Photography & Me
- Ashley Santana
- Oct 1, 2018
- 3 min read
I've loved photography for as long as I can remember.
I have fond memories of my many disposable cameras and trips all over Europe (where I grew up). When I was 7 years old, my parents and I traveled England and Scotland, by way of France. We rode the train from France to the UK, and then the ferry on the way back. Our 4th grade class trip was an overnight "camp", in 7th grade I traveled to Croatia, France, and Italy. I've been to the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Holland, among many other places - always with my disposable cameras or my dad's digital camera. Even then I liked taking landscape and "artsy" pictures of monuments and scenery. Oh the amount of film I used to go through!
In high school (in FL), I joined the yearbook staff. My dad had a decent digital camera (I think it was a Nikon...a step below DSLR but I cannot remember the model) and I enjoyed taking pictures of dances, sporting events and again, trips. (Lots and lots of trips to Disney and Universal!!) Editing them and designing the yearbook was such fun for me - I knew I wanted to learn more and get better at it.
One Christmas, my husband got me a nice digital camera - and I again went photo-crazy! Pictures of the dogs, our house, our friends, trips, us, our first born, etc. Nothing was off limits and I have thousands of pictures to show for it. Then life got busy and I put the camera away. We all have iPhones now and I rarely took out "the good camera".
Fast-forward to this past year. After paying for photography sessions for our Christmas Photos for the past few years, and gifting a session to my mom for Christmas last year, I started talking to my husband about wanting to get back into photography. I missed it, loved every aspect of it, and wanted to start up my own business. Being the sweet man that he is, and always supporting my (sometimes crazy) antics and dreams - he got me a DSLR for my birthday. And that's how it all began....
Photography to me is as much about the art and style as it is capturing sweet moments in time. Being able to pause life for a split second, and see love, joy, connection, between couples, families, or friends - that's what I love about what I do. I get so excited when I feel a session going well, and then ecstatic when I see their emotions brought to life in still images on my computer screen. When a picture makes you feel something - you know it's a good picture.
Photography is so much more than just having a "good camera" and knowing some photoshop tricks. There's passion, drive, emotion, connection, and a desire to provide our clients with precious memories. I want those parents to look at their child's newborn pictures in 15 years and remember exactly how she felt all bundled up. I want that couple to look back at their engagement shoot in 20 years and remember exactly how in love they were on that day and smile. I want the families who book me to proudly share their family portraits with their friends, extended family, and in their home!
Photography is so much more than just a nice photo!
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