About

INTERVIEW by SHOUTOUT SOCAL
Click Here


I can still vividly remember my first encounter with freedom and a camera. I was 8 years old roaming the streets of Mexico by myself with a disposable camera. The city of Jalpa, Zacatecas protected me and knew me by my family name. I roamed the city for 2 whole months with 27 spots to fill the film. I was careful of what I shot that summer. It was my first memory of truly feeling in control, powerful and free to curate my summer story for Mom. I thought to myself she won’t believe what I did this summer!

The head chairman of the photography department at university didn’t believe me when I shared my story of my first adventure shooting. There’s no way that’s true, his face expressed, but the proof are in those 1998 prints.

My studies truly started in film and in the darkroom in my early teens but with technological advances, quickly progressed to digital. I’ve always been a curious one though. No seriously, as my Mom would probably describe as annoying “but why? why? how? why?”, I needed to know the classic, “Who, What, Why, Where, When, How”.

From photographing concerts and events at a young age to becoming an editor & graphic designer for publications both print and online, to majoring in Art Photography in college, I always made sure where I studied, my passion would follow and it did reflect this in some educational way. This passion for discovery & learning expanded to photojournalism and eventually to cover, document & share compelling stories. An internship at FOX wasn't enough, I was inspired & intrigued but bored, I wanted to be in the action. I invested in myself and spent a summer mentored by National Geographic Photographers in Monterey, CA. What a transformable summer that was.

I believe my curiosity will never subside, I will always observe and photograph people, lots of people and ask questions, create, curate & watch the magic develop.

Fast forward 20 years, my ever growing portfolio ranges from Grammy Award winning artists, House of Blues concerts, weddings, love, businesses + branding, lifestyle, entrepreneurs, fashion editorial, content creation, New York Fashion Week, mentorships and in the medical field. With all of this said, I am ready to create and curate your story, there is so much more to capture, and so much more to uncover!

xo
Chelsea
based in Los Angeles + San Diego, CA
passport ready