Patrick Viruel (1996) was born in Atlanta, Georgia but grew up in San Jose, California. His first experience with a DSLR camera was during his junior year of high school in a beginning photography class. This class was the start of it all for a growing passion with photography. The instructor for that course was beyond supportive and assisted in his attempts at further pursuing photography. She had given Viruel his first camera which jump started his love for the craft. Viruel was obsessed with learning about the gear, beyond how to just point and shoot, but to actually understand the technicalities involved in creating an image. He was curious as to the different lenses and settings that would work best for different shooting situations and how this could be manipulated to create something new.

To this day, Viruel has a fascination with the technical side of photography. The amazing support from teachers and family has pushed him to pursue what he is passionate about. Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts Photography degree has given him the opportunity to explore and test the limits of his art. After taking many upper division art courses he has been chasing the idea of a unique way to present his work. Light has always been a point of curiosity for him and it has recently been very important for him to try and incorporate it physically into his displayed work.

The discovery of interdisciplinary art has pushed him to think about his own work in a new manner to try and push the bounds of his own printed photography. Viruel is inspired by artists like Dan Flavin and Damien Hirst because of their unique approaches to their work and incorporation of light and color. Viruel pushes the limits of what he can create. He questions the typical and attempts to reinvent the presentation of his work for his viewers.