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About Alyssa

Hi there. First can I say, thank you for visiting my site! It's so cool that you're here. I'm going to take this moment to share little bit about myself, in hopes of you feeling more acquainted with me before we've even connected. (And when it feels too long, please know I agree. I was informed by an SEO expert that I should have at least 1,000 words on my home page.)

I'm a 27-year-old fashion and wedding photographer living in Pasadena, California (Los Angeles for short) with 8 years of wedding photography under my belt. Monday - Friday your girl is shooting with professional models, either in a studio or somewhere on location throughout the city. But on the weekends, I get to engage in real moments with couples - whether that's an engagement shoot or a wedding. I feel so blessed to have the experience on both ends, because I've found blending the two experiences has given me a sweet advantage. While shooting weddings, I love combining my background in photojournalism with my expertise in fashion. Nothing feels better than a well-balanced wedding album where I deliver both editorial and beautifully candid photos. Every wedding should be well-rounded in that way.

How I Got Started:

I became passionate about storytelling through the lens at a young age, using a silly point-and-shoot with my friends over the summer breaks and making slideshows with those photos (shoutout to Apple's iMovie - those were the DAYS). In high school, I got involved with our multimedia department and became obsessed with producing our weekly news show, adding some SNL-inspired humor into it (fun fact: I LOVE standup comedy!)

But it wasn't until I graduated high school when my mom gave me my first ever "professional" digital camera (Canon EOS t3i - a very, very basic beginner camera). Youtube and Google became my BFFs and I learned about the power of "bokeh" - this is when I bought my "Nifty Fifty" 50mm lens and my Life. Was. CHANGED. All of a sudden, I could make art. Like, actual, beautiful portraits all with my camera; this gave me so much joy. I moved from the Central Valley to Orange County to attend school at Cal State University of Fullerton. This is when I began taking photos with my new friends and even driving the 3.5 hours back up home to take senior portraits for my younger friends who were graduating high school. This continued for a few years as my knowledge grew.

When I tell you the camera SAVED me, I only mean it facetiously. I could have gone on to major in Marketing, PR, or anything really, and I'd have turned out alright. But, as a "sophomore" college student, who now had to choose her major and could no longer slide under the radar taking only her General Ed courses, the camera saved me. I finally felt like my future had some clarity, some type of direction. I'd developed a skill that I not only loved, but other people found useful. Majoring in photojournalism was the best move I'd made in my college career. This major would introduce me to the power and beauty of studio photography - something a lot of beginner photographers are scared to learn, and something a lot of seasoned wedding photographers have never learned at all. I was prepared to hate shooting in a studio. The concept of shooting in a studio with strobe lighting is a formidable one for photographers who only use natural light & maybe an external flash attached to their cameras. I'll admit, the technicalities of it all were scary. But man, did I thrive. The power of having a studio all to yourself with a friend or two, some good music, a broken heart (that first one hits different...), and feeling like the only thing you have in your life was the art you were creating. What I once viewed as something only for JCPenny family photos became the most creative, badass art I had ever made. Thank you to those old Alien Bees that really changed my life for the better (I now use Profotos on the daily - we've upgraded, baby!)

Some of my favorite photos I shot in that special little CSUF studio:

Once again, the camera saved me (sooo dramatic). Saved me from a directionless future, a broken heart, and gave me a life where I could finally create what had been trapped in my head. This period of my life helped boost my portfolio, which landed me my first-ever fashion photography gig. As crappy as it was, I was so excited! I would work an opening shift (5:30AM - 12PM) at my favorite spot, Philz Coffee, then hop in my car and power through traffic from OC to LA just to shoot for 4 hours at a measly pay of $15/hr. You could have paid me nothing, and I still would have done it. I knew I wanted to be in the industry & I knew this crappy job would be my stepping stone. That stepping stone took me up to another stepping stone, which brought me to the next stone my feet are currently standing on. I'm grateful.

Example from My Crappy Gig:

vs What I Shoot Now:

My First Wedding:

My first wedding was all word-of-mouth. I had a friend ask if I was interested in shooting weddings, and I was a little intimidated. But I said yes and agreed to a very low price, then reached out to local wedding photographers asking if I could shadow them on a wedding. One said yes, and this little bit of experience helped me gain so much confidence! For my first wedding, I traveled all the way up to Palo Alto. This was 2016 when I was still just a lost little sophomore at CSUF. (2016. Yikes, time doesn't just fly - it RACES). Everything went incredibly smooth. Finally with one wedding under my belt, I began building a portfolio. A few more weddings later thanks to word-of-mouth, and I fully committed to wedding photography by upgrading my equipment. Things moved slow, but that was ok because I was still in college. And with each wedding I captured, I found myself loving it more and more. It's an honor to be a part of someone's wedding day and give back those moments for them to cherish forever.

My Wedding Day Shooting Style:

What could you expect from me if I were shooting your wedding day? All-in-all, I'd classify my shooting style as laid back. I've been described as "perfect & chill" and a photographer who knows when to step back and let things play out instead of being up in your face every second of the day.