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PHOTOGRAPHY
PORTRAITS
December 2023 in Los Angeles, California
Shane Hardy is the original founder of Snow on 15th Street, a charity gala that first started in his backyard and has exponentially escalated in attendance since it first started 8 years ago. Invitees bring toys that are then donated to Long Beach Unified's elementary schools.
I was one of the two photographers covering the event. I covered the carpet, my first red carpet! And quickly photographed medium shots, full frame, horizontal and vertical photos.
Full coverage of the event can be found here.
SNOW ON 15th STREET
Fall 2021 in my Syracuse, New York apartment
Moving to a different state was rather lonely in the beginning.
I didn't know too many people, wouldn't go out, so I started a photo project on my classmates, all of whom are photographers.
Throughout my first semester in Upstate New York, I photographed my peers, who soon became my friends, all of whom are amazing storytellers and have prosperous careers ahead of them.
(Special appearances by: Surya Vaidy, Zoe McCreary, Wendy Wang, Jason Lozada, Ryan Griffith, Bond Photos, Ha Tran, Griffin Quinn, Tanya Hu, and Mayson Zhu.)
PHOTOGRAPHERS
PHOTOGRAPHY
PORTRAITS
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June 2022 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
On my drive back to California, I stopped in North Carolina for a week, where I picked up my new camera and met Ilene, a SoCal native who moved out East with her Husband.
I offered to take her maternity pics because she said that in the first ones she'd taken, you couldn't really see the baby bump.
I hadn't planned for a full-on photoshoot during my cross country trip so I scrambled for my two $20-something dollar Home Depot lights and blindly trusted my new camera.
You can't tell from here, but two Home Depot lights. This is the front yard.
ILENE'S MATERNITY
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March 2023 in my at-home LA studio
I'd worked months on remodeling my backyard shed and converting it into my own mini at-home studio. This was the first time I'd ever shot anyone else in it.
Jorge is my neighbor. We've known each other for years but don't often spend a lot of time with one another. We agreed on a pink and green theme, think Wanda and Cosmo.
I used a softbox on one side and RGB light on the other for a light touch of color. We even used a lime green ball, in a perfect coincidence, because we don't even know how it got there.
After this shoot, I think we know each other much better now.
JORGE'S PORTRAITS
April 2022 in Syracuse, New York
Lucy was looking for headshots and I was looking for a subject.
It was the perfect duo.
LUCY'S HEADSHOTS
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March 2023 in Downtown LA
I was on Backstage looking for photo gigs earlier this year. I hadn't produced any good work in 9 months, so moral was low.
It wasn't until Ned, a male model hired me as a photographer for Fashion Republic, a magazine about models, for models. I went over prepared, not entirely sure what to expect, and packed more gear than my two arms could carry, but it was well worth it.
I speed dated the models in 20 minute intervals with another photographer squeezed in there before eventually calling it a day. (Special appearances by: Erna Edwards, Danna Ramirez, Cindy Maram, Ned, Alexandria Leigh, Daria and Diana.) These are those models.
FASHION REPUBLIC PINK SHOOT
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April 2023 in Downtown LA
I'm running around los callejones, past the clothes, the people and the heat. I can't find the building. After some more running around and some help, I realize I walked right past it. Stared right in its face, in fact. I was luckily on time.
When I walked in, it turned out to be one large room, dividing each section by colorful makeshift walls, not several rooms like I'd thought.
This time, I slowed down and got to know Anne Marie Dubois and Rylee Green, the girls I shot and I touched just about every color on the rainbow with them.
This is that rainbow.
FASHION REPUBLIC
RAINBOW SHOOT
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June 2023 at University of California, IRVINE
These were some of my first shoots before officially returning to photography after a year long hiatus.
I'd planned on extending it even longer but my high school friends reached out asking if I could take grad pics for them.
I was a bit scared I'd lost my touch with photography since it'd been so long, but I surprised myself. After the nostalgic conversations, life updates, and handy compact mirror, I felt pretty good about the results.
UC IRVINE GRADS
November 2023 at my at-home LA studio
I have been friends with Berenice and Briselda since we were 10 going on 11 and entering 6th grade.
We're turning 22 now. We've been through just about everything together and now we can say we've been friends more than half our lives.
Happy Birthday to Bere and Bri :)