even change your perspective. I have loved sitting down with each and every one of my guests and I know you will too.
I’m also beyond grateful to be working with my amazing producer, Chibbi, who is not only an incredible producer but also a talented artist in their own right. Together, we’re crafting something really special, and I can’t wait for listeners to experience it.
The podcast is currently in the middle of season one and is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and everywhere else you get your podcasts. I’m so proud of this project, and I can’t wait to share these conversations with the world.
Let’s Get Candid, San Antonio!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motionartsmediallc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motionartsmediallc
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-padilla-9aa465224/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@motionartsmedia1338
- Other: https://www.havenforhope.org
Image Credits
Image 1: Cover of B.Eclectic Magazine, photo by Motion Arts Media.
Image 2 and 3: Portraits by Rick Thompson Photography
Image 4: photo by Motion Arts Media
Image 5: Behind the scenes Image by Mike Torres.
